Success Stories

Transcription

Success Stories
Success Stories
Community of Choice…for Business
choosewhitby.ca
Town of Whitby • Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
MAYOR’S MESSAGE
Welcome to Whitby
Whitby is honoured to have been selected as the Community of Choice by a
diverse range of successful companies.
Companies in Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Technology, Health & Medicine,
Information & Communications Technology, Professional & Technical Services
and Logistics & Distribution are all succeeding in Whitby. They include foreign
multinationals and entrepreneurial start-ups. Their stories will inform you
about their experiences and what Whitby has to offer.
Located about 30 minutes east of Downtown Toronto, Whitby is in the
Greater Toronto Area (GTA), North America’s fourth largest metropolitan
area. Companies locating in Whitby can access the GTA and over 120 million
consumers in the Canadian and US markets within a day’s drive.
A further advantage is the cost competitiveness of locating in Whitby. For
business, our land, buildings and lease costs are affordable. Residential
housing costs for employees are significantly less than in the large metropolitan
centres. Whitby is committed to keeping tax rates competitive.
Don Mitchell
Mayor
I encourage you to accept our invitation to visit Whitby and let us introduce you
to our business community.
Please contact us at ecdev@whitby.ca or for direct contact with my office,
mayor@whitby.ca.
Sincerely,
Don Mitchell
Mayor
Community of Choice…for Business
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360INCENTIVES.COM
Success Story
Incentives for Growth
360incentives.com offers a foundation for the incentive programs
that drive sales
“We realized we were getting
a lot of people that used to
commute, used to have to go to
Mississauga or go to Toronto,
and wanted to be closer to
home.”
Jason Atkins
CEO and Founder
360incentives.com
Incentive programs can be valuable tools in any sales process, but
they are more complex than they appear on the surface. Consider a
consumer who is attracted to a major retail chain by the promise of a
$200 rebate on a new refrigerator. If the rebate is offered at the cash
register, the retailer will need a way to collect the money from the
manufacturer. Sales associates might also earn a bonus when selling
the first product, since manufacturers want them to take the time
to learn about features and benefits. Or maybe the rebates are only
paid after a consumer completes an online form.
The tools developed by 360incentives.com support every step in
these programs, monitoring how they’re used, transferring funds and
even expediting payments.
“What we decided to do is allow the consumer to decide how they
get paid,” explains CEO and founder Jason Atkins, referring to just
one of the ways his business has enhanced the processes. “They tell
us, ‘Hey, do I want it to be a gift card? Do I want it to be a cheque? Do
I want it to be a direct deposit or do I want it to be a PayPal?’ And we
send them the money the way that they want to receive it.“
Before launching 360incentives.com, Atkins had spent several
years running a US marketing firm, flying back and forth across the
border every week, but he decided that it would be better to open a
business closer to home where he could spend more time with his
family.
“Whitby is a great community,” he says, referring to the local quality
of life. “It’s a very family-oriented place. My wife loves it. My children
love it.” There are great parks to be enjoyed, and the family can
easily attend events in the nearby GM Centre or venues in downtown
Toronto.
When it comes to quick trips into Toronto, he is a big fan of the GO
Train. “GO is amazing,” he says. “It takes 37 minutes and you can
get into downtown, you can have your meetings and get back on the
train. And there’s tons of trains throughout the day.”
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact From Whitby, you can reach
downtown Toronto in less than 40
minutes via GO Train.
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360INCENTIVES.COM [continued]
The Whitby location has even helped to recruit employees who want
to avoid commutes altogether.
“As we started hiring people, we realized we were getting a lot of
people that used to commute, used to have to go to Mississauga or
go to Toronto, and wanted to be closer to home for their families as
well,” he adds.
When searching for a director of finance, about 140 people applied
for the role. “This was the first validation that there’s a lot of people
in this area, skilled people to hire,” he says. “When we talked to a lot
of them, they all talked about being close to home.”
Training programs at nearby Durham College have supported the
local talent pool as well. “They have a great program for the web
development side of things,” he adds.
The growing business has also been able to enjoy support through
the Town of Whitby’s Economic Development Office. “When we
reach out to them, typically same day or within 24 hours they’ll get
me a response. Some examples will be, we were looking for some
space and they put us in touch with people that had great space for
what we were looking for. When we were looking for people, they
put me in touch with Durham College,” Atkins says.
“They’ve been there when we’ve needed them.”
Web: www.360incentives.com
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
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ABB
Success Story
Mix Masters
A global company turns to Whitby engineers for the tools that
make stronger steel
Molten steel does not solidify and harden with ease. Even though
the glowing metal will quickly form an outer shell as it is fed through
a copper water cooled mold, uneven branches of crystals will often
emerge in the slowly cooling layer at the centre of every piece. And
each branch represents a weakness in the final product.
“The key thing that ABB purchased
was not our shop. Not our
equipment. It was our people.”
David Domanski
Business Unit Manager – Metals,
North America
ABB
Equipment created by Whitby engineers can keep these
imperfections from developing as the cooling metal takes shape.
Electromagnetic stirrers from ABB’s JME Division come in the form
of magnetic coils that wrap around the column of liquid metal which
emerges from a mold. These magnets create the eddy currents that
effectively stir the mixture, breaking apart the largest crystals and
allowing stronger but smaller crystals to form in their place. “You
end up with a very homogeneous cross section,” explains David
Domanski, Business Unit Manager – Metals, North America. “That’s
wonderful if your end product for the steel is making something like
car parts or truck axles. There’s no room for error where you have a
good truck axle here and a bad one there.”
Of course, the Electromagnetic Stirrers are recognized as superior
products in their own right. ABB already dominates the market
across North America and are now exporting to mills around the
world.
The local division of ABB was originally founded as J Mulcahy
Enterprises (JME), when several former members of LASCO Steel’s
engineering group joined together to support a new generation of
mini mills which transformed scrap metal into steel. LASCO even
served as a working laboratory for JME’s emerging technology,
and the partnership continued after the mill became Gerdau Long
Products.
When ABB purchased the business in 2000, it added a world class
global support and service network to the mix.
“The key thing that ABB purchased was not our shop. Not our
equipment. It was our people,” Domanski stresses, noting how only
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact ABB exports to a
number of European and Asian
markets from Whitby.
