Description
022.01.20j: November 23rd, 1982. “Kenroc cuts 12”.
John Jones is the general manager. 12 employees are laid off. Kenroc has 130 plant employees and 20-30 office personnel.
022.01.20k: December 8th, 1982. “Kenroc appoints Evans director”.
Rick Evans is appointed director. Mel Element is the Company Vice President and General Manager.
February 18th, 1983. Sitter, Ken, “Age of Robotics arrives”.
Stan Robinson is supervisor of manufacturing. Description of Okuma OR-30 CNC machine/robotic lathe. Yamazaki CNC machines are also used to produce button bits. In 1979, Kenroc was purchased by Kenna Metal Inc of Pennsylvania. In 1982, Kenroc won a Minister’s Industrial achievement award for its contribution to the provincial economy.
022.01.20l: March or June 1983. “Kenroc Grant for Expansion”.
$669,150 federal grant is given to Kenroc for expansion program. Kenroc receives $250,000 for robotic lathe.
022.01.20m: March 22nd, 1984. ‘Kenroc not buying plant”.
Kenroc is not buying the Jarvis Clark plant in North Bay. Kenroc has 217 employees and 50-70 salaried workers. There is a Kenroc head office in Toronto. Mel Element is Vice President and General manager of Kenroc’s Canadian operations.
022.01.20n: June 25th, 1984. Sitter, Ken. “Kenroc labor, management working together”.
Quentin McKenna is president and CEO of Kennametal Inc. of Latrobe.
Rick Evans is plant manager. McKenna met with workers throughout the day to test internal communications. Workers seemed unsatisfied with the meetings.
022.01.20o: August 25th, 1984. “Kenroc cuts 31 workers”. Rick Evans is manager. Kenroc ships to Spain, Australia, England, Germany, Peru, US and Chile.
August 28th, 1984. “$350,000 Kenroc loan won’t affect 31 layoffs”.
Funds from Northern Ontario Development Corp. will be used for new equipment rather than more workers. Plant will purchase a 200 ton forging press to replace the 1940s 90 ton press. A painting facility will be added to protect products from salt water damage during overseas shipments.
022.01.20p: November 16th, 1984. Sitter, Ken.“North Bay Kenroc Tools Inc. hits auction block as ‘going business’”.
Kennametals of Latrobe, Pennsylvania purchased Ken metals in October 1979.
Kenroc is going up for sale again because Kenroc did not fit into Kennametals long range plans. It would be preferable if the owner was more closely tied to the hard rock and quarry business.
022.01.20q: May 2nd, 1985. Hooper, Donna. “Kenroc’s PCBs safely stored, ministries say”.
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were being stored illegally on site for two years. Rick Evans was unaware that the storage site needed to be approved by the ministry of environment. The barrels were well-contained and there was no leakage.
022.01.20r: September 4th, 1985. Wilson, P.J. “Kenroc finds Swedish buyer”.
North Bay is the only manufacturing site for Kenaroc. The plant is 70,000 square feet.
Joy Manufacturing Company of Pittsburg acquired the Company in 1952. Kennametal acquired it in 1979.
Kenroc is waiting for approval from the federal government to be bought by Secoroc AB, a Swedish mining company.
022.01.20s: September 8th, 1985. “A repeat needed”.
Secoroc is a subsidiary of Kinnevik group. Kenroc Tools is sold to Secoroc.
022.01.20t: October 1st, 1985. “Kenroc ownership switches countries”.
Kenroc is bought by Secoroc of Sweden.
022.01.20u: October 11th, 1985. Simone, Rose. “Kenroc layoffs feared”.
Michael De Moree is vice president of North Bay district labour council. Kenroc workers are represented by the United Steel Workers of America.
022.01.20v:October 12th, 1985. Simone, Rose. “Kenroc confirms layoff of 26”.
Rick Evans is vice president of manufacturing. Gunnar Annell is president. Kenroc workforce will be at 149.
022.01.20w: November 22nd, 1985. Wilson, P.J. “Kenroc keeping identity new president promises”.
Gunnar Annell will move from Sweden to work with Kenroc as president.
022.01.20x: January 9th, 1986. Radunsky, Bill. “Kenroc HQ staff moving to city from Toronto”.
Kenroc head office is moving to North Bay. There are 14 employees in the head office, but it's unclear if they will all stay with the company to come to North Bay.
022.01.20y: January 11th, 1986. “Kenroc chooses city”.
Swedes and Torontonians move to North Bay for opportunities at Kenroc.
January 11th, 1986. “Kenroc leasing space”.
Jarvis Clark Co. moved to Burlington in 1983. Kenroc will be leasing space at the former plant for a year.
022.01.20z: February 10th, 1986. Simone, Rose. “Safety glasses credited with saving man’s vision”.
Rheal Morin, a drill press operator at Craig Bit was injured by a drill bit that flew up and hit his glasses. He was putting an air hole in a bar hanger when he was injured.
022.01.20aa: September 10th, 1986. Wilson, P.J. “Minister gets clearer view of city’s economic situation”.
Premier Peterson visits North Bay. Unemployment rate is at 12.8 percent.
Gunnar Anell is president of Kenroc Tools Corp.
Photo of Hugh O’Neil, minister of industry trade and technology visiting Kenroc.
022.01.20ab: October 31st, 1986. “Kenroc lays off 15”.
Kenroc has sales of 2 million annually. Workforce is reduced to 106 workers.
Local nickel mines such a s Falconbridge and Inco are slowing down, as well as Uranium mines such as Rio Algom.
