The Canada Wire and Cable Company was founded in 1911 by Roderick Parke, Herbert Horsfall and Emil Wallberg. In 1914 they built their factory in the new Town of Leaside, Ontario, becoming that town's first major industry. Their first products were cables to meet the demand of the expanding hydro electric power network, but they branched into wire rope that was used in logging, mining, drilling and elevators. Good corporate citizens, around 1920 they donated the land for the town's first school, and company workers were the first volunteer fire fighters. During World War I, the company turned out munition shells, becoming the largest producer of six-inch shells in North America! The U.S. Army actually paid for a new shell factory to be constructed, which was completed just as the war ended. The Army simply gave the new factory to the company, which sold it to Durant Motors which made Durant and Star cars and Rugby trucks from 1924 until 1934 when the car company went under. During WWII, the plant made aircraft wires, navy cables, field telephone wires, and anti-submarine nets. After war expanded to over 25 acres, in 1970's was largest producer of cable in wire in Canada, with 2,700 employees and annual sales of $100 million. At some point it was acquired by Noranda, which eventually sold it to the French industrial giant Alcatel in 1990, which moved its operations to Markham in 1996. The Leaside buildings were demolished in 1999 to be redeveloped as a shopping centre.
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