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ABB [continued]
four companies in the world have this expertise. “You can’t pull
people off the street and say, ‘You will be doing this.’” That’s why
the company has always been careful to hire leading graduates
from schools including Durham College’s electrical and mechanical
programs, and further enhance their skills on the job.
As global as the business has become, Whitby also remains an ideal
location for the work.
“Whitby is a great spot for shipping,” Domanski stresses. “We’re
on the 401 corridor; we have access to the Eastern Seaports of
Montreal and New York; Pearson Airport is there for air freight;
any border crossing to the USA is within a half-day’s drive. It’s
seamless.” Local suppliers even remain competitive when compared
to offerings from low-cost countries. With a 40 minute drive to a
major airport like Pearson Airport, meeting our global customers
face to face is easy and effective.
The ongoing research and development in this shop that already
holds six patents will also be vital as the technology continues
to evolve. Today’s equipment enjoys a longer life than ever, for
example, and a new “dual coil electromagnetic stirrer” system
can further improve mixtures by stacking a pair of stirrers. “Our
big focus now is aluminum,” he adds, referring to the way this
equipment can reduce energy consumption with energy-wasting
gas burners. Our new line of aluminum stirrers are reducing carbon
footprints of our customers, increasing production, and also
increasing their bottom lines.
“Whitby is a great spot for shipping. We’re on the 401 corridor; we have access to the
Eastern Seaports of Montreal and New York; Pearson Airport is there for air freight; any
border crossing to the USA is within a half-day’s drive. It’s seamless.”
David Domanski, Business Unit Manager – Metals, North America, ABB
Of course, there are other advantages to working in Whitby.
Domanski may travel the world, but he enjoys the chance to take
his children to hockey or lacrosse games when he is working at the
head office. “It’s very much our home in every sense,” he says.
It all contributes to a perfect mix of work and life.
Web: www.abb.com
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
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AECOM
Success Story
Engineering the Future
AECOM delivers global engineering, architectural and planning
expertise at a local level
AECOM’s roots in Whitby can be traced back to the early 1960s
when, working at Totten Sims Hubicki Associates, employees first
began to offer engineering expertise throughout the community.
“Over the next 20 years,
another 3 million people will
move to the GTA — and a large,
significant proportion of that
growth will occur in the eastern
part of the GTA and Durham
Region in particular.”
Doug Allingham
Executive Vice-President
AECOM
As part of a company with 50,000 employees around the world, the
engineering, architectural and planning experts are now supporting
a wider array of projects than ever before.
“We have the expertise in house to undertake any type of
infrastructure project from roads to water treatment plants, bridges,
buildings, etc. You name it, we can probably do it,” says AECOM
Executive Vice-President Doug Allingham. “We focus mainly in
Whitby on transportation, transportation planning, structural
engineering—which is buildings and bridges—wastewater and water
treatment plants, linear distribution systems and also subsurface
utility engineering.”
It would be difficult to travel through the community without finding
some evidence of AECOM’s work. The business has been involved
in the high-profile expansion of Durham College and University
of Ontario Institute of Technology, and it is currently serving as
program manager for the nearby Abilities Centre. Recent projects
have also included completing the environmental assessment for
the proposed eastward extension of Highway 407. “It’s been very
high profile in the community, extremely successful and is hopefully
leading to the construction of about 70 kilometres of new toll
highway,” he adds.
“Part of our philosophy at AECOM—even though we’re a large,
global firm—is to deliver world class expertise at a local level with
a commitment to prompt response,” he explains. “We can provide
service quickly and efficiently to the Town of Whitby or the Region of
Durham, or adjacent municipalities.”
There are certainly more opportunities to come.
Growth like that will rely on a wide array of skills to plan and deliver
the infrastructure necessary to support an influx of residents
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact AECOM is a global
engineering company with over 200
staff in Whitby.
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AECOM [continued]
and employees , many of which are represented in AECOM’s
Whitby office. It is filled with engineers, environmental planners,
transportation planners, utility experts, architects, CAD operators
and designers.
Many of AECOM employees call Durham their home and many live in
Whitby, a mere five or ten minutes to the office.
“The quality of life in Whitby and in Durham Region in general is
what attracts a lot of our employees,” Allingham says. “They get
here and realize they don’t have to spend an hour and a half or two
hours in the car every day. It’s a five or 10-minute commute. We have
a great school system here, we’ve got a great hospital system, we
have all the amenities in the community, great shopping, restaurants.
You name it, it’s here.”
Even with the rapid growth, the community has been able to protect
the overall quality of life, he adds. “Even though Whitby is growing,
there’s still a small community feel to the area. People tend to know
each other. It’s very community and family oriented.”
Web: www.aecom.com
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
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BALL PACKAGING
Success Story
Can-Do Attitude
Ball Packaging continues to expand and evolve, making cans used
everywhere from Ontario to Newfoundland
Anyone who ever opened a can of Coke, Pepsi or Sleeman beer
between Ontario and Newfoundland will be familiar with the work at
Ball Packaging’s facility in Whitby. This is where about 2,000 of the
cans are made every minute, feeding a warehouse which can store
as many as 40 million of the gleaming containers at any given time.
“With the new line expansion
we put in this year, we were
able to use contract vendors
to help with the installation of
the equipment we had in our
facility. We also used local
vendors to help expand the
building. And on a day-to-day
basis we have local companies
that can supply us with the
maintenance and repair parts
we need to keep our lines
functioning.”
A close inspection of any of the cans will also unveil more than the
colourful labels used to identify the future contents. “Our name is on
every can,” says Plant Manager Vic Smith. “We’re proud of it.”
Vic Smith
Plant Manager
Ball Packaging
The facility itself has needed to expand along the way.
There is a good reason to be proud. Transforming 25,000-pound
aluminum coils into lightweight beverage containers is no small task.
The shapes themselves are created in a series of highly automated
presses, while every surface needs to be washed and etched to
support ever more complex labels. And ongoing changes have
hardly been limited to the labels themselves. This plant originally
produced two-piece cans to replace containers which needed a
separate top, bottom and seam. Steel then made way for lightweight
aluminum, and the cans themselves grew in size.
“We’ve added a complete new line to our system. As well as doing
that, we modified the lines that we had, so we’ve totally rearranged
the whole plant,” Smith says. “We added a whole line’s worth of
equipment. We expanded the building. We upgraded the systems
that we have in place. So we changed it a lot.”
Changes like that obviously rely on a wide range of skills, and a
Whitby locale has helped to ensure the required suppliers were close
at hand.
