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 Deh Cho Pipe Company owner Greg Whitlock, left, and Miguelangelo Thome, the manager of Socotherm's operations in the Americas, look over the Hay River land they hope will contain a pipe-coating plant. |
Jim Kellett, the communications manager with Deh Cho Pipe Company, said during a July 21 public meeting in Hay River that word is anticipated from the town this week.
"We are expecting the transfer to come through," Kellett said.
Town council had previously requested a transfer from the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs for 116 acres of Commissioner's land, which would in turn be leased for the project.
The land is near the Fort Smith turnoff on the Mackenzie Highway.
If the transfer happens, Kellett said site preparation could begin in early September and clearing could begin 45 days later.
"We're looking at 18 months from start to finish," he said.
That means the plant could be fully functional by March 2006.
If the land is not available, Kellett said the company has considered alternate communities.
The plant would be a joint venture between Deh Cho Pipe and Socotherm, an Italian multinational company with experience in pipe-coating.
Officials from Deh Cho Pipe, Socotherm and suppliers made the rounds of the NWT last week. They met government officials and business representatives in both Yellowknife and Hay River.
Kellett said the plant would require a labour force of between 125-150 people at peak production.
The plant would first look to fill the jobs in Hay River.
"With very little training, we can get them ready for our facility," said Miguelangelo Thome, an official with Socotherm in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
He said it would be incorrect to assume the project is solely targeted at the Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline.
"We're not looking at coming here and doing one project and getting out," said Thome.
The pipe-coating consortium does not have an agreement to provide services to the Mackenzie gas pipeline, if it is built.
However, Kellett said, that will not stop the plant from being built, noting Socotherm wants a facility to service the northern part of North America. Pipe-coating places a barrier against corrosion on the exterior of a pipe and a flow enhancer on the inside.
Shaw Pipe Protection Ltd. of Calgary also applied to town council for land to build a pipe-coating facility.
