From major multinationals to home businesses, there are many companies in Eastern Ontario making surprising stuff — from giant manufacturing plants creating millions of tires per year, to smaller teams turning wood into world-class doors. Here are 25 examples of surprising stuff made in the region.
Fluid carrier

Ever wonder how fluids, pastes and similar items are transported without spilling? Could you imagine how difficult a cleanup would be if a liquid container burst while in transit? Belleville’s Schütz manufactures and reconditions what are called intermediate bulk carriers — a sort of large plastic container placed within a metal cage that is easy to ship, protect and reuse.
Tons of tires

Napanee is home to a Goodyear tire manufacturing plant, which recently announced an expansion. Once construction is complete, the more than 1.2-million-square-foot facility will produce tire solutions for electric vehicles in addition to the millions of tires the plant already produces each year.
OBJ360 (Sponsored)

Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, Head of Critical Care at The Ottawa Hospital, says he likely never would have gotten into medicine if it weren’t for a pediatrician in Edmonton. Dr. Kyeremanteng

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Stable fruit stuff
Ever look at your cereal bowl and wonder where the different grains, dried fruits or seeds came from? Or enjoy a fruit-flavoured ice cream and think about how the flavour was added? From its Kingston location, Frulact makes “stabilized preparations” that are added to dairy products, baked goods, ice cream, desserts and more.
Canadian milk in formula

Earlier this year, Canada Royal Milk received approval to begin producing baby and infant formula from Canadian milk. Expect to see the brand name Niuriss appearing on store shelves soon. Last year, the Chinese-owned company, which has a Canadian arm in Kingston, also launched Capriss, a goat milk powder for milk lovers of all ages.
Hockey smell hacks

While the sights and sounds of hockey may be entertaining, the smells usually aren’t. Hockey mom Emily Prout resolved to do something about it with a line of candles and sprays just for hockey moms. Her Bullseye Hockey company also makes some top-shelf beeswax designed to prolong the life of hockey sticks and goalie pads. It’s all handmade in Gananoque.
Electric race cars

With electric cars becoming more common on the streets, it’s not surprising to see them joining the racetrack. And the pit crews making it happen are based in Belleville. Scalar Performance has been working on the SCR1, a project to convert a combustion engine car to the first all-electric touring race car, for a couple of years now. Its engineers are also applying what they’ve learned to other vehicle types, up to and including heavy-duty mining trucks.
There’s oil in these parts

Next time your car is in for an oil change, there’s a chance that oil was made in Brockville. Shell’s Brockville plant produces 130 million litres a year of products such as Pennzoil and Quaker State. The oil also ships across the country and to Canada and the U.S.
Soup’s on

On a colder fall or winter day, what can beat a bowl of butternut squash soup or chili? If those aren’t to your taste, try one of Perth Soup Company’s other flavours of soup, frozen entrees or dry mixes — all made in Perth using only Ontario-raised chicken, locally raised ground beef and AAA Alberta stewing beef, with seasonal Ontario vegetables for maximum freshness.
Conboy maple syrup

For more than 45 years, the Conboy family has been making maple syrup, sugar, jelly and butter in Sharbot Lake. In fact, the farm has been in the family for more than 145 years. The syrup is sold in and around Sharbot Lake, but its reputation goes far beyond Eastern Ontario. Comedian Tom Green declared it “the freshest, best Canadian maple syrup” when he gave a jug to Joe Rogan during a recent podcast taping.
Chocolate redux
Here’s a sweet treat to look forward to in the future: Hershey is expected to resume production of its chocolate in Smiths Falls. The American confectionery giant operated a plant in Smiths Falls from 1961 until around 2009 and then re-acquired it in 2023. Hopefully, we’ll soon see Hershey bars, Reese’s, and Kit Kats rolling off the production line in the town again.
Sensible scents

Green Beaver’s line of personal care products is vegan, biodegradable, GMO-free, certified organic and made in Eastern Ontario in what it calls “the beaver dam.” The Hawkesbury company was founded by former biochemists and microbiologists to help people access a natural and healthier lifestyle. The products are not just sustainable, they’re also available in fun flavours and scents. Green Beaver toothpaste, for example, comes in mint, orange, cinnamon and star anise, while its deodorant options include citrus, lavender and wild rose.
Giving old tires new life
When tires wear out, they’re often converted into products such as rubber mulch, rooftops or flooring. Ecolomondo is developing a better way to reuse old tires. Its Hawkesbury facility can process 14,000 tons of tire waste per year and produce 5,300 tons of recovered carbon black, 42,700 barrels of oil, 1,800 tons of steel, 1,600 tons of process gas, and 850 tons of fibre.
Tap technology