“With all the industry in the area, there’s lots of suppliers and
contractors available for us to draw on,” Smith explains. “With the
new line expansion we put in this year, we were able to use contract
vendors to help with the installation of the equipment we had in
our facility. We also used local vendors to help expand the building.
And on a day-to-day basis we have local companies that can supply
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact Highway 401 is a direct route
for Just in Time deliveries to Canadian
and US locations from Whitby.
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BALL PACKAGING [continued]
us with the maintenance and repair parts we need to keep our lines
functioning, so the area has lots of choices.”
The Whitby location also helped in the search for the 40 additional
employees to keep everything running.
“With all the industry in the area, there’s a good draw of skilled labour for us. Some of the
new people who we hired came from Durham College and graduated from some of their
technical courses.”
Vic Smith, Plant Manager, Ball Packaging
The municipality offered support of its own, as the Economic
Development Office helped the business secure permits that were
needed for expanding the building and installing the new line alike.
“We were on a very tight timeline. We got ahold of the department,
and they were great, and worked with us and helped get the process
approved in a timely manner,” Smith says.
It is merely the latest example of an ongoing relationship. The Town
helped Ball Packaging to identify the original site in 1982. That
location, close to Highway 401, continues to play an important role
in the company’s success every time a trailer is loaded with 22 or 25
pallets, each piled high with 8,169 cans.
“When you’re doing Just in Time delivery, the transportation routes
to your customers are very important. The Highway 401 is an
excellent route,” Smith says. “The highway is a direct route to our
customers in both directions. It’s just down the street, with easy
access, so it works very well.”
Web: www.ball.com
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
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DEIGHTON ASSOCIATES
Success Story
Concrete Support
Deighton Associates software helps to manage roads, bridges,
sewers and other infrastructure around the world
“[Whitby is] a community that
has very deep, strong roots.
So whether you’re interested
in sports or you’re interested
in the arts, or whether you
like to enjoy the lakefront or
parks, it really has a full service
available.”
Vicki Deighton
President and CEO
Deighton Associates
Rob Piane, PEng
Vice-President
Deighton Associates
Managing a network of roads, sewers and bridges requires a delicate
mixture of priorities, maintenance plans and budgets. In fact, the
related decisions have a lot in common with the care of cars that
travel overhead. Those who delay a scheduled oil change could save
money in the short term, for example, but decisions like that could
also cause an engine to seize.
Infrastructure managers use Deighton Associates software to
make sure their decisions are well informed and maximize any
investments.
“Our software allows managers to collect data on the assets that
they manage,” explains Vice-President Rob Piane. “They have
automated data collection vehicles or data collection crews that go
out and do things like count cracks in pavements, count the number
of bad slabs in a sidewalk; they send cameras through sewers to
take videos that allow them to look at what the current condition of
those sewers are. Our software then takes that information, manages
it, integrates it with other information, and is able to take those
conditions and…project them into the future.”
Since being founded 25 years ago, the Whitby firm has seen its tools
embraced around the world. Every road in New Zealand is managed
by Deighton Associates software. The business holds an astounding
40 percent of the US market, and users are found everywhere from
Australia to Europe. Piane, for example, refers to a client from South
Africa who was able to use his knowledge of the software to move
his family to a better life in New Zealand.
As important as the software may be, President and CEO Vicki
Deighton also stresses a view of employees and clients as an
extended family. “We believe in sustainability with our customers,
in providing a long-term relationship with our clients so they have
confidence that, at the end of the day, Deighton is going to be with
them on their journey,” she says, noting how many clients have been
with the business for more than two decades.
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact Deighton Associates software
is used for asset management in many
Canadian, US, European and Asian markets.
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DEIGHTON ASSOCIATES [continued]
A family focus even played a role when choosing Whitby as the head
office.
“When we were looking at our options, Whitby clearly qualified in
several areas,” says Deighton. “Looking at environments for families,
looking at transportation, proximity to cottage country, there was
several different areas of value to us.” Quick access to Pearson
International Airport was obviously important to the international
business, but so was public transit. “GO Transportation was also of
value to us, as we have spouses of our employees that were working
in Downtown Toronto,” she explains.
The community plays a role in ongoing recruiting efforts, too.
“Whitby makes it real easy for us to attract employees to the
company,” Piane says. “We have recreation available. If they have
families, we have sports available for their families. We can access
things like theatre in Toronto very readily. Transportation is well
managed here in the Town of Whitby.”
Web: www.deighton.com
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
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GERDAU
Success Story
Steel Strong
Gerdau Long Steel North America builds on Whitby’s rich tradition
of making steel
The Gerdau Long Steel North America mill sits on the original site of
Lake Ontario Steel, which opened here almost 50 years ago before
being transformed into Co-Steel LASCO and later joining Gerdau’s
network of facilities in 14 countries around the world.
“Manufacturing in the area has
grown and produced a positive
result for us. We now have
an option and ability to draw
upon a network – whether it
be [in the form of] engineering
experience, academic
knowledge, even fabrication
and local support for our
business.”
“It’s considered a ‘mini mill’ of sorts,” says Alan Lamb, Works
Manager. He’s obviously referring to the production process rather
than the size of this massive facility. Scrap metal shipped to the
location is melted in a huge electric arc furnace, transformed into
long “billets” and then shaped into angles, rebar, flats or channels.
These are the type of products which give the shape and strength
to everything from high-rise buildings to bridges, and even give a
second life to discarded automobiles.
Alan Lamb
Works Manager
Gerdau Long Steel
North America
Whitby Mill
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact Each month, nearly 250 rail
cars ship product directly to and from
Gerdau’s site in Whitby.
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GERDAU [continued]
“The beauty about this type of process is it reduces environmental
impacts on having to provide the industry with virgin materials such
as iron ore and coal,” Lamb explains, noting how the Whitby site can
shred and recover the metal from about 20,000 old cars a month.
The resulting products are shipped across North America. About 240
rail cars roll along the site’s five spur lines every month, serving farreaching locales, while nearby Highway 401 connects the business to
regional customers between Michigan and Montreal.
The region’s electrical grid offers supportive infrastructure of another
sort.
“We can’t understate the importance of [its] reliability,” Lamb
says. “Cost-competitiveness, along with reliability, is crucial to
our sustainability.” The electric grid even represents a business
opportunity, since Gerdau steel is used to support projects including
transmission towers.
