How-To November 2012

How-to

Practical tips for business readers

Select local businesses offer expert advice on essential business products and services

B.C.’s 4 major highway systems lead to Merritt

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Plan an office move

27

Alleviate discomfort by using sit-stand work surface

27

How to be “green” with your office coffee program

28

Increase the number of qualified prospects coming to your website

29

What a great time to be in Maple Ridge!

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Contact us on your upcoming office relocation.

Now offering environmentally friendly eCrates and custom eCrate dollies.

1-866-WMS-MOVE (967-6683) www.williamsmoving.com

Desks - Ergonomic Workstations, Bookcases, Reception Counters, Filling/Storage cabinet’s, Tables-meeting-coffee-side, Student Desks/Carrels.

Library Shelving Height Adjustable Work Surfaces-Lunch Room furniture etc. Custom Sized Pieces and Design Available.

Seating Ergonomic/Task, Executive Desk Chairs, Side Visitor, Reception, Institutional/Health Care, Lab/Drafting Stools, Stacking/meeting Folding chairs.

Storage/Filing File cabinets Metal or Wood Lateral or Upright. Mobile or Free standing Storage Cabinets, High Density Space Saving File Systems, shelf files.

Customization a Specialty!

Space Planning & Design New or reconfiguration of existing office, to maximize space effectively including Open Office, Cubicle Style, Meeting Rooms, Private Offices, etc.

110-1680 Savage Road, Richomnd, BC V6V 3A9 | www.caltronoffice.ca | phone 604-272-5477

Mill Creek Coffee

604-552-2739 | www.millcreekcoffee.ca

Our SErvicES incluDE:

• Emergency field and shop repairs • Planned maintenance schedules • New and retrofit installations

Save operating costs and boost the worth of your property

• State-of-the-art diagnostic equipment • 9,000 sq. ft. testing & repair facility

in Vancouver / 2,000 sq. ft. facility in Langley

• Complete service and repair of all pumping systems • Complete systems & parts, in stock or easily and

quickly ordered from leading manufacturers • Credit accounts available

Emergency Service

Increase the value of your building!

– Services – Pumps – Heating/Boilers – Parts

24 Hours – 7 Days a Week!

LANGLEY #11-19725 Telegraph Trail Langley B.C., V1M 3E6

604-872-7104

604-513-2445

Fax 604-873-7102

Fax 604-513-2446

How to upgrade your office copier for free

604-872-7104

Now TWO Locations to Serve You Better VANCOUVER 3586 Commercial Street Vancouver B.C., V5N 4E9

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Vancouver’s Pump Service Centre for over 40 years!

www.spearssales.com

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Valley Power Sweep provides quality Spears services in British Columbia, Canada 33 SaleS & Service ltd.

How to reduce your commute

at Valley Power SweeP we don’t cut cornerS...we clean them!

Power SweePing | Power Scrubbing | PreSSure waShing

VancouVer: 604-221-8003 | Valley: 604-792-8003 | tF: 1-888-423-8003 | valleypowersweep.com

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BUSINESSVANCOUVER

Advertorial profile

November 13–19, 2012

How-to

B.C.’s 4 major highway systems lead to Merritt With access to B.C. and beyond, Merritt is the gateway to business development, opportunities and expansion

With more than 14 million vehicles travelling through each year, only 2.5 hours from Vancouver, one hour to the Okanagan and one hour to Kamloops, Merritt is an attractive location for business development

City Furniture’s, Das Kondola says, “The store benefits from easy access and proximity to the Lower Mainland”.

I

f you are looking to build your business in a progressive community strategically located at the intersection of the Coquihalla Highway from Vancouver, Coquihalla Connector to Kelowna, Hwy #8 to the Fraser Canyon, and Hwy #5A to Kamloops and Alberta, the City of Merritt is YOUR location of opportunity.

According to the City of Merritt’s Economic Development Manager, James Umpherson, “relocating, building, or establishing your business in Merritt is a smart business decision and a wise lifestyle choice.” He says that “Merritt is strategically located to support efficient distribution channels, there is post secondary education tailored to meet industry specific requirements, and the critical infrastructure to allow businesses to easily develop and expand”.

Located at the intersection of key major transportation routes, the City of Merritt offers transportation and distribution to all points throughout British Columbia and beyond. Merritt offers a cost effective approach to business as an intersection point for transportation and distribution. But it is so much more. Merritt has a

diversification of industry, energy projects that will triple the output capacity of Merritt’s power generation, progressive taxation.

