| 1880 |
Thomas Barnes was supplying Moulding Sand to Hamilton Stove Foundries. |
| 1880 |
Thomas Barnes expands the business to include quarried limestone for the Hamilton Steel Mills and to supply ice from the Hamilton Bay in the winter. |
| 1901 |
William Barnes purchased the business from his father (Thomas) and adds Foundry Clay for the Pipe Foundries and Core Sands from his property on Van Wagners Beach. General contracting and excavating are also added. |
| 1925 |
Vm. Rolph Barnes purchased the business from his father’s estate (3,200.00). |
| 1930 |
W.R. Barnes purchased Niblock teams (horses) to supply Gartshore Thompson Pipe Foundry with materials. |
| 1932 |
W.R. Barnes Co. Limited opens a quarry in Springvale, Ontario to supply Silica Sands. They also open Core Sand pits in Waterford, Ontario and Blue Clay pits in Hamilton, Ontario. |
| 1936 |
W.R. Barnes Co. Limited obtains agency from various American producers for the sale of their products in Ontario and Quebec – Industrial Silica Corp., New Jersey Silica Sand Co., St. Lawrence Clay Co., American Colloid Co. etc. |
| 1940 |
Company expands business to include sand blasting materials. |
| 1941 |
W.R. Barnes Co. Limited purchased the assets of McAlpine Bros. of Georgetown for the production and sale of foundry Cupola Block and building stone. |
| 1943 |
The company began supplying rock wool manufacturers and the chemical industry. |
| 1944 |
The company began producing Cupola Gun Mix from local silica aggregate and imported fire clay. |
| 1950 |
The company purchased 200 acres of sandstone in Milton, Ontario. |
| 1954 |
W.R. Barnes Co. Limited was the first company to produce Coated sand for the foundry industry. |
| 1956 |
W.R. Barnes Co. Limited supplies Precast stone business and decorative stone and obtained various deposits for processing in Milton.
Constructed processing plant in Milton. |
| 1960 |
Company purchased 150 acres of sandstone in Nelles Corner. |
| 1968 |
Peter T. Barnes purchases the business from his father (Wm. Rolph Barnes). |
| 1971 |
Started to manufacture foundry products (coated sands plus the distribution of many more products) in Selkirk, Manitoba under the name of William R. Barnes Co. Western Limited. |
| 1971 |
Started Barcast Limited, an associated company doing mould repairs for local steel plants. |
| 1974 |
Purchased Northbrook Custom Grinding Plant. |
| 1976 |
Started construction of the Perth Calcium Carbonated Plant. |
| 1977 |
Opened a warehouse in Dorval, Quebec under the name of William R. Barnes Quebec Limitee. |
| 1979 |
Barcast Limited became Barcast Division of William R. Barnes Co. Limited on October 30th. |
| 1980 |
Barnes Quebec moved to a 22,000 square foot building and office area in Lachine, Quebec and hired an additional salesman. |
| 1985 |
Barmin Inc. was formed. |
| 1993 |
Barmin Inc. changed it's name to Barnes Environmental Inc. |
| 1995 |
Barnes Environmental Inc. changed it's name to Barnes Environmental International. |
| 2000 |
Barnes Environmental International bought George F. Pettinos Canada Limited and incorporated both trade names introducing BEI/Pecal. |
| 2001 |
BEI/Pecal purchased Temisca Inc. a silica sand quarry & plant located in St. Bruno de Guigues, Quebec. |
| 2001 |
Virginia Materials Inc. was acquired and incorporated into our abrasive group. |
| 2001 |
International Materials and Supply (International Garnet), a garnet producer, was added to our group. |
| 2004 |
BEI/Pecal name changed to Opta Minerals due to Stake Technology Ltd. name changed to SunOpta Inc. |
| 2004 |
Opta Minerals acquires Distribution A & L, a Quebec based distributor of specialty abrasives and related products |
| 2004 |
Hardeeville, South Carolina, facility has started processing of silica-free abrasive products |
| 2004 |
Baltimore, Maryland, facility has started processing of silica-free abrasive products |
| 2005 |
In February Opta Minerals completes an initial Public Offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange. |
| 2005 |
Opta Minerals Inc. acquires the business and working capital assets of the abrasive production division of Hillcrest Industries Inc., Attica. New York. |
| 2006 |
Opta Minerals Inc. acquires Magnesium Technologies Corporation with facilities in Richfield, Ohio and Walkerton, Indiana. |
| 2006 |
Opta Minerals Inc. acquires BIMAC Corporation of Milan, Michigan. |
| 2007 |
Opening of a production facility in Laval, Quebec to produce abrasive media for blasting and process garnet abrasives. |
