Hanna Commercial Real Estate brokers Agri-Plastics 64,000 s/f manufacturing facility lease at Uniland’s 2 Steelworkers Way

Lackawanna, NY Agri-Plastics, a global leader in the manufacturing of plastic products for agricultural, industrial, recreational, environmental, and home industries, has signed a 64,000 s/f lease to open a new autonomous manufacturing facility at 2 Steelworkers Way in Renaissance Commerce Park. The new location marks a significant expansion for the 30-year-old Canadian-based company into the Western New York region. The new facility is scheduled to be fully operational in spring 2026.

“The Buffalo region stood out because of the people and the partnerships that rallied to make this project possible,” said Darren VanBuuren, CEO & president, Agri-Plastics Group of Companies. “We chose this property because of its access to a highly skilled advanced manufacturing workforce, the strong business incentives available, and the opportunity to be part of the revitalization of Renaissance Commerce Park. Joseph Deck and Richard Wadsworth at Hanna Commercial Real Estate helped us find the right location and make critical introductions, and we want to acknowledge the work Uniland has done at Renaissance Commerce Park. Their investment and development efforts have made 2 Steelworkers Way a great location for companies like ours. We are also grateful for the support of Invest Buffalo Niagara, ECIDA, ESD, and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. When we saw how everyone came together to invest in growth and strengthen the community, we knew we wanted to be part of it.”

The new Buffalo facility will allow Agri-Plastics to better serve its customers worldwide. The manufacturing facility will initially launch with two 4.6-meter autonomous rotational molding machines and serve as a strategic distribution hub for the Northeast and Midwest, strengthening Agri-Plastics’ ability to deliver quickly and reliably across key markets.

Agri-Plastics reflects a three-generation story of dairy farmers turned manufacturers. Founded in 1995 by Joe and Jenny VanBuuren, the company has remained family-owned. Today, Darren and Sue VanBuuren, along with their son Kyle, guide the company’s growth. The company currently operates manufacturing and distribution sites in Grassie, Ontario, and Sidney, Nebraska, as well as a distribution warehouse in Woodstock, Ontario. Together these facilities span more than 279,000 s/f of operational space. 

“For Agri-Plastics, the future is about advanced manufacturing and the people who will power it. 2 Steelworkers Way is the right building to introduce autonomous molding technology, allowing us to modernize rotational molding for greater consistency, faster throughput, and the ability to handle more complex designs. This investment positions us to stay at the forefront of innovation while relying on the Buffalo region’s strong pipeline of skilled talent, including programs like the Northland Workforce Training Center, to help us build the workforce of the future,” said Kyle VanBuuren, VP of molding operations.

2 Steelworkers Way is Uniland’s second 151,000 s/f industrial warehouse at Renaissance Commerce Park. It follows the successful completion of the 8 Dona St.warehouse, which opened in early 2023. Both facilities were constructed on spec - meaning they were built without an anchor tenant being secured, demonstrating Uniland’s confidence in the local demand for industrial warehouse space.

“We are excited to welcome Agri-Plastics to Renaissance Commerce Park,” said Michael Montante, CEO of Uniland Development Company. “Their decision to establish a presence here is a testament to the park’s strategic location and the state-of-the-art facilities Uniland has developed. We are proud to support their growth and feel their family-owned company will be a strong addition to this region.”

“We are excited for Agri-Plastics to call 2 Steelworkers Way at Renaissance Commerce Park home,” said Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz. “The strategic redevelopment investments by Erie County, the ECIDA/ILDC, the City of Lackawanna, and our partners continue to pay dividends. I thank Uniland for helping Erie County bring yet another international business and 26 new jobs to our growing industrial and agribusiness sectors.”

“Congratulations to Uniland Development on securing another quality tenant for their 2 Steelworkers Way facility in Renaissance Commerce Park and continuing to support our multi-partner efforts to establish Renaissance as a best-in-class economic engine for creating new jobs and revenues for Lackawanna and Erie County,” said City of Lackawanna director of development Charles Clark. “We welcome Ari-Plastics to Lackawanna and wish them many years of success in our community.”

The Industrial Land Development Corp. (ILDC) has led a large and diverse coalition in successfully redeveloping the former abandoned Bethlehem Steel site into Renaissance Commerce Park, now a thriving advanced-manufacturing campus. The ILDC serves as the land-development affiliate of the Erie County Industrial Development Agency (ECIDA), creating much-needed shovel-ready sites and warehouse/distribution space in Erie County.

“The ILDC and our many partners in the public and private sectors have worked very hard to incentivize and develop this type of spec space to attract companies like Agri-Plastics to Erie County,” said ECIDA/ILDC president and CEO John Cappellino. “On behalf of the ECIDA/ILDC, we welcome Agri-Plastics Group as Renaissance Commerce Park’s newest manufacturer and congratulate Uniland Development on their continued growth at RCP.”

Empire State Development has awarded Agri-Plastics $300,000 in Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits connected to the creation of 26 new jobs.

Empire State Development Western New York regional director Karen Utz said, “New York State is deeply committed to helping innovative, job-creating companies like Agri-Plastics invest and grow in Western New York. Assisted by state tax credits, this Lackawanna expansion will increase Agri-Plastics’ capacity to meet market demand. The project will create quality manufacturing jobs and drive private investment, strengthening the regional economy and solidifying Western New York as a hub for advanced manufacturing.”

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) awarded Agri-Plastics 380 kilowatts of low-cost Niagara hydropower to support the expansion project that will create 26 jobs.

NYPA VP of economic development and key account management Eric Bowers said, “By leveraging low-cost Niagara hydropower, NYPA is supporting job creation and private investments throughout Western New York. Agri-Plastic’s expansion reflects the strength of Western New York’s manufacturing sector, and the 26 jobs created as a result are among the tens of thousands directly linked to the Niagara Power Project.

“We are thrilled to welcome Agri-Plastics, which joins a growing list of Canadian businesses finding a second home just across the border here in Buffalo Niagara,” said Thomas Kucharski, president & CEO of Invest Buffalo Niagara. “With support from our expert partners, we guided them through key steps including Brownfield Cleanup compliance and environmental permitting, ensuring the site was ready for investment. This project demonstrates how collaboration between developers, businesses, and economic development partners creates a win-win, delivering results for the company and driving growth for the region.”

The transaction was facilitated by Uniland account executive Craig Muni, as well as Richard Wadsworth, real estate salesperson and Joseph Deck, associate real estate broker from Hanna Commercial Real Estate.

“This project proves that speculative development can succeed in Buffalo,” said Wadsworth. “By securing incentives for Agri-Plastics, we were able to deliver a competitive solution that taps into the region’s strong labor pool, supports job creation, and strengthens the local economy. It’s always a privilege to work with companies that drive real impact for Western New York, making this manufacturing deal both a win for our client and a success for the region as a whole. At Hanna Commercial, we’re proud to help bring these kinds of projects to life.”