Fibracast changing the future of water treatment

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A ground breaking ceremony in Hamilton today could help improve the world’s supply of fresh water.

A company called Fibracast is building a plant on the Hamilton mountain, that will manufacture a product that is said to be a game changer for water treatment.

Today they broke ground on a new $30 million facility for advanced water treatment, and it’s a homecoming for one man.

Andrew Benedek is a former McMaster professor who started a water treatment company called Zenon Environmental way back in 1980. He sold the company for $760 million in 2006 and moved to San Diego.

But while he was there, Benedek became increasingly concerned with global warming.

“And I started to understand that sustainability is at stake for the planet.”

He saw places like drought ridden California as an area that will be in need of fresh water, so he started a company called Anaergia that makes use of waste. They are based in Los Angeles with a Canadian office in Burlington, and another in Ancaster.

Their 90 thousand square foot facility here is under a subsidiary called Fibracast that will manufacture what Benedek calls “the most advanced type of water purification in the world.”

And they plan to sell the product all over the world.

It’ll be the end of the year before the whole thing is done, and once it is done, 100 people will have jobs and Hamilton will have another business.

“I think we’re on an up curve for sure there’s no question I mean not withstanding this investment we’ve had the federal government and the province make some strategic investments in Hamilton as well, LRT not being the least of which.” says Fred Eisenberger, Mayor of Hamilton.

The announcement for this facility came in march with the federal government providing $10 million as a repayable loan. It is another part of the changing face of the city, away from steel and towards a more diversified economy.