Bay of Quinte Supports a Unique Manufacturer and Distributor
June 20, 2026
Soltex is a Canadian-operated chemical manufacturer and distributor. The company began in Houston in 1990 – that’s where the Soltex head office is – and it has been operating in Belleville for just over ten years.
Soltex is one of very few suppliers of dielectric liquid, which is a key cooling and insulating component of electrical transformers – from the little green boxes in subdivisions to the large station transformers to the transmission lines that are placed in pipes underground in big cities.
Bay of Quinte: A Vital Transportation Hub Populated by Skilled Labour
Soltex distributes electrical insulating liquids – also known as dielectric fluid and transformer oil – to customers all over North America. Easy access to efficient transportation is key to Soltex’s success. Bay of Quinte is therefore an ideal location for Soltex, located right between Toronto and Montreal and very close to Highway 401. This convenient highway corridor connects Bay of Quinte to Toronto markets as well as to those in Montreal and beyond.
Rail is also a feature of Bay of Quinte and is also a key component of Soltex’s distribution service. Products arrive at their facility by rail, using the rail siding right beside the facility. The products are then put on trucks or divided into barrels for distribution far and wide.
Soltex and many other companies in Bay of Quinte benefit from the abundance of skilled labour in the region. Loyalist College provides training, and the Quinte Economic Development Commission (QEDC) runs a government-funded training program called Elevate Plus that allows skills training to align with what employers need, which further ensures employee retention. Loyalist graduates are among those who work for Soltex, including the person who runs their lab.
Soltex: A Strong Presence in a Strong Manufacturing Region
Soltex produces a variety of chemical-based products. For instance, they produce cable gels, which prevent water from entering fibre optic cables. Soltex also acts as a distributor: a product, such as polybutene – used in adhesives and stretch wrap – will come to them in large amounts, and they will distribute it to where it is needed.
Soltex’s customers range from companies that are almost next door in Belleville to big utilities in the far reaches of North America. Most of the transformer manufacturers they sell to are in the GTA , Montreal, or Quebec City.
Soltex General Manager Mike Bonn notes that he is a mechanical engineer working for a chemical company in the electrical industry. In a region rich in manufacturing and all the logistics companies that serve it, such a variety of roles and skills are possible! And there is plenty of training available to support it.
Learn more about how organizations like the Quinte Economic Development Commission (QEDC) support businesses like Soltex in Bay of Quinte.