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
12
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GERDAU [continued]
Local networks of skilled employees and suppliers further strengthen
the business, thanks in part to the region’s strong manufacturing
tradition.
“We now have an option and ability to draw upon a network—
whether it be [in the form of] engineering experience, academic
knowledge, even fabrication and local support for our business,”
Lamb says.
More than 90 percent of the employees also call this town their
home. “Not only do they take pride in their workmanship here on
site, but they also take a lot of pride in their community in making
sure the region is well-supported with their generous participation
and engagement in community events,” he says.
“We’ve recently done quite a bit of work with Durham College and UOIT in not only developing
skills of students and fulfilling some of our long-term, future needs, but also to collaborate
with them on various improvement projects and initiatives and research.”
Alan Lamb, Works Manager, Gerdau
The company has been able to help build a stronger business
community, too, thanks to support from the Town’s Economic
Development Office.
“Whitby’s Economic Development Office has actually been proactive
in working with us in understanding our issues in our business
plan for sustainability,” Lamb adds. “They recognize that we can
also contribute through networking and sharing experiences along
with the other manufacturers and companies and organizations in
the region, to create a better and more sustainable base for future
growth and development.”
Web: www.gerdau.com
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
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GOLDER ASSOCIATES
Success Story
A Golder Standard
Golder Associates’ Whitby team ensures that projects are built on a
solid foundation
There should be little surprise that Golder Associates was attracted to
Whitby as early as 1985, as the thriving community was already home
to a growing list of projects which could be supported by geotechnical
engineers and a laboratory to test construction materials.
“It’s a great benefit for us being
here in Whitby because we
have some excellent resources
in our own backyard.”
Michael Cant
Whitby Location Leader
Golder Associates Ltd.
Chris Kellestine
Principal
Ground Engineering Division
Golder Associates Ltd.
As a leader in geotechnical and environmental consulting services,
Golder has always been committed to establishing a presence in
communities it serves, adds Chris Kellestine, a Principal in Golder‘s
Ground Engineering Division. Golder sponsors many local sports
teams, the Town of Whitby’s Earth Day and several local charitable
organizations including Feed the Need.
Since 1985, Golder Associates has continued to grow its services—no
longer focused primarily on geotechnical engineering. In the Whitby
office alone, there are now archaeology, biosciences, environmental
and waste services as well, which complement their global consulting,
design, and construction services in earth, environment, and related
areas of energy.
Golder’s business approach, to have local offices globally, has led
the firm to open offices in 160 locations around the world. As part of
their global focus, in 2003 Golder formed Golder Trust for Orphans
to provide support to children and families in Africa who have been
orphaned or displaced by the AIDS pandemic.
Of Golder’s 7,000 employees around the world, the Whitby location
is home to more than 150 and supports the largest materials testing
laboratory in the eastern Greater Toronto Area. Here, construction
materials such as asphalt are tested to see if they can withstand
the stresses that emerge whenever rubber hits the road, highway
or airport runway. In many cases, this work has played a key role in
enhancing the local transportation network, supporting projects such
as the railway grade separations on Garden Street and Rossland Road.
Of course, a sound transportation network plays another important
role in Golder’s ongoing success.
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact Golder Associates’ Whitby
location has the largest materials testing
lab in the Eastern GTA.
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GOLDER ASSOCIATES [continued]
“We do work downtown, in Mississauga and throughout the GTA, so
having easy access to highways and the GO [Train] is a great benefit
from the point of view of our operations,” notes Whitby Location
Leader Michael Cant, who is also the Canadian Waste Sector Leader.
“We’re located just off the 401 on Thickson [Road], so we obviously
have very good access to the 401, and now with the 407 coming farther
east, it is a real opportunity for us as it keeps our people mobile.”
The Whitby team’s expertise also reaches well beyond the GTA. “We
actually have people in this office right now working on projects in
South Africa,” Cant adds. “Another good example of a project that
we’ve done would be the Confederation Bridge [the world’s largest
bridge over ice-covered water that links Prince Edward Island with
mainland New Brunswick], where Golder did all the geotechnical
work.”
Complex projects like these obviously require employees with
advanced skills from schools all over the world. Locally, those are
enhanced through a strong relationship with schools including Durham
College and University of Ontario Institute of Technology, particularly
in their work around the emerging renewable energy sector. “Our
business is a skill-based business,” Cant continues. “It’s a great benefit
for us being here in Whitby because we have some excellent resources
in our own backyard.”
The quick access to local resources even extends to related supplies.
Many of the office and laboratory’s consumables are acquired from
nearby local suppliers, Kellestine adds.
Ongoing renovations and expansions at Golder’s Whitby site will soon
create a new laboratory and offices to house about 220 employees.
“The bottom line is we’re a growing business, and in order to grow we
need to have a collaborative, state of the art working environment for
people,” Cant says.
The Town of Whitby’s Economic Development Office will be supporting
the business every step of the way.
“We’re currently in the midst of evaluating our longer-term needs and
building to suit those needs,” Kellestine says. “The Town has been very
supportive in that, and allowed us to continue to grow with very little—
actually, I would say no—challenges at all.”
Web: www.golder.ca
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
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KEYSCAN
Success Story
Securing Business
Keyscan’s access control systems are securing sites across Canada,
the US and Latin America
Keyscan’s commitment to security is apparent as soon as you visit
the company’s head office. Access control cards are needed to
unlock everything from meeting rooms to hallways, and every snap
of a latch demonstrates how isolated the different areas become.
“UOIT is right at our back step,
and we also have Durham
College, both of which provide
great programs for software
development and also for
hardware and electronics.”
John Dyall
President
Keyscan
Of course, the employees who pass through these doors obviously
understand the security measures better than most people. They
have developed, manufactured and deployed more than 50,000
electronic access control systems throughout Canada, the United
States and Latin America.
“There’s been a myriad of applications,” says Keyscan President
John Dyall, referring to projects as diverse as single-door office
facilities or multiple sites that require connected controls. Unlike
some competitors that rely on third-party vendors to develop the
related pieces, this Whitby business completes all the work in house,
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact Keyscan has provided over
50,000 electronic access control systems in
Canada, the US and Latin America.
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KEYSCAN [continued]
creating everything from the hardware and software to the networkbased platforms which can watch over multiple locations at a time.
