New Sault company aims to create jobs, produce gadgets for all ages at soon-to-open shop (7 photos)

A new 3D printer business will soon be setting up shop in Sault Ste. Marie, established, owned and operated by local inventors who can design and produce ‘wow factor’ gadgets for adults and toys for children.

Many children, youth and adults were visibly impressed by Maker North’s technical skill and creative ability as they witnessed the company’s 3D printers in action and viewed their creations, on display at Station Mall over the weekend.

Maker North, established by Joe Bertrand, Mike Sacchetta and Helen Scott in 2016, is currently a home-based business, finalizing details of setting up shop in a visible, well-known Sault location, inventor Bertrand told SooToday (full details to be announced soon).

Maker North’s vision is to not only establish a site to manufacture and sell products the public wants, but also to open its doors to inventive minded people of all ages to come in, design, build and market their own creations, Bertrand said.

“We have a lease for a space and it’s going to have 3D printing, a lounge area with games which we’ve made, a wood shop for prototypes and design, and a theatre for education…people can come in and teach their trade in the maker space. It’s going to be a community hub,” Bertrand said. 

“We absolutely have plans to hire (designers, especially youth)…it won’t be long.”

“We’re going to drive this from the bottom up for the good of the community,” Bertrand said.

One local inventor who has already benefited from Maker North’s help is Gerry Richard, who invented the ‘Marbite,’ a household rack which holds towels with the help of a marble, not a hook (yes, really).

“It’s called the Marbite because it operates with a marble in it, and it ‘bites’ the wall. Potentially it eliminates the dangers of children getting injured by a hook. You can put in anywhere, in the hall or elsewhere, without getting a hook on the shoulder because there’s nothing sticking out,” Bertrand explained.

“We want to manufacture Marbite here instead of it being done in southern Ontario,” Bertrand said.

Marbite inventor Gerry Richard was on hand at Station Mall Saturday demonstrating Marbite to the public.

“As a group that works with labour market research, we thought it appropriate that we promote Maker North, a Sault-based tech manufacturing company that’s focusing on advanced manufacturing…it’s how the economy is now shifting, toward more robotics and 3D printing,” said Matt Lance, Algoma Workforce Investment Corporation (AWIC) office administrator.

AWIC, a community-based, non-profit corporation that addresses labour force development issues, shares a downtown office space with the Community Development Corporation.

“I’m most likely going to buy a Marbite. I think it’s awesome and it’s interesting to see how it’s capturing the attention of youth and adults because of how intricate and fascinating the designs are and how they’re made,” AWIC’s Lance said.