Success Stories
Transcription
Success Stories
Success Stories Community of Choice…for Business choosewhitby.ca Town of Whitby • Economic Development Phone: 905.430.4303 Email: [email protected] 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 [email protected] or for direct contact with my office, [email protected]. Sincerely, Don Mitchell Mayor Community of Choice…for Business choosewhitby.ca 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. 1 choosewhitby.ca 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: [email protected] 2 choosewhitby.ca 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. 3 choosewhitby.ca 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: [email protected] 4 choosewhitby.ca 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. 5 choosewhitby.ca 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: [email protected] 6 choosewhitby.ca 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. 7 choosewhitby.ca 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: [email protected] 8 choosewhitby.ca 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. 9 choosewhitby.ca 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: [email protected] 10 choosewhitby.ca 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. 11 choosewhitby.ca 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: [email protected] 12 choosewhitby.ca 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: [email protected] 13 choosewhitby.ca 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. 14 choosewhitby.ca 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: [email protected] 15 choosewhitby.ca 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. 16 choosewhitby.ca 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: [email protected] 17 choosewhitby.ca 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: [email protected] 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. 19 choosewhitby.ca 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: [email protected] 20 choosewhitby.ca 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. 21 choosewhitby.ca 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: [email protected] 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. 23 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: [email protected] 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. 25 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: [email protected] 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: [email protected] 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. 29 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: [email protected] 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. 31 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: [email protected] 32 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: [email protected] 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: [email protected]