GBIE opens new factory in Canada to produce coatings for weatherseals

WINDSOR, Ontario—The manufacturer of the Slip-Coat-brand water-based abrasion resistant coatings for automotive weatherseals has opened a new plant in Windsor.

G. Bareich Import-Export Office—known in the market at GBIE—said the 64,000-sq.-ft. factory was built to allow the firm to double production capacity immediately to meet growing customer demand, and designed it be able to integrate further equipment as needed to boost capacity as much as eightfold in the future, the company said in a Nov. 16 news release.

GBIE said the factory was built to maximize efficiency, houses a large research and development laboratory and "embraces a strong culture of safety with eco-efficient designs implemented to minimize waste and reduce the operational carbon footprint, including a rainwater capture system for use in cleaning processes."

The firm did not release the cost of the investment in the new Windsor facility.

GBIE was founded in 1973 and is a second-generation, family-owned business. It has developed, produced and distributed smooth and textured durable coatings for a variety of flexible substrates since 1989, when it said it produced the first water-based coating for use on weatherstrips, dubbing it the Slip-Coat.

"The commissioning of our new factory is a significant chapter in the story of our family-owned business and marks a huge gear change taking our business to the next level," GBIE President David Bareich said in a statement. "It also comes at an opportune time as we are seeing an increase in demand for high-performance, sustainable coating solutions, and we are also introducing some fantastic new eco-friendly products developed at GBIE, including water-based primers and cleaners."

GBIE said its products can be found in use on vehicles across the globe, including by virtually every North American and European OEM. It added that OEMs increasingly are specifying that weatherseals be coated to improve performance—such as in noise reduction for electric vehicles—as well as aesthetics and textured surfaces.

The Slip-Coat line offers superior abrasion resistance that, when combined with optimal application techniques, ensures that the coating keeps up required performance and lasts for the vehicle's lifetime.

"Hard science has always been at the core of our success and the new, lean facility with its dedicated R&D laboratory will support our planned technology acceleration that will enable us not only to support our customers' growth but broaden our existing customer base," Bareich said.