“The customization factor is large for us because not every building
is the same,” Dyall explains. Even the applications can vary. A
multinational corporation might want the tightest-possible security,
limiting access with everything from cards and tokens to biometric
readers, but a local school board might want community groups to
have easier access to specific areas in a school.
In fact, signs of the company’s commitment to customized solutions
are all around him. Keyscan took the unusual step of transforming
a local roller rink into its own high-tech head office. It was simply
a matter of looking beyond the structure’s limitations to find the
opportunities.
“It had great access to the 401 and also it had great parking and a
lot of green spaces,” Dyall says, referring to the site. “The Town [of
Whitby] showed us the facilities that were available, the land that
was available, and they worked with us when we applied for building
permits and also when we applied for the design.”
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
17
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KEYSCAN [continued]
The location even plays a role in ongoing recruiting and retention
efforts since most of Keyscan’s highly trained workers live in Durham
Region. “Whenever we recruit, we like to say, ‘If you live in Whitby,
why not work here?’” Dyall says. “We find it very advantageous
to have a five-minute commute, so we use that strongly in all our
recruitment interviews.” After all, many new hires have a close
connection to the area. “UOIT is right at our back step, and we also
have Durham College, both of which provide great programs for
software development and also for hardware and electronics,” he
adds.
In many cases their work is supported by local suppliers as well.
“You have the opportunity to meet them face-to-face on a regular
basis,” Dyall explains. “We also found there’s a lot of expertise in the
local marketplace based upon the fact that they have worked with
manufacturers in the automotive sector and other industries.”
Collectively, the factors can all be seen as the keys to Keyscan’s
success.
Web: www.keyscan.ca
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
18
choosewhitby.ca
MCGRAW-HILL RYERSON
Success Story
Textbook Example
The tools of a modern education are created at McGraw-Hill
Ryerson’s Whitby campus
McGraw-Hill Ryerson is a textbook example of an evolving business.
The publisher has been associated with the printed word since 1829,
and generations of students have turned to its textbooks for lessons
in everything from English to engineering. But the Whitby business
is now enhancing these offerings with a growing suite of electronic
tools.
“It’s critical for us to be in the
kind of transportation hub that
we are in, in Whitby, both for
inbound product that we bring
into our distribution centre and
for outbound product that we
send across the country. Whitby
was a fantastic choice for us.”
David Swail
President and CEO
McGraw-Hill Ryerson
Mary Arrand
Director Human Resources
McGraw-Hill Ryerson
“More and more, our customers are looking for digital solutions from
us,” explains David Swail, President and Chief Executive Officer. “It
makes our students more effective. It makes our instructors more
effective. It offers levels of customization to meet a customer’s own
specific needs that we could never do with a print-only format.”
Granted, the printed word continues to play an important role in
the national publisher’s success, even as almost all textbooks are
bundled with electronic resources that deliver dynamic content,
grade tests or track ongoing student progress.
Hundreds of thousands of the company’s textbooks pass through
its 80,000 square foot warehouse every year, and the tools which
support this work have been enhanced by technology of another
sort.
“We’ve come a long, long way in the way that we use systems to
really make the shipping of our physical product—which increasingly
includes bundling of access cards for our digital product—just a
more efficient process,” Swail says, referring to advanced tracking
systems used at the sprawling Whitby campus. “We have great
visibility from an end-to-end perspective in how that product is
moving, how it’s coming in, where it’s going out.”
The local transportation network takes it from there.
“It’s critical for us to be in the kind of transportation hub that we
are in, in Whitby, both for inbound product that we bring into our
distribution centre and for outbound product that we send across the
country,” he explains. “Whitby was a fantastic choice for us.”
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact Employees commuting to jobs in
Whitby typically have a reverse commute as
they are usually going against the traffic.
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MCGRAW-HILL RYERSON [continued]
Ongoing discussions with the Town of Whitby’s Economic
Development Office play their own role in keeping everything on
the move. “We do have needs for simple things like discussing
with them a particular bus schedule that might help our staff to
access our facility in a more timely way, to heads up with respect
to road work or any other activity that may have some impact on
our day-to-day comings and goings,” Swail adds. “They’re very
responsive and always happy to take our call, easy to reach and just
a wonderful partner.”
The local highway network and GO Train access even play a role in
ongoing recruiting and retention efforts, offering easy access for
skilled employees who travel from as far afield as Cobourg, Port Perry
and other points in the Greater Toronto Area. The office location
continues to be cited as a positive factor in employment engagement
surveys, notes Mary Arrand, Director of Human Resources. “People
who are coming from Toronto have that reverse commute, so they’re
going against the traffic.”
Of course, many of them will be very familiar with the surroundings.
“When we’re looking to fill a position, usually Durham College and
UOIT are our first stop,” she says, referring to important training
resources in Durham Region. “We’ve been able to find some great
people with very good educations and skills that we use.”
Web: www.mcgrawhill.ca
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
20
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MTC
Success Story
The Replay Station
Manufacturing and Technology Centre (MTC) breathes new life into
consumer electronics and white goods
The Manufacturing and Technology Centre is where damaged
electronics and white goods find a second life.
“We’re readily accessible, right
off the 401. To be able to ship
the amount of product that
we do, in and out of different
processes, in and out of a
customer’s hands, we need that
ease of access.”
Troy Hanson
Senior Vice-President
MTC
“We virtually touch every category of consumer electronic product,
from an MP3 player up to a 72-inch television, from refrigeration to
dishwashers, laundry, baking ovens, air conditioners, dehumidifiers—
the whole gamut,” explains Senior Vice-President Troy Hanson,
referring to work completed in the company’s inspection, repair and
logistics facility.
The products like Sony Playstations come through a variety of
sources, from manufacturers who are dealing with warranty claims,
to retailers that have accepted returns, or even individuals who
walk into the massive showroom on Water Street. In each case, the
goods need to be evaluated with the appropriate software, repaired,
cleaned, sanitized and repackaged.
The company was originally the division of a single manufacturer,
but since being privatized has expanded to serve a wide array of
well-known brands. An original 17,000 square foot facility was even
left behind in favour of a new 207,000 square foot site.
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact Brand name electronics from
manufacturers and retailers in the US and Canada
are refurbished at MTC in Whitby.
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MTC [continued]
“We have tremendous scalability in front of us here. It allows us to
streamline our production lines. We’re not encumbered by walls or
a maze of corridors. And [it’s] just a great location for us to expand
the business and build on what we’ve already built,” Hanson says,
referring to the new home. “You have to drive the volume to make
this [business] model work, and we’re ideally suited to maximize that
opportunity.”
