The Bay of Quinte Gets Amped Up

August 26, 2024

Spark Power serves Bay of Quinte manufacturers electrical needs, providing operations and maintenance services for industrial facilities, renewable asset owners, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). More than an electrical contractor, Spark Power ensures that one of the Bay of Quinte’s strongest sectors remains powerful. In 2017, two local electrical companies – Tall Trees, a high voltage contractor, and New Electric, a low voltage contractor – reformed under one company, launching a new Spark Power branch in the Bay of Quinte’s City of Belleville.

Since then, Spark Power can be found amongst the community:

• In factories, commercial properties, and other manufacturing facilities, installing electrical poles, fixing downed power lines, or transformers
• Along Bay of Quinte roads, assisting utility providers with overflow work
• Conducting installations, service calls, programming, and maintenance

How Spark Power Supports Manufacturing and the Bay of Quinte

While usually Spark Power comes to their customers, customers can also visit the Spark Power shop located in the City of Belleville in the Bay of Quinte, directly in the thick of the region’s manufacturing wellspring, with neighbors like WK Kellogg. With their large inventory of electrical parts and components, local manufacturers trust that when they have a problem, they can find the product they’re looking for. “It’s a pretty cool business to have here,” says Steve Kouwen, Spark Power’s Branch Manager. “People aren’t waiting days to get what they need. We probably have it if not in Belleville at least within our company somewhere”.

Along with their shop, the electrical contractor also has a large fleet of trucks and vehicles, mechanics, and a large bay to service vehicles on site. Their proximity and self-sufficiency ensure Spark Power customers don’t have to wait long to get back to production.

With new companies and facilities opening consistently in the region, because of its strong manufacturing infrastructure and supply chain, and assistance received from the Province of Ontario and economic development organizations like QEDC, Spark Power will also be there to get them up and running.

Up For the Job In the Bay of Quinte

New Electric started as a 2-person operation in 2017, but Spark Power Belleville now boasts around 40 employees between both divisions. Word of mouth has been one of their most successful recruiting tools. “People like working here,” says Kouwen, citing their competitive benefits package and the strength inherent in a branch based business as some of the reasons. The highly skilled Bay of Quinte workforce recognizes when they’re treated well and repay the favor. Having enjoyed recent new growth, hiring 6 new employees, Kouwen says, “our employees recommend us to friends and family”.

Kouwen also notes that the region’s educational institutions contribute to their success. “Loyalist College brings great candidates whom Spark Power is keen to work with,” and now the company’s goal is to become a trade supplier for the college to continue to make connections within the community.

Learn more about Spark Power and how QEDC can help businesses in the Bay of Quinte, by supporting entrepreneurs, businesses, and the local workforce.