OMIC was located on Front St., just north of where highway 401 is today. It was destroyed by fire in 1894, but was rebuilt by 1898. Throughout its years of operation, OMIC became known all over North America.
Malleable iron is the trade name of iron that can be bent or shaped by force. The OMIC business consisted of malleable castings, which included heavy castings (i.e.: agricultural implements and machine castings) and light castings of every description.
The plant itself took up 10 acres of land and had the largest moulding shop in the Dominion. The company employed anywhere from 350-800 people a year and was also thoroughly equipped with the most modern equipment for production.
During the time of WWI, there was a larger demand on the company’s output to meet the needs of the
Ford Company. In 1929 the business was sold to the Grinnell Company of Canada. In 1939, when WWII began, production increased due to the demands that were made because of the war. This included bogie wheels for Bren gun carriers, which composed half of the total productive capacity.
The Manchester of Canada 