The Town offered some important support to make the larger home
a reality.
“The Economic Development [Office] has been instrumental,
particularly in helping us plan and analyse the acquisition of this
facility,” he says. “They brought together a number of people right
on site for us.” Those meetings involved representatives of key
groups as diverse as the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority
and local building inspectors.
“That allowed us to make the decision to go ahead, but also
[informed us about] the steps that we need to consider for certain
applications or processes, or zoning approvals for our specific
business avenue, so they’ve been key for us to get here on this site.”
Easy access to the highway network was also vital in the search for
a new location. “We’re readily accessible, right off the 401. To be
able to ship the amount of product that we do, in and out of different
processes, in and out of a customer’s hands, we need that ease of
access,” he says. “Things go right across Canada from here. So it’s
huge in terms of our ability to be able to deliver what we do to our
customers.”
Employees see another value in the access.
“To us, the employees, myself included, it’s a real treat to be able
to work and reside in the same community—no stress of travel,
no congestion on the highway,” Hanson adds. “We’ve got the
infrastructure around for community, for family, to support leisure
activities.
“It has everything you need to enjoy life here.”
Web: www.mtcservice.com
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
22
choosewhitby.ca
OOGLED
Success Story
Mapping the Information Highway
oogled helps to ensure websites are found and customers are
connected
Every website is fighting for attention in the crowded universe that is
the internet.
“We have such a nice mixture
of that high speed internet, the
wonderful telephone service,
reliable electrical–it all helps
us to have a business that we
know is always going to be up
and running.”
Robert Fraser
President
oogled & ClubIT
oogled—a business devoted to websites, social media tools and
Search Engine Optimization strategies—is devoted to helping
customers make their presence known. “It’s almost more important
than the website itself,” says President Robert Fraser. After all, an
effective message will only do its job if it reaches a customer.
The work is a combination of art and science. Keywords, for
example, need to match the content of a site to improve a ranking in
the Google search engine. The “back links” that connect to different
sites will make a difference as well. “They love it when people point
to your website. If you have lots and lots of people pointing to your
website, it must be pretty important,” Fraser explains.
In the search for customers through social media, the company is
also developing websites on a foundation with access to Facebook,
while tools like Live Chat make it possible to engage a site’s visitor
as soon as they arrive. “It allows them to get results right away and
help customers at a more intimate level as if they’re right in the store
with them,” says Creative Director Christopher Fraser.
All of the company’s work has also come to rely on Whitby’s reliable
information superhighway.
“We have such a nice mixture of that high speed internet, the
wonderful telephone service, reliable electrical—it all helps us to
have a business that we know is always going to be up and running,”
Robert says, noting how it is important to oogled and ClubIT, a
related tech support business. “It allows us to get contact with our
clients, to contact them through technology to set up conference
calls, to set up video conference calls, to training over the internet,
to do remote support. For our technical business we can support
customers across Canada.”
A local network of skilled suppliers offers support of another kind.
“The small business network within the Whitby area is very rich
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact Several Whitby companies provide
technical consulting services remotely to
clients across Canada and the United States.
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choosewhitby.ca
OOGLED [continued]
and multifaceted, and almost anything we need is a phone call
away. They’re usually local, and the customer service is wonderful
out here,” he adds. “As any small business can attest to, you can’t
hire everybody you need to do every job, so having that pool of
dedicated and knowledgeable people really makes it easy for us as a
small business.”
The team is also closely connected to nearby Durham College, where
students are trained in key systems, whether they’re constructing
networks or using the software that is vital to marketing efforts,
notes Vice-President Debra Fraser. Related co-op programs even
helped to identify future employees or suppliers. “In many cases, we
hire them on full-time once the co-op program is finished,” she says.
Of course, Whitby is more than a business locale for this family. They
also call the community home.
“We’ve lived in the Whitby area for over 15 years, and we love it out
here in Whitby, just because it is close enough to the Toronto area
and it is also close enough to the recreational side—the ski hills,
cottage country,” Robert says. “It is the best of both worlds. A smalltown atmosphere, but close enough to the big city that we can take
advantage of all the things that we want to do there.”
Web: www.oogled.ca
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
24
choosewhitby.ca
REAL TECH
Success Story
Bright Ideas
Real Tech’s analyzers shine an important light on contaminants that
lurk in the water
Real Tech’s water quality analyzers are shining a valuable light on
contaminants that might otherwise remain hidden in drinking water,
wastewater or even the water used for industrial processes.
“We have amazing suppliers,
we have amazing talent
that’s here and great support
services–so from a cost
perspective, a shipping
perspective or a supplier
perspective, it all kind of makes
sense for us to be able to utilize
Whitby.”
Jodi Glover
CEO
Real Tech
Andrew Glover
Co-Founder
Real Tech
Every chemical or nitrate absorbs light in a slightly different way,
giving it a unique fingerprint, explains Andrew Glover, Co-Founder of
the company and inventor of its technology. Because of that, the Real
Tech equipment can identify any unwanted changes in the levels of
these contaminants by measuring the amount of light that passes
through the fluid.
“I had this idea that a single sensor is best,” he adds, referring to a
streamlined system that has secured three patents and addresses
unwanted shifts or fluctuations in the lamps and sensors. “As few
optical components as possible simply seemed to be better.”
A long list of customers has come to the same conclusion. Today’s
users are as diverse as municipal water treatment plants and
Fortune 500 manufacturers in industries including food and
beverage, petrochemical and pharmaceutical sectors. They are even
found in 33 countries and counting.
“On every continent you can find a Real Tech analyzer,” CEO Jodi
Glover proclaims.
Every system has been developed and assembled in the company’s
Whitby facility, alongside the ongoing research and development
efforts that continue to expand the equipment’s capabilities. And that
commitment has been honoured for three consecutive years by the
Deloitte Technology Green 15 Award.
“It recognizes our work within the clean tech/ green tech
environment here in Canada, and that we’re continuing to innovate
and grow and make a difference in that space,” she says of the
award.
The work itself has been supported by a long list of local suppliers.
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact Real Tech’s water quality
analyzers are exported to over 30 countries
from their facility in Whitby.
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choosewhitby.ca
REAL TECH [continued]
“We have a number of local suppliers that are literally right around
the corner. So from whether or not it’s machined parts, or our metal,
or our labels for our analyzer, or different supplies that we need, we
have various suppliers that are all right here,” she says.