The City of Merritt’s revitalization tax exemption bylaws offer up to 100% tax exemption for up to 5-years, depending on project, location, and bylaw criteria.

Merritt is more than business; it is a lifestyle choice.

Merritt supports the longest established franchise in the B.C. Junior Hockey League, there is a modern aquatic centre, a mountain bike park, skateboard park and children’s water park as well as sports, rugby and lacrosse fields, tennis courts, a bowling alley, hockey and curling rink, and a nine hole golf course.

Outdoor opportunities are plentiful: drop your canoe or kayak right from your backdoor. The Nicola and

Coldwater Rivers run through the heart of the City of Merritt.

There is also a mountain bike, ATV and hiking trail networks surrounding Merritt. The Kettle Valley Rail Trail network is accessible from within the city.

Merritt also hosts a number of special events: the stage and music performances at outdoor venues in the summer, to the Canadian Rally Championship each fall, the Cowtrail Classic Mountain Bike Race, and the Pacific Forest Rally Off-Road race. The City of Merritt caps off the year with the Merritt Country Christmas Parade (North America’s seventh largest Christmas parade).

The City of Merritt is strategically located to support YOUR business and lifestyle opportunities. Contact James Umpherson, Economic Development Manager, at the City of Merritt for further information. •

BUSINESSVANCOUVER

Advertorial profile

November 13–19, 2012

27

How-to

Plan an office move Six tips to ensure a smooth transition to your new office

Have a pre-move meeting with your entire staff to voice all issues and concerns

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f you’re expecting an upcoming office move it is a good idea for you to reach out to your local Commercial Relocation Network (CRN) member for advice.

Williams Moving & Storage is the only CRN member in Western Canada. Here are some tips for helping plan your office move.

1. Create a move team within your organization to meet and plan the move.

2. If your company is purchasing new furniture, find out when goods are being delivered by the manufacturer.

3. Create a floor plan for the new location marked with the layout of departments, desks and everything else being

moved. Once the client labels everything according to this floor plan, the moving company can relocate everything to its designated area.

4. Ask for a key to lockout the elevator at both origin and destination facilities.

5. Ensure you have a solid plan with your IT team for servers, computers and data

backup before the movers move them.

6. Have a pre-move meeting with your entire staff to voice all issues and concerns.

As the premier commercial relocation service provider in Canada, we are confident that addressing these basic office move planning tips will greatly assist with your relocation. •

Contact us on your upcoming office relocation.

Now offering environmentally friendly eCrates and custom eCrate dollies.

1-866-WMS-MOVE (967-6683) www.williamsmoving.com How-to

Alleviate discomfort by using sit-stand work surface

A

pilot study conducted by researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia and sponsored by Ergotron, found that using a Ergotron WorkFit Sit-Stand Workstation that allowed workers to either sit or stand

reduced on-the-job sitting time by more than 27%.

Released in the September 2012 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the pilot intervention study reaffirms that the introduction of a sit-stand workstation can substantially

reduce office workers sitting time, which is significant since excessive sitting is linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, heart disease, diabetes and other advanced health conditions.

From February to June 2011, researchers used

activity monitors to measure and compare the sitting and standing time of two groups of Australian office workers.

After the first measurement, one group (18 workers) received an Ergotron Work Fit-S Sit-Stand Workstation, which allowed them to easily

switch between a seated and standing position.

The other group (14 workers), who were physically located at a different workplace, remained at their non adjustable desks.

(Reprinted from MMQ Sept 2012) •

Sit or Stand Desks - Ergonomic Workstations, Bookcases, Reception Counters, Filling/Storage cabinet’s, Tables-meeting-coffee-side, Student Desks/Carrels.

Library Shelving Height Adjustable Work Surfaces-Lunch Room furniture etc. Custom Sized Pieces and Design Available.

Seating Ergonomic/Task, Executive Desk Chairs, Side Visitor, Reception, Institutional/Health Care, Lab/Drafting Stools, Stacking/meeting Folding chairs.

Storage/Filing File cabinets Metal or Wood Lateral or Upright. Mobile or Free standing Storage Cabinets, High Density Space Saving File Systems, shelf files.

Customization a Specialty!