022.01.20ac: Cowan, Bruce. “Rahn lays off 30 employees”.
Rahn metals and plastics lays off employees shortly after Kenroc had layoffs.
022.01.20ad: March 17th, 1987. Hogg, Gary. “Negotiations continue to avert Kenroc Strike”.
United Steel Workers Union is hoping for a better offer from Kenroc. Rick Evans wants to do everything he can to prevent a work stoppage.
022.01.20ae: March 31st, 1987. “Kenroc Strike continues”.
Photo of workers next to sign that reads: “ on legal strike for: 2 year term, wages, pension, survivor benefits, S.T.D., L.T.D15 minute coffee break.
022.01.20af: March 30th, 1987. ‘Kenroc out on Strike”.
Ernie Coyler is Union representative for Kenroc. There are 120 unionized workers and the average pay is $12.20. Kenroc is striking over a contract settlement.
022.01.20ag: April 3rd, 1987. Hogg, Gary. “Kenroc strike enters 4th day”.
Strikers expect a lengthy walkout.
022.01.20ah: April 16th, 1987. “Signs blocked”.
Kenroc strikers set up a picket line at City Hall. Signs were removed from the site.
022.01.20ai: May 19th, 1987. “Kenroc wives joining picket line”.
022.01.20aj: May 20th, 1987. ‘Kenroc says no to talks”.
Strike is in its eighth week.
022.01.20ak: May 22nd, 1987. “Kenroc talks on hold”.
The last negotiations between Kenroc and the Union were held on April 27th. The Union wanted a two year rather than three year contract as well as a 50 percent survivors benefit for their spouses.
022.01.20al: May 24th, 1987. “Kenroc meeting set”.
Strike is in its ninth week.
022.01.20am: May 27th, 1987. Hooper, Donna. “Tentative settlement at Kenroc”.
Kenroc has reached a tentative agreement after 16 hours of negotiations. The meeting ran from Monday night to Tuesday morning.
022.01.20an: May 30th, 1987. “Random thought”.
Reflections on how it is unfortunate that Kenroc did not reach an agreement.
022.01.20ao: June 1st, 1987. “Kenroc strike over”.
Kernoc workers agreed to a 3 year contract, survivor benefits and a 50 cent pay increase.
022.01.20ap: July 9th, 1987. Wilson, P.J. “Upgrading program brightens job future at Kenroc”.
Kenroc begins a 5.6 million modernization program. Some of the funds were used for a 1.7 million furnace for heat treatment.
022.01.20aq: April 26th, 1988. “Evans seeks manager’s job”.
Rick Evans will replace Frank Hess as EDD manager of North Bay’s Economic Development Board.
022.01.20ar: May 27th, 1988. Cowan, Bruce. “Evans named new manager”.
Rick Evans receives the position as economic development manager.
022.01.20s:December 20th, 1989. Wilson, P.J. “Kenroc Workers sign contract”.
Bill Hoggan is the production manager. Workers agree to a three year contract that offers a 15.4 percent increase as well as changes to benefits and pensions. New contract will begin March 1, 1990.
022.01.20at: March 31st, 1989. “Local plant operations not affected-president”. Atlas Copco purchased Secoroc AB in late 1988. President Stanley Lundberg says it will not affect operations at Kenroc.
June 14th, 1990. “Fireworks planned”.
Kenroc Tools sets off fireworks to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
022.01.20au: June 20th, 1990. “Fireworks activity day mark festive occasion”.
The 5.8 million modernization plan was completed in 1987. Kenroc will undergo another 4.5 million 8000 square foot expansion. There are 17 sister companies under Uniroc. The plant is 60,000 square feet.
022.01.20av: June 20th, 1990. Armarata, Carla. “Kenroc celebrates 50th anniversary in city”.
The original Craig Bit plant was 3,500 square feet, cost $60, 000 and employed 50. The average wage was 90 cents for a 6 day work week.The Craig Bit was the first detachable drill bit used in mining, it used a tapered connection as opposed to the integrated steel bit.
Photo. “Swedish and Canadian Flags”. Kenroc plant with Swedish and Canadian Flag. Kenroc is owned by Atlas Copco of Sweden.
Photo. “400 types of drill bits produced”. Kenroc employee next to CNC machine.
022.01.20aw: July 4th, 1990. “Kenroc posts layoffs”.
Stanley Lundberg is president of Kenroc. 20 employees were laid off.
July 21st, 1990. “Kenroc announces additional layoffs”.
Bill Hoggan is production manager. 9 employees from the production are laid off. The 72, 000 square foot expansion will continue.
July 13th, 1990. “Kenroc gets gov’t help”. Kenroc receives 1.1 million in federal funding. $ 550, 000 is from Northern Ontario Heritage Fund. Stanley Lundberg wants to double production of rods from 40,000 to 90,000.
022.01.20ax: October 19th, 1990. ‘Fund $100,000 richer”. Photo. Stanley Lundberg and Jim Redpath hold a large cheque for the North Bay District Centre’s Partners For Life campaign.
022.01.20ay: July 23rd, 1994. Howell, Keith: “Uniroc winds down”.
Article regarding adjustment committee for laid off workers of Craig Bit. Plant shuts down.
022.01.20az: Envelope from Nugget. "Uniroc Manufacturing; Formerly Kenroc Tools Corp. Kenroc Tools Ltd., Craig Bit Co." " Nov 23, 1982 to Oct. 19/1990".Date(s) of Creation
1982 - 1994