Feds help out solar plant with interest-free loan.

Hellene Inc., the Sault-based solar panel manufacturing plant, has benefitted from a $199,000 interest-free, repayable loan from FedNor, the federal government's economic development engine for Northern Ontario.

The funding, announced at the plant by Sault Ste. Marie MP Terry Sheehan on Aug. 2, goes toward the purchase and installation of a new, fully automated soldering machine.

"This machine has the speed of the four machines we had before combined, so we'll be able to produce more modules per hour," said Martin Pochtaruk, Heliene Inc. president.

Total cost for the machine, startup and employee training is approximately $440,000, Pochtaruk said.

"It not only is more efficient because it's faster, it also produces with lower breakage, therefore economically it is more efficient as well."

"There will be more in quantity, and better quality as well. More and better," Pochtaruk said.

Since 2015, the U.S. has been Heliene's main market. More than 70 per cent of its product has been exported to the States this year, and the plant's order book is full until December, Pochtaruk said.

"This is a perfect example why a medium-sized business like this is so important to the economy," Sheehan said.

"As we look to diversify the economy with clean, green technology and exporting it to the United States, it underlines and highlights Sault Ste. Marie's advantage in a geographical position of having this huge market beside us," Sheehan said.

"They (Heliene) have taken advantage of it and really blown the doors off the ex-. port...