Space Planning & Design New or reconfiguration of existing office, to maximize space effectively including Open Office, Cubicle Style, Meeting Rooms, Private Offices, etc.

110-1680 Savage Road, Richomnd, BC V6V 3A9 | www.caltronoffice.ca | phone 604-272-5477

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BUSINESSVANCOUVER

Advertorial profile

November 13–19, 2012

How-to

How to be “green” with your office coffee program Can you really enjoy your coffee at work and still do good for the environment?

With so many choices in sustainable coffees now how do you know what to choose?

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n the age of “green” most people are focused on how to improve the environment, whether locally or globally.

That thinking is very evident in the world of coffee too.

Green initiatives are not just the ‘flavor of the day’ but are real action plans that are making a difference in the lives of farmers and the world of coffee consumers.

But what can you do in your office environment?

There are many ideas floating around about ‘green’ coffee methods and their impact. Organizations such as Transfair (Fair trade), Rainforest Alliance and USDA Organic all exist today and promote sustainable coffee initiatives. The goal of these

organizations is to produce, coffees that are beneficial to the farmer financially, enjoyable to the consumer, and environmentally sustainable and beneficial. Famers are generally paid more for the crop if developed in certain ways such as chemical-free or improved crop maintenance.

Typically farmers were the least paid in the whole coffee chain and so organizations aimed to address not only the quality of the product but also the benefits to the farmer.

If the famer does better by growing better crops then the likelihood of him producing better crops increase. Another

initiative out there is Roaster Direct where some roaster will produce their own benefits by going directly to the farms and working with the farmer, instead of through a middle organization. Both can produce good results but the determining factor is ultimately how the product tastes otherwise there is no market and thus no benefit to anyone.

To benefit from these changes in the world of coffee you need to work with roasters and service companies that will address these issues fairly and honestly. Of course taste is essential so choose a company that has a variety of ways to enjoy “Green” products. Don’t be satisfied with coffee just because it has an acronym beside its name, choose it for taste too. Make sure that the company can back up what they offer with

proof of sustainability from the roaster they work with.

Secondly watch the way that you brew the coffee for many styles of equipment exist that can ruin all the good work you have done by selecting a ‘Green’ coffee. Equipment that does not use fresh product or wastes a lot of coffee detracts from the benefits you are trying to achieve. Even single cup brewers can be beneficial is used properly and with the right product.

Mill Creek Coffee offers numerous sustainable choices and we invite you to see how you can be “green” in your office: 604-552-2739 www.millcreekcoffee.ca •

Mill Creek Coffee 604-552-2739 | www.millcreekcoffee.ca

BUSINESSVANCOUVER

Advertorial profile

November 13–19, 2012

29

How-to

Increase the number of qualified prospects coming to your website This is done by increasing your rankings on Google for the right keywords

It’s good to have at least 300 or 400 words of text on your homepage, and insert your keyword phrases once every 150 words in a way that the grammar flows naturally

H

ow To Choose The Right Keywords – Go to the Google AdWords Keyword Tool. Type in one or more phrases related to your business. The list that appears at the bottom of the page will show you approximately how many people are searching regularly every month for each of the keyword phrases.

Then you can cull them and sort them. If you have a large Search Engine Optimization budget you can choose one of the high volume keyword phrases at the top of the “Local Monthly Searches” column. If you have a small SEO budget you need to choose one of the keyword phrases near the bottom.

Where To Put The Keywords - The best place is at the beginning of the Title Tag in the Head section of the source code for every page on your website. Then write a couple of short sentences in the most enticing way possible about your website, and put them in the Description Meta Tag, also in the Head section of the source code of each of your pages.

It’s good to have at least 300 or 400 words of text on your homepage, and insert your keyword phrases once every 150 words in a way that the grammar flows naturally.

It’s good to include your most important keyword phrase

Standard Marketing giving an SEO Seminar at the ESN Fall Expo Sept 24th

in the H1 tag on each page.

Google gives more weight to words in that are in bold type, in bullet points, and in links to other pages of your website, so it’s good to do this with your keywords.

Google+ Local - A Google+ Local account is for local businesses that have a physical location with a unique street address. Google will display a small map with a red dot showing your location on page one of the search results when prospects

search for your keywords.

When setting up your account fill in all the questions they ask, and make sure your contact information is listed identically on your Google+ Local account as it is on your website.

A Blog - One of the recent major changes to Google’s ranking criteria is called “Freshness” or “Fresh” because no matter now great your website is, if you’re not continually adding Fresh content of value to your

customers they will drop your rankings. Having a blog on your website is the easiest way to add Google-friendly fresh content.

Inbound Links – These are links on other websites that when clicked, take people to your website. This is a very important part of ranking well on Google. There are many ways to get them, such as issuing Press Releases, Publishing articles on article websites, other blogs, forums, and internet directories. •

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BUSINESSVANCOUVER

Advertorial profile

November 13–19, 2012

How-to

What a great time to be in Maple Ridge!

Whether you’re looking for a new home for your business, your family or both, discover why relocating here might just be the best move you’ll ever make

There’s never been a better time to invest in Maple Ridge. Since it launched in January 2011, the Town Centre Investment Incentive Program has attracted more than 40 major projects to the Town Centre.

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hat’s happening here is really quite remarkable. Helping set the stage are the Real Estate Investment Network (REIN) naming us 2010 ‘#5 Top Canadian Investment City’ and in 2012, for the fourth consecutive time, ‘#2 Top BC Investment Town’ and ‘the place to live for lifestyle’; and Council launching the Town Centre Investment Incentive Program in January 2011. Since then we’ve been attracting a lot of interest from developers and homeowners who appreciate the access, affordability and quality lifestyle Maple Ridge offers. Among the most affordable areas in the region, Maple Ridge is forecast to double in population (from 77,400 to 132,000) and jobs (from 24,000 to 48,000) by 2040.

There’s never been a

better time to invest in Maple Ridge. Since it launched in January 2011, the Town Centre Investment incentive Program has attracted more than 40 major projects to the Town Centre. Visit our website www.mapleridge.ca to see for yourself all the exciting developments underway that are enjoying priority processing, reduced fees and up to six years municipal tax exemption (click through to Incentive Projects Map link under Topics of Interest).

Outside the Town Centre there are nearly 500 projects underway.

In our heart: At the centre of all the action is our Civic Complex (Municipal Hall, FVR Library, The ACT, Leisure Centre, Public Safety / Police, Service BC, Work BC, Maple Ridge Business Centre, Haney Transit Exchange and Memorial Peace Park). This

park in the heart of our downtown hosts over 70 festivals and events annually including the wildly successful Haney Farmers Market every Saturday May to November. www.mapleridgeweekends.com Growing Opportunity: More than half our 1,500 retail / commercial businesses are located in the Downtown Business Improvement Association (DMR BIA) area of the Town Centre. The increased residential and commercial density in this area brings with it an increasing vibrancy that’s drawing interest from retail, services and entertainment businesses seeking to capitalize on the growing customer demand.

Partnerships: the pathway to Success: Attracting Technology companies to locate here is an important strategy for us. To that end we’re

working with the BC Technology Industry Association (BCTIA) to expand their highly successful Centre4Growth initiative to provide much-needed assistance to technology companies and entrepreneurs in the region.

Since Invest North Fraser, our regional economic partnership with Mission and Pitt Meadows www.investnorthfraser.com, was recognized as the first pilot community for the BC Jobs Plan www.bcjobsplan.ca, we’re pursuing a number of investment attraction and job creation projects identified across priority sectors of Technology, International Education, Tourism and Agriculture. • Sandy Blue is the Manager at Invest Maple Ridge – the Economic Development Office at the District of Maple Ridge. She can be reached at sblue@mapleridge.ca or 604-467-7319

BUSINESSVANCOUVER

Advertorial profile

November 13–19, 2012

31

How-to

Save operating costs and boost the worth of your property A new boiler can increase building value, save energy and maintain more even and constant temperatures

Many building owners and man­agers in the Lower Mainland waste money repairing old, inefficient boilers, says Merlin Schell, general manager of Spears Sales and Service in Vancouver and Langley and of Kemp Agencies – a Camus High Efficient Boiler agency.

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itting a new boiler into your commercial or residential building will save you thousands of dollars in energy costs. It could qualify for efficiency rebate programs and increase the value of your building, giving you access to refinancing options.

Many building owners and man­a gers in the Lower Mainland waste money repairing old, inefficient boilers, says Merlin Schell, general manager of Spears Sales and Service in Vancouver and Langley and of Kemp Agencies – a Camus High Efficient Boiler agency.

“A building owner