‘We’re putting in foundational roots’

RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF ROSSER — A short time ago, in a rural municipality not so far away, a Groupe Touchette executive invoked an iconic freighter from the Star Wars movie franchise when describing the Montreal-based tire distributor’s newly expanded distribution facility in CentrePort Canada.

“As far as the uniqueness and being brand new and the lighting, it’s immaculate,” Paul Hyshka said Thursday morning before leading a tour of the massive warehouse. “This is the Millennium Falcon.”

Hyshka, who serves as vice-president of independent sales, was visiting from his home in Edmonton to participate in a grand opening celebration for the expanded facility, which has more than doubled in size over the last two years.

In early 2020, Groupe Touchette — the largest tire distributor in the country — opened a 100,000-square-foot warehouse in the portion of CentrePort that falls within the RM of Rosser.

Four years later, the company announced plans to build a second distribution centre beside the first one.

The now-completed facility is connected to the first, effectively making it a 106,000-sq.-ft. addition. It brings the company’s total space to 206,000 sq. ft. on 12.6 acres in Brookside Industrial Park, just south of CentrePort Canada Way on the west side of Route 90.

Two years ago, Groupe Touchette announced it was investing $19 million to build the new distribution centre. On Thursday, Hyshka declined to say how much the company ended up spending.

“It’s in our DNA to continue to expand in environments like this,” he said. “It’s key to show that we’re committed (to Manitoba). We’re putting in foundational roots. We’re not just here for a short time. We’re here for the long term.”

Founded by André Touchette in 1979, Groupe Touchette serves automobile dealerships and independent tire retailers. The company also operates retail banners including Tirecraft, Integra Tire, Signature Tire and Touchette Motorsport.

Groupe Touchette has more than 1,800 employees and, Hyshka said, is present across Canada with more than 40 distribution centres. “Every one is just as important as the other because it’s servicing the local (community).”

The company’s CentrePort distribution centre can hold up to 239,000 tires and focuses on customers in Manitoba.

“Having everything local is going to be making us better at servicing the customers, and not dependent on other parts of the nation,” Hyshka said.

“If we can put the right product in the right place at the right time, and (we) have the space to do it, everybody wins.”

The centre has a 10-metre clearance height that allows for efficient storage of inventory, and wide aisles so employees can navigate through the building with ease. There’s ample lighting throughout the warehouse, including a series of north-facing windows.

“It’s all about having the right space design so that it’s safe and efficient,” Hyshka said of the hub, which employs 30 people year-round and another 10 during the winter.

Carly Edmundson, president and CEO of CentrePort, is pleased Groupe Touchette decided to expand locally.

“It is great to see that they saw so much advantage to being in CentrePort that they wanted to double down on it,” she said. “We love to see these Canadian companies growing and seeing a future at CentrePort Canada.”

Much is happening at CentrePort right now, Edmundson added. In CentrePort North, in Rosser, construction continues on Keystone Industrial Park, which Exemplar Developments is bringing to market. The company is preparing to break ground on another industrial park beside Keystone.

In CentrePort South, in Winnipeg, the first development applications have been filed for two major industrial parks: Sturgeon Industrial Park by MMI Developments and Catalyst Park by Jessiman Family Investments.

“It is a busy building time at CentrePort and that really represents the results of a big collective effort in the community to make this inland port a reality,” Edmundson said.

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca