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Green Theory Design expands into Tillsonburg

Green Theory Design, new to Tillsonburg, opened its doors last Thursday for a grand opening.

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“We’re very pleased to welcome Green Theory Design,” said Tillsonburg Mayor Stephen Molnar. “They are a technologically advanced company which supports our community strategic plan. I think they’ll find that small-town rural work ethic that their leadership team has identified as being strengths on why they located here. And it’s a message that we need to share, on their success, with others to continually demonstrate what a fantastic area – and region – Tillsonburg and Southwestern Ontario is to do business.

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“The product line, the safety, and the environmental sensitivity that they brought to their footprint here,” said Molnar after Thursday’s tour, “is extremely impressive. They are bringing an everyday product in a creative way for both commercial and residential purposes. Their environmental footprint on the community, and really on the environment, is zero. Nothing leaves this plant that isn’t being recycled.

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“And beyond their significant investment, beyond their products and their respect for the environment, is that they are good people,” said Molnar, “and we are very pleased to welcome them – in all of those capacities – to our community.”

“We’re super excited to be here,” said Colin Rimes, co-owner of Green Theory Design.

Green Theory custom fabricates aluminum planters, benches and site furnishings. They also make fibreglass planters, supplied by a small factory in Vietnam that produces all of their fibreglass designs.

With headquarters in Vancouver, their products are shipped throughout Canada and the United States, and the Tillsonburg plant will now service the eastern half of the continent.

“Because of the shipping it made sense to locate a branch here in Tillsonburg.”

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The five-year-old company always wanted to branch out, said Rimes, “because one plant can only do so much.”

The building at 1523 Bell Mill Side Road, originally built in 1961, and the feel of the community, appealed to Green Theory Design and their brand. The owners visited and toured different areas of Tillsonburg, checking out several properties, and met with town staff.

“They were super helpful, it didn’t feel like it was a bunch of bureaucratic red tape,” said Rimes. “It was like, ‘what are we going to do to help you?’ We didn’t get that anywhere else. So that’s how we settled on Tillsonburg.

“We like the idea of a community feel, that’s sort of the way we wanted to build the business. That’s sort of why we were attracted to Tillsonburg. We met with Cephas (Panschow, Tillsonburg’s Development Commissioner) and we were really impressed with the future plans for the community and we felt like it would be really cool for us to be part of that. So it was easy to make the decision to come here.

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“Technically we had what we call our ‘ring of fire,’ which was our shipping circle, and we had to stay within it. We actually broke our rules and came outside because the attraction of moving into a smaller community was better. We just felt it was a better fit for our company.

“We want to build a family-like community within the workplace and when you get into some of the bigger cities and communities, it’s hard to get that.

“We are environmentally friendly and we do everything we can to support each community we work in. We felt like we could do more in the community here. We’re excited to be here and excited to do some really cool decorative stuff for the community and put some really nice planters and benches in some of the parks.”

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Typical clients are restaurants, dealerships, and residential properties. In the spring they are planning a few giveaways for customers and businesses.

“For us it’s more about getting people to enjoy what we build, so we’re going to do a park setting here on the property. So if people want to come by and chill out on our benches or under our pergolas… we’re going to use it like a testing ground. Whether they buy them or not doesn’t matter, they can enjoy them.”

One staff member has migrated from B.C. but they expect the rest of Tillsonburg’s Green Theory staff will be local.

“We’re trying to hire local talent. We want people who are part of the community if we can. I think, so far, everybody is within about a 20-minute drive, which is ideal for us. We always look locally first and actually we’re holding out on a few hires right now because applicants have been out of our limits.”

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Rimes said they primarily look for younger talent so they can develop within the company and create a high-energy atmosphere.

“I like kids out of high school and giving them a shot.”

That was the case for Rimes, who said it made a big difference coming out of Grade 12 when he was 17. He started his first company at age 18.

There are currently 21 Tillsonburg employees in the warehouse, plus six other staff. Another additional 8-10 hires will be made before spring 2022.

Because they have clients in southern United States, and malls, business is steady year round.

“It’s based on construction, it’s not really seasonal. When they plant them is seasonal, but when we make them is all year round.”

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