Skilled personnel have also been recruited from nearby Durham
College, University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Trent
University. “We’ve got an amazing resource of education and talent
in the local area, and that’s help build Real Tech,” Glover adds.
Many of the employees were attracted by the opportunity to work
close to home and eliminate long commutes from their daily lives.
“We don’t have to worry about the long commutes into the city, and
we’re able to find excellent employment in a wonderful sector of the
environment initiatives that we do here,” she says.
Customers enjoy the easy access, too. Says Glover: “We’re able
to have access to the GO Train station. We have wonderful public
transportation. We are actually a very short drive from Pearson
Airport. We get a lot of international visitors to come see Real Tech
here and meet with us. It’s never a problem for anybody to be able to
quickly access us.
“We have amazing suppliers, we have amazing talent that’s here
and great support services—so from a cost perspective, a shipping
perspective or a supplier perspective, it all kind of makes sense for
us to be able to utilize Whitby.”
Web: www.realtech.ca
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
26
choosewhitby.ca
SHIRTPUNCH AND
NERD BLOCK INC.
Success Story
T-Shirts and Nerd Gear
Successful e-commerce companies thrive in Whitby
“I started my own company because I hated commuting,”
Russ Montague, President and Co-Founder of two e-commerce
companies based in Whitby, is talking about ShirtPunch.
ShirtPunch is a limited edition, e-commerce apparel shop where
4 new designs are available for only 24-hours and then they’re
retired. The designs can be placed on t-shirts, zippered hoodies,
fitted shirts, long sleeve shirts or pullover hoodies.
“I realized that I didn’t want to
commute, and I knew there was
a ton of talent here who didn’t
want to commute either.”
Russ Montague
President
ShirtPunch and Nerd Block Inc.
Montague graduated from Durham College in 2004 and then
entered the workforce but he suggested that he always had the
entrepreneurial bug. Tired of living pay cheque to pay cheque,
Russ borrowed $2,000 from his Dad in the fall of 2004 and started
ShirtPunch.
ShirtPunch began in Montague’s parents’ basement and launched
on October 25, 2011 with one new design available every
24-hours. ShirtPunch sold 280 shirts in the first 24-hours of the
site going live. “We went from nothing to this mega e-commerce
site overnight,” says Montague.
Following in the footsteps of ShirtPunch, Montague launched
his second e-commerce company in 2013. Nerd Block is a
subscription, mystery box full of themed nerd gear delivered to
consumers every month. Just like Shirtpunch, Nerd Block was
successful right out of the gate, and sold-out of their first month
of subscriptions within 24 hours.
Whitby is home for the two e-commerce companies for many
reasons. One of those reasons is working locally where he and his
family live.
“When it got to the point where I couldn’t stay in my parent’s
basement anymore and I needed to move into a building, I
realized that I didn’t want to commute and I knew there was a ton
of talent here who didn’t want to commute either.”
Gaining talent from the area, ShirtPunch and Nerd Block hire
exclusively from the Durham Region.
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact ShirtPunch is an e-commerce
business that ships to over 80 countries
from Whitby.
27
choosewhitby.ca
SHIRTPUNCH AND NERD BLOCK INC.
[continued]
“It’s great to work with 50 other people who want to work in the
Durham Region and love coming to work,” says Montague when
talking about his 50 local employees. Russ also employs 10 other
people worldwide.
Montague shares his thoughts on the topic of doing business
within Whitby: “Overcoming barriers being outside of Toronto, a
top ten city in the world, is not as difficult as people might think,”
he says. “I was told that I couldn’t possibly do business in the
Durham Region, but that isn’t true. The beauty of the Internet is
that it breaks down all barriers, e-commerce can sell anywhere in
the world ,” expressed Montague with a smile on his face.
Undaunted by the challenges, Montague has been able to create
a thriving business community for his two companies within the
Durham Region with help from the Town of Whitby who helped
him open the right doors and network with the right people.
“Right from the beginning, the Town of Whitby embraced us,
helped us with hiring and location options. Whitby has opened so
many doors for us. We have been able to network and work with
other companies here as well. We’re never going to leave Whitby.
This is our home.”
He admits, in the beginning of his entrepreneurial experiences,
shipping to the rest of the world was a problem. Currently
shipping to over 80 countries all from the Durham Region,
shipping is no longer an issue.
“We work with Canada Post very closely as partners,” says
Montague. “Shipping from Canada to the rest of the world was
a challenge because we don’t have the same postal system as
the Americans do. USPS, the United States Postal Service, is
an incredible postal system. Initially, we thought that we would
have to move to the States, we had no choice, but Canada Post
stepped up and actually beat the USPS pricing. For this reason
we have stayed and will stay in Canada and Whitby.”
Web: www.shirtpunch.com and
www.nerdblock.com
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
28
choosewhitby.ca
STONCOR GROUP
CANADA
Success Story
Innovative Solutions for Any Infrastructure
Serving the country from Whitby
StonCor Group Canada, an RPM International Inc. Company, is the
Canadian leader in providing innovation solutions to protect and
enhance infrastructure by combining the products and resources
of four world leading corrosion control companies – Stonhard,
Fibergrate, Carboline and StonCor Construction Products Group
(CPG). StonCor Group provides a single source for all coating, lining,
flooring, precision grouts, waterproofing, FRP (fiberglass reinforced
plastic) grating and structural system needs.
Alan Brooks (left) chose Whitby
because this was his home.
The majority of StonCor Group
Canada employees at the
Whitby head office also reside
in the Durham Region.
Alan Brooks
President,
StonCor Group Canada
For the past 40 years, StonCor Group Canada has had a business
presence in the Durham Region, while serving the entire country.
In 1991, the company moved into a custom built, 50,000-squarefoot
industrial and administrative location in Whitby, Ontario, where
StonCor Group Canada is currently located. In 2011, the company
expanded to house a state of the art training and testing facility on
site.
Alan P. Brooks, the President of StonCor Group Canada, chose
to keep the business in Whitby because this was his home. The
majority of the employees at the Whitby head office also reside in
the Durham Region.
“98% of the people in the Whitby office are local. Here, we have
about approximately 80 full-time employees and another 10 or
15 part time or contract employees,” says Bill Budgell, StonCor
Operations Manager.
