Welland officials are hopeful that Chinese manufacturing company Xinyi Glass will make a move to the Rose City.

"It would be a great win for Welland and a great win for the province to have them locate here," Mayor Frank Campion said.

A recent story in the London Free Press said Stratford, London, Welland and Amherstburg are in the running as locations for a new facility.

Xinyi Glass, founded in 1988, serves more than 100 countries. Its products include float glass, automotive glass, construction glass and solar glass.

The company announced in 2017 it was looking for a home in Ontario, said Campion.

He and economic development director Dan Degazio said company officials were shown various properties in Welland.

"We had great discussions with them, but they subsequently went elsewhere looking. We put our best foot forward," said Campion.

Degazio said that Welland made the company's short list of possible factory locations is encouraging.

"It speaks volumes to what we have been doing in the last number of years (in the city)," he said.

"As far as I am concerned, we're still on that short list. I don't think they've officially picked a location."

Like the mayor, Degazio is confident Welland put forward a very good proposal.

Campion said after the initial meeting, city officials met at least two more times with Xinyi, most recently last October in Toronto.

Campion said though a glass company draws a lot of water through its manufacturing process, he doesn't believe the city's water rates would be an issue if the company were to locate in Welland.

"Water is one of our advantages."

He said during the meeting with Xinyi officials a specific property in Welland was identified as a possible location.

"The city does not own the property, it's privately-owned," he said, adding the city will not disclose the location.

Degazio said having service-ready land and great incentive programs are what attract companies to the city. In the past few years, Welland has landed Welded Tube, Innio (formerly GE), Northern Gold Foods and other companies.

Efforts to reach officials at Xinyi Glass were unsuccessful.

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Nathaniel.Johnson@niagaradailies.com

905-684-7251 | @DaveJTheTrib