We are fortunate to have many outstanding manufacturers in our community, and last week we toured the member of our manufacturing sector that recently won the 2025 Abbotsford Business Excellence Award in the Manufacturing and Production Excellence category.
On Nov. 20 we were treated to a tour of Overlanders Manufacturing LP to learn about how they operate and to gain a better understanding of their needs and what we can do as a City Council to support them. We also learned how Overlanders got to where they are now and how they’ve changed over time.
Like many of our local businesses, Overlanders is an inspiring homegrown Abbotsford success story with humble beginnings.
The company was founded by the husband-and-wife team of Dennis and Judy Morelli in 1978, armed with only their garage and a $13,000 loan. Overlanders was originally a vehicle parts manufacturer, fabricating, supplying and installing light duty truck parts. Since then, the business has evolved into a leading-edge, high-tech fabricator of precision sheet metal and tubular products. Their metal fabrication includes processes like punching, cutting, bending, welding, laser cutting, assembly and finishing.
Overlanders works with companies from B.C., Alberta and the U.S. Pacific Northwest, and their customers come from a variety of sectors including agriculture, electronics, marine, oil and gas, medical, transportation, mining and forestry, and fireplace industries. Although U.S. tariffs caused some initial chaos when they were implemented, most of Overlander’s parts are CUSMA-compliant and they have weathered the storm.
From operating out of a garage, Overlanders has since expanded to two locations in Abbotsford, totalling 75,000 square feet. They now employ 90 people, mainly from Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack. Staff have been with the company for an average of 10 years, a testament to both Overlanders’ hiring practices and workplace culture. The company is committed to hiring the right people and investing in their employees through in-house training.
After nearly 50 years in Abbotsford, Overlanders has developed deep roots in our community. They support local charities including Archway Community Services and SARA for Women, and they are also involved in schools, offering tours, material donations and an annual scholarship.
Overlanders means a lot to our community, and in return we on Council are committed to doing our part to support our manufacturers. A common concern we hear is the cost and shortage of industrial land in Abbotsford. To address this, we continue to advocate to the B.C. Government to allow us to open a strategic portion of our Agricultural Land Reserve land to industrial development. Other concerns include transportation, and beyond our work pushing for the Highway 1 expansion, we are also hoping to have a rapid bus exchange to connect High Street to the Skytrain expansion in Langley. We are also helping by staying financially disciplined and planning for the long term.
Thank you to the Overlanders team for showing us the inner workings of your facility. These Business Spotlight tours have taught us a lot about our manufacturing sector’s role in our local economy and the impacts it has on the wider Abbotsford community. This knowledge helps us in our advocacy to senior levels of government as we continually strive to develop our diverse and vibrant economy and make Abbotsford a place where businesses can grow and thrive.
Abbotsford City Council