Whitby is a central location for StonCor Group Canada which has
distribution centres across the country. When Brooks made the
decision to have the Canadian headquarters in Whitby, there were
a number of factors that led him to choose Whitby. It is close to
Highway 401 for travelling and convenient for shipping purposes,
as well as being able to take advantage of the workforce that is
available in the Durham Region.
For StonCor Group Canada, having the national head office in Whitby
works well for everyone involved, whether it is the local employees
or employees from a different location travelling to Whitby for
training or meetings.
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact StonCor is headquartered in
Whitby and serves the entire Canadian
market.
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choosewhitby.ca
STONCOR GROUP CANADA [continued]
“It’s easy to get to. We host several meetings and training seminars
in the Whitby office. It’s very convenient being close to Toronto
and we have a lot of employees in Quebec. When we have training
sessions here, attendees who are coming in from different parts
of Canada can fly, take the train or drive because of where we are
located,” Deborah Davis, Marketing Manager of StonCor Group
Canada explains.
Kathryn Winkelhorst, StonCor Project Development Manager, is one
of the many employees who get to live and work locally.
“You don’t have to go into crazy Toronto traffic. You have the
opportunity for advancement and growth with a world class
company, but it’s local,” she says.
Engaging with the local talent in the Durham Region, StonCor Group
Canada has experience with Intern students from The University
of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), who have continued
with the company on a full-time basis. StonCor Group Canada also
participates at the annual career fair at Durham College and UOIT.
StonCor Group Canada started as one person and quickly grew
to a world leader in innovative solutions to protect facilities and
infrastructure. Employing approximately 95 people at the Whitby
location, as well as employing close to 300 management and
salespeople, and another 120 contractors who install the materials
Canada-wide, StonCor Group Canada successfully does it all from
Whitby.
Web: www.stoncor.ca
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
30
choosewhitby.ca
WEGU MANUFACTURING
Success Story
Wegu’s Way
Wegu Manufacturing’s advanced products show exactly how
flexible the company can be
Wegu Manufacturing is obviously as flexible as some of the rubber
formulas used on its production lines.
“All in all, you couldn’t ask for a
better local government to help
businesses.”
Luis Ferreira
President and COO
Wegu Manufacturing
The company made sailing boats when it first came to Whitby
about four decades ago, but has since shifted to producing rubber
components used everywhere from the automotive sector to
industrial applications. Its parts now include everything from the
liners in a mine’s pumps to the isolation pads that control vibrations
in family cars.
The related techniques have evolved along the way. “The oldest
processes of that kind deal with compression moulding. It then
evolved into rubber injection moulding. We also have highly
sophisticated, multi-shot plastic injection moulding where rubber
and other products are injection moulded at the same time,” explains
Luis Ferreira, President and COO. “In one single tool we can inject
various materials into the tool to make a single part without having
to do any assembly, and that gives us a competitive advantage.”
The pressure relief valves made for cars offer a perfect example
of how complex some of the products can be. The valves—
which combine several materials and everything from a seal to a
mechanical flap—control the flow of air inside the car every time
someone opens or closes a door. These make sure that ears don’t
pop whenever a door is closed, and offer an important barrier to
carbon monoxide.
Research and development in the Whitby facility even helped to
create a pressure relief valve that could be controlled independently
of others in the vehicle, helping automotive clients to better control
noise. “We develop the materials that go into our product, so the
rubbers are proprietary to Wegu,” Ferreira adds.
A Whitby locale supports the business in several ways.
“The Town of Whitby has been very supportive to businesses,” he
says, referring to the Economic Development Office as an example.
Community of Choice…for Business
Fast Fact Wegu is developing
innovative rubber materials at its
Whitby location.
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choosewhitby.ca
WEGU MANUFACTURING [continued]
“They introduce businesses such as ours to other businesses.
They allow us to correspond with the governments of Ontario, the
federal government. They involve us in seminars, in sessions where
we meet potential customers. All in all, you couldn’t ask for a better
local government to help businesses.”
The nearby harbour that was originally needed to support the
building of sailboats now provides another kind of support. “The
plant enjoys water directly from the lake to cool its processes,” he
explains.
For its part, the area’s extensive manufacturing base offers an
important resource in the form of skilled labour. “We’re able to get
people here who have manufacturing experience because there
are a lot of companies in the area, and have good knowledge of
manufacturing processes and require little training when they’re
hired,” Ferreira says.
And the local highway network keeps all their products on the move.
“The close proximity to the 401 makes transportation very easy for our business. Most of
our product is shipped by truck, and we are within a kilometre of the 401, and the access to
the entirety of North America by road makes this a very viable location.”
Luis Ferreira, President and COO, Wegu Manufacturing
Web: www.wegucanada.com
Economic Development
Phone: 905.430.4303
Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
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choosewhitby.ca
Community of Choice…for Business
ONTARIO
400km
Sault Ste. Marie
17
QUEBEC
117
Sudbury
300km 417
400
Ottawa
200km
401
MICHIGAN
96
69
Detroit
75
Chicago
90
401
Windsor
70
70
Rochester
77
95
95
New York
76
476
Philadelphia
Baltimore
WV
MA
Boston
CT
80
Portland
NH
81
Pittsburgh
Columbus
91
90
PENNSYLVANIA
76
VT91
NEW YORK
90
90
OHIO
INDIANA
Indianapolis
Sarnia
87
87
Hamilton
Buffalo
London
Cleveland
75
5
74
ME
Kingston
Toronto
Milwaukee
20
Montreal
100km
75
43
Québec
40
NJ
95
N
MD
Washington D.C.
We can help
Looking for a place to locate or expand your business?
Let us help you with:
• Overview information on Whitby’s economy and business climate
• Site searching of available industrial land and buildings
• Coordination of site selection visits
• Contacts with federal, provincial and municipal officials, as well as
utilities, transportation firms and business community
Contact us at Phone: 905.430.4303 or Email: ecdev@whitby.ca
choosewhitby.ca
Key Reasons to Invest in Whitby
• Central Ontario Location
• Excellent Access to Major Markets
• Diversified, Stable Economy
• Cost Competitive
• Educated and Growing Labour Force
• Premier Infrastructure for Business
• Leading Educational Institutes
• Research Infrastructure to Support Business
• Available Land and Buildings
• Superior Quality of Life
Town of Whitby, Economic Development Office
500 Victoria Street West, Whitby, ON L1N 9G4
Phone: 905.430.4303 Email: ecdev@whitby.ca