Eastway Fire & Rescue Vehicles was a Canadian fire apparatus builder located in Carleton Place and Arnprior, Ontario.
History[]
Eastway Tank was formed in the 1968 as a manufacturer of tank bodies, but only entered the emergency services field in the late 1990s, forming Eastway Emergency Vehicles. Some management personnel from Almonte Fire Trucks joined Eastway after that company was sold to Seagrave Fire Apparatus in 1999. When Seagrave ceased its separate Canadian operation, Eastway moved into the original Almonte production facility (7 Industrial Avenue) in Carleton Place.
In November 2015, Eastway employees arrived at work to find the premises locked by the landlord for failure to pay rent. The landlord also sought $500,000 in damages. Eastway Emergency Vehicles declared bankruptcy in January 2016.
Later in 2016, Eastway Fire & Rescue Vehicles started operating in a building down the street from the former EEV plant. The first delivery made by the resurrected company was two walk-around rescue trucks for Central Frontenac Fire Department. In June 2017 Eastway acquired truck maker Arnprior Fire Trucks Corp. for nominal cash and the obligation to complete outstanding fire-truck contracts. Eastway also agreed to lease Arnprior's building (at 100 Industrial Avenue) in Carleton Place and to carry on the business for one year.
Operations ceased a second time in 2017. On June 23 2017, the court appointed receiver for Eastway posted a request for offers to purchase the assets of the company.
Eastway Tank continued operating in Ottawa as a builder of fuel tanker trucks. On January 13 2022, an explosion killed six employees and damaged the facilities. The company never re-opened and demolition of the facility began later that spring. Some tanker trucks built by Eastway Tank have also ended up in the fire service.
Production[]
Eastway built pumpers, mini-pumpers, tankers, rescue and brush trucks, mainly for departments in Ontario and western Québec. The company also sold trucks to departments in western Canada and made some international sales.