Paper or plastic?
Guelph's newest manufacturing company is creating both, and then some, in an environmentally friendly way.
Omnia Packaging held its grand opening Thursday in its 90,000-square foot facility on Phelan Court, just off Highway 6 near Laird Road.
Omnia is the Canadian subsidiary of Gruppo Sunino, an international packaging supplier based in Italy that's been in the plastic container business for over 50 years.
It's Sunino's first foray into North America. Guelph is the company's 11th plant.
"Guelph is an important city because we found in Guelph, from the municipality, a lot of support in what we want to do here, that is products for recycling and reusable plastic and paper," said Omnia owner Paolo Sunino.
Plants are operating in seven other countries, including Italy, Romania and India.
The family-owned company will work with paper and plastic at the Guelph facility, making sustainable packaging in multiple sizes.
Of note, it produces Mustang Paper Trays, more commonly seen used to carry fresh produce from Canadian greenhouses and growers. There are also plans to expand the product to the United States and Mexico.
Omnia's plastic packaging is made for dairy and confectionery producers and co-packers.
Most notably, Gruppo Sunino is the longtime global supplier for the packing and promotional material for Ferrero Rocher chocolates.
The company also produces items like sports gear, toys and promotional items.
Sunino said each individual plant serves what is important for the country the plant is in.
Sunino is already giving back, donating $5,000 to Family and Children's Services of Guelph and Wellington County last winter. It provided 90 local youth with gift cards, toiletries and a holiday lunch.
"Without this donation, we would not have been able to provide these things for the children and youth that we serve," noted its executive director Daria Allan-Ebron. "You truly have made a difference in the lives of many youth."
"You started on the right foot by supporting and recognizing that business is more than making profit, it's also contributing back," Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield added in his remarks to the gathered crowd.
The federal government provided $3.7 million in funding through an interest-free loan.
Sunino praised the investment, saying this is the first time he can recall a federal government making a financial contribution to help the business grow.
"When I came here, I didn't know nothing about Canada," he said. "But now, step by step, my (feeling) is that I'm at home here."
Product is already being made in the facility, but the vast majority of the building remains empty.
Sunino said more machines will be added over the next year or so to fill the space.
"Next year, we plan to have around 50 people," he said of staffing levels. "And I hope to be growing those numbers."
