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Ross Video building new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in eastern Ontario

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IROQUOIS, ONT. -

Ross Video is breaking ground on its new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in eastern Ontario, and it promises the facility will be completely green.

The company designs and manufactures equipment for live event and video production is expanding its Iroquois, Ont. facility, an hour south of Ottawa.

Jeff Poapst, Ross Video’s chief manufacturing officer, said the facility would be carbon neutral by 2030.

"Our commitment to environmental sustainability is taking a real step forward with this expansion," said Poapst.

The company boasts clients like NBC, as well as provided technology for big events like the Super Bowl and the Oscars. 

CEO David Ross tells CTV News Ottawa that the industry is seeing a shift with a focus more and more on sustainability.

"Especially when you get to a certain size of a company, it’s important to have a certain social responsibility," he explained. "They (clients) do ask us about our environmental impact. It’s becoming more and more of a question that affects your competitiveness if you’re not able to say you're a green company."

Plans include adding solar panels on the roof, which the manufacturing company will use to power its facility. It will also upgrade insulation, and add charging stations for employees' electric vehicles, among other features.

The entire renovation will not be cheap, it comes with a price tag of $15 million. The Ontario Government will provide $2.25 million of that under the regional development program.

Ontario Minister of Economic and Job Creation Victor Fedelli says that will help create 30 new jobs.

"We know that our investment helps encourage growth, it helps encourage the job creation. And so that's why we’re here," said Fedelli. "It is a very green industry and they’re making it even greener."

The expansion is set to be completed by 2022, with the entire facility being carbon neutral by 2030. In all it will add more than 100 new jobs to the area in the next few years, according to the company. 

Iroquois is a small rural area with a population of 4,500 in South Dundas, Mayor Steven Byvelds says it’s positive that smaller areas can be seen as a pivotal location for technology companies. 

"Jobs are important," he explains. "We need those jobs, high-tech jobs to bring good money into our community and that money is spent, and other people enjoy the benefits of having a high-tech manufacturing facility to broaden our economic development horizons."

Ross, who grew up in the region, said he’s “proud” to be expanding in the region. 

"It’s my home. It’s where I grew up," he says. "There’s nothing like making an impact in the town where you went to high school."

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