VICTORIAVILLE, Quebec -- Victoriaville & Co. Inc. announced plans to invest in a 67,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Cleveland, Ohio, to manufacture wooden caskets.

The plant, which is to begin operations this summer, will add up to 100 jobs over the next five years, the company said. The project has received local funding and support.

Victoriaville & Co. bills itself as the third-largest wooden casket manufacturer in North America. 

According to JobsOhio, “Many caskets sold in the USA are produced in Mexico or China. However, increased shipping costs and delays have created an opportunity for onshoring. Victoriaville is currently headquartered in Québec, Canada, and has determined the need to expand operations into the U.S. to be closer to its supply chain and expand its customer base in the U.S.

“Without the financial support of the City of Cleveland, the Cuyahoga County and the State of Ohio, this expansion would never have been realized”, added Charles-Olivier Dumontplan, vice president sales and business development at Victoriaville & Co.

Founded in 1907, Victoriaville & Co. is a fourth-generation family business that employs hundreds of people in Canada, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.