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Oct 16, 2024

Gemtex Abrasives celebrates 50 years

Gemtex consistently invests in new technologies to increase production. Images: Gemtex Gemtex Abrasives has begun a year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary. The Toronto-based abrasives

Gemtex consistently invests in new technologies to increase production. Images: Gemtex

Gemtex Abrasives has begun a year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary. The Toronto-based abrasives manufacturer is honouring the milestone by looking to the future with plans for expanded production capabilities.

The company was founded in late 1974/early 1975 by father-son team Phil and John Grimes in a 2,000-sq.-ft. facility in Concord, Ont. Phil Grimes had previously worked at Norton and possessed a deep knowledge of abrasives. The new venture focused on innovative resin fibre discs (RFDs).

By 1982, the company had grown into an 18,500-sq.-ft. facility and produced up to 20,000 resin fibre discs in one shift.

In 1984, the company introduced Trim-Kut, an abrasive coating affixed directly to a specially engineered plastic material that allows users to trim the disc, ensuring that as much of the abrasive as possible is actually used.

“It is a quick-change disc that you can put on a drill or air tool,” said Dinesh Patel, co-owner and vice-president of operations at Gemtex. “At that time, this wasn’t something that was commonly made by abrasives companies.”

“When an operator is preparing tight corners or other difficult surfaces, often just the outside inch of an abrasive flap disc might be used,” noted Frank Prenda, the company’s vice-president of sales and marketing. “For example, with a chisel mounted in a vice, the operator can quickly remove that worn edge of the Trim-Kut disc. I’ve seen shops work a 5-in. disc down to 1 in. very effectively.”

In 1985, the company developed an oven for processing its RFDs, which helped it increase production to 40,000 pieces a day.

In 1991, with the development of a linked fibre punching process that allowed the company to coat multiple discs as a group, production reached 150,000 RFDs in a single shift.

By 1995, the original owners were able to sell to U.S.-based Katy Industries, becoming part of the Katy Group.

In 2012, with the Katy Group no longer interested in investing in the Canadian-based operations, the company was acquired by four dedicated employees with a combined experience of 100 years in the industry: Patel, who has been with the company since 1989; Tony DiCenso, current president of Gemtex; Helen Norris; and Davis Menachery.

The fact that its product is made and shipped from Toronto is key. Ensuring that it can continue to produce its discs profitably makes a difference.

“We knew when we bought the company where we could make quick improvements that would help us grow,” said DiCenso. “One particular area was in sales, which is where Frank Prenda, VP sales and marketing, came in. He joined the company soon after the purchase.”

Asked what drew him to the company, Prenda is quick to point to the technology that is unique to Gemtex.

“There are four products that are either patented or trademarked that only we produce,” he noted. “When I talk to distributors that are looking at a very competitive abrasives market, that’s the first thing I mention. We also manufacture private label discs for companies; if you buy one box of sanding discs at 25 to a box, we’ll put your name on the box label.”

The fact that its product is made and shipped from Toronto is key. Ensuring that it can continue to produce its discs profitably makes a difference.

“A lot of abrasives come from overseas, so if we can make these products here, that creates an advantage for us,” said DiCenso. “However, this is still something of a commodity business. If someone can get the same quality product from elsewhere a lot cheaper, we can’t compete. But if we can offer a reasonably priced product with good customer service and good delivery times, we will win that battle.”

This is why the company consistently invests in new technologies to increase production. In 2013, it moved to a larger warehouse and invested in new packaging machines as well as an RFD lock disc machine and other technology.

The company also started to increase its product offerings. In 2013, it introduced a surface conditioning product line with nine different grades, from heavy-duty coarse to ultra-fine. In 2015, it developed a new linear mini-RFD machine to meet the demand for mini-RFD and cloth discs.

In 2020, it purchased fully automated flap disc manufacturing equipment from Italy and soon hopes to produce more than 100,000 flap discs per month.

With the purchase of a new fully automated quick-change production machine in 2024, which will become operational in June 2025, Gemtex hopes to increase capacity to more than 10 million pieces annually of its 2- and 3-in. quick-change discs in Type R and Type S.

“My job is to think through what we offer and think, ‘What else can we bring in-house?’” said Patel. “The goal is always, ‘How can we take this company to the next level?’ The main thing is that we don’t want to be a trading company, we want to be a manufacturer.”

The company currently has 40 employees working at its 40,000-sq.-ft. Toronto facility. Management wants to maintain that headcount while continuing to grow capacity.

The company currently has 40 employees. Management wants to maintain that headcount while continuing to grow.

“Investments in new technology is what is going to keep us competitive,” said DiCenso.

Editor Robert Colman can be reached at [email protected].

Gemtex Abrasives, www.gemtexabrasives.com