There’s a lot of technology that goes into delivering water to your tap at home each day, not to mention keeping it clean and safe to drink. From its plant in Brockville, Newterra makes the equipment that helps treat industrial wastewater in places such as new home developments, golf courses, resorts and mines — places that can’t always connect to municipal water treatment plants.
Part protection
As cars are being assembled, the various parts and pieces need to be protected from damage. Cornwall’s Laminacorr makes corrugated plastic sheets, which today are the most commonly used protection for packaging automotive parts, largely due to innovations the company pioneered. These same plastic sheets can also be used in signage like you might see during an election or at a real estate listing.
Solving a puzzle

Why was it that Canada didn’t have a puzzle manufacturer? It’s a puzzling question that Michael J. Bainbridge and Brigitte Gall didn’t answer per se, but they did address it by creating one. Using photos amassed by Bainbridge in his decade-long career as an award-winning mineral photographer, they launched TheOccurrence, a “100 per cent owned, operated and unreasonably proudly Canadian jigsaw puzzle manufacturing company” located in rural Merrickville. Self-professed science nerds and art geeks, they design, print, cut and box their puzzles at their location.
Non-stinky bug spray

Whether you want to rest well or keep yourself safe on your next outdoor adventure, 1890.ca has you covered — from bath bombs and body lotions to an all-natural bug and tick spray. “Happy Glamper” is made from a unique blend of natural ingredients that the 1890 team says are proven to be effective against common insects. And as you settle into your tent, make sure to apply the “Go To Sleep Babe French Lavender and Chamomile” magnesium body lotion from the Merrickville company.
“Crazy” kombucha

Canada’s only fair-trade kombucha happens to be made in Balderson, northwest of Perth. While it was originally his company’s explosive growth that led Loon Kombucha Inc. founder Gabe Johnston to move from just south of Perth up to Balderson, it turns out the high-quality, alkaline and fully mineralized well water in Balderson were the secret ingredients to set Loon apart. Loon now ships its seven flavours across Canada.
Fauxmagerie Zengarry

They call it “the creme de la creme of plant-based cheese” and it’s not at all cheesy to say they have a growing slice of the market. Fauxmagerie manufactures a cashew nut-based cheese that is made right in Alexandria and shipped out to nine Canadian provinces and one territory. Its creamy Swiss vegan cheese even won Best Swiss-Style Cheese in 2022 and 2023 at the Vegan Cheese Awards.
Coutts Coffee Roastery and Cafe
Coutts Coffee Roastery will soon celebrate 25 years serving — what else? — coffee! It ships in fair trade, organic beans directly from small farmers across Africa and South America. The Coutts team roasts the beans in-house in small batches, using a traditional method to achieve the ultimate development of each coffee’s unique characteristics. It offers 20 unique blends including Sherriff’s Brew, named for the 180-year-old building it calls home.
A world of wood
Forestry and logging dates back to the founding of Pembroke some 200 years ago and companies such as Roseburg carry on that tradition today. It produces lumber, hardwood, engineered wood, plywood, wood chips and medium-density fibreboard (MDF) — the latter being what companies such as Ikea use for some cabinets and furniture. Roseburg’s MDF is even used by companies such as Holt Hill Audio for its custom-built speakers and monitors.
Stroke saver

If you have a stroke, you’re at risk for a second one within a week. There are ways to prevent a second stroke, but doctors need quick information to prevent and treat blood clots that could lead to additional strokes. Genomadix’s Cube is a rapid-test device providing 99 per cent accurate results within an hour — far quicker than current methods. The Ottawa company can also test for a gene that can help predict Alzheimer’s Disease and harmful bacteria such as legionella.
A woodworker’s dream plane

Being able to precisely trim lengths of wood is an important part of any woodworking or craft project. Veritas Tools, a division of Lee Valley, recently introduced a shooting plane, a tool that makes the job easy and consistent. It’s one of the many dozen tools offered by Veritas. The tools are processed from raw casting to finished product at the company’s Ottawa headquarters.
High-performance laptops

Eurocom was the first company to introduce upgradeable graphics processing units (GPUs) and central processing units (CPUs) into laptops more than 30 years ago. Now marking 35 years in business, it continues to offer high-performance and customizable laptops. Just last year, it introduced the Raptor X17, described as the “world’s most powerful Mobile Supercomputer.” What’s a mobile supercomputer? Essentially, Ottawa’s Eurocom makes it easier for its customers to upgrade a laptop’s performance without having to buy a whole new system.
Magnificent millwork
Wood-n’t you love to spend your day crafting beautiful wood pieces for someone’s home? The team at T.L. Stewart has been doing that for 30 years. It makes butcher block counter tops, staircases, cabinets, furniture, wood siding and flooring, doors and custom mouldings in up to 500 styles. For the past 20 years, it has also made specialty cutting boards sold in the Arnprior area.
Bard Balloons

Hot air balloons have had the same basic shape since the 1950s. Bard Balloons is part of a new wave of hot air balloon-makers creating more exotic designs and shapes, such as Meteo, which features a three-dimensional sun, cloud and rainbow; Alien Rocket, which is shaped like a spacecraft; and My Deerling, a reindeer with ears and antlers. For more daring flyers, it has even made balloons with glass floor baskets.