The new Thunder Bay training centre houses eight welding booths.
Locals 128 and 555 finance 1,800 sq. ft. building in Ontario
SITTTING RIGHT ON the dividing line between the Boilermakers’ Western and Eastern districts is a new 1,800 sq. ft. training centre in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Local Lodges 128 (Toronto, Ontario) and 555 (Winnipeg, Manitoba), along with the Boilermakers’ National Training and Trust Fund in Canada, financed the new welding training facility. The lodges will continue to provide support.
According to L-555 Business Rep Darrell Bray, the centre houses a 1,500 sq. ft. shop and a 300 sq. ft. classroom. Instructor Larenzo Serravalle will teach SMAW, GTAW, and MIG welding techniques, along with oxy/fuel cutting and air arc gouging. The shop boasts eight, 6 ft. by 6 ft. ventilated welding booths, 10 Lincoln Invertec 300 amp welding machines, two Lincoln wire feed machines, and a plasma cutter.
State-of-the-art exhaust fans were installed to remove welding smoke and provide fresh air to the shop, as well as heat in winter months.
“Last year we had to do all of our training at the UA Local 628 and at the Confederation College while we built this new training facility,” Bray said. “It’s great to be back in business now, serving our members in Thunder Bay. I want to thank Local Lodges 555 and 128, as well as the national training fund, for their support so we could put together such a fine welding training facility.”
