Trade and the Canadian Economy
Canadian Firms - International Trade Success Stories
Stories of the Week - November 19, 2001
From Minneapolis to Vaudreuil: Hello!
ACI Telecentrics, Sherbrooke & Vaudreuil, Quebec
A new call centre opened in 2001 by ACI Telecentrics in Vaudreuil -- its second in Quebec -- is expected to create about 600 jobs in the region within two years. The first centre, which was opened last year in Sherbrooke, employs more than 400 people.
"When ACI decided to expand outside the United States, it chose Quebec and, specifically, Sherbrooke. And we are very happy with our choice: we have hired many highly competent and bilingual candidates, 412 so far. It has been so successful that we are convinced that Quebec is the best place to continue expanding, become more competitive and meet the sector's growing needs," said ACI Chief Operating Officer Dana Olson.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, ACI Telecentrics has been active in the call centre industry for 15 years.
From Barberton to Melville: On Excellent Terms
Babcock & Wilcox Canada, Melville, Saskatchewan
Why would an American-based boiler manufacturer expand production in a small Saskatchewan town? Because it makes good business sense.
In 1998, when the Babcock & Wilcox Company of Barberton, Ohio, decided to close one of its North American manufacturing facilities to improve the company's operations and financial performance, it chose to increase the workload at its Melville, Saskatchewan, plant. "With Saskatchewan's competitive business environment, it made sense for us to relocate a portion of our manufacturing activity to Melville," said Paul Koenderman, President of Babcock & Wilcox Canada.
Today it employs 110 people, serving customers in western Canada and throughout the United States.
From Basel to Port Colborne: For Foods and Beverages with Bite
Jungbunzlauer Canada Inc., Port Colborne, Ontario
It's not only on paper anymore: Jungbunzlauer's plant in Port Colborne is now under construction. The Swiss-based citric acid manufacturer will employ 60 people in its new operation once it is completed in early 2002. Jungbunzlauer, headquartered in Basel, specializes in the production of food ingredients by fermentation.
The new plant will improve the supply network to customers in North, Central, and South America. The company's search for a site started three years ago and included consideration of locations in South America and the U.S. "The Port Colborne location was chosen because Jungbunzlauer's main supplier for sugar, CASCO Inc., is situated right next door and the new site is large enough to satisfy long-term growth opportunities," says General Manager Howard Roberts.
Jungbunzlauer's product is a natural acidulant used in all kinds of foods and beverages. It also has industrial and pharmaceutical applications.
From China to Drummondville:The Winning Edge beyond Comparison!
Worldbest (Canada) Industries Inc., Drummondville, Quebec
China Worldbest Group, a multi-billion-dollar conglomerate, is opening its first Canadian factory in Quebec. The new plant, called Worldbest (Canada) Industries Inc., is expected to begin mass production in Drummondville in spring 2002 and will employ more than 300 people once it reaches full production capacity. With a total investment of $45 million, it is the largest Chinese enterprise in Canada. Both the federal and provincial governments are providing assistance, through Economic Development Canada and Investissement Québec.
Mr. Zhang Guo Tian, VP of China Worldbest Group and Chairman of the Board of Worldbest Canada Industries stated: "By locating here, we will benefit from Quebec's comparative advantages in terms of construction, energy and transportation costs, and especially from the superior quality of the local employee base. This will help us to improve international cooperation and develop our participation in the world economy within NAFTA's attractive regulatory framework."
From Boston to Halifax: the new knowledge-based economy
Keane Canada, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Keane Canada, a division of Boston-based Keane Inc., was recognized for its international achievements with a 2001 Nova Scotia Export Achievement Award. All of Keane Canada's services were exported in 2000, jumping a phenomenal five-fold to more than $55 million.
Keane Inc. helps Global 2000 Programme companies and government agencies plan, build, and manage application software to optimize business performance, through a network of branch offices in North America and the United Kingdom.
Keane Canada's state-of-the-art development centre in Halifax, which has been in operation since 1997, houses 400 programmers, software engineers, and administrative staff who provide mainframe, mid-range and server applications for international clients.
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Updated on November 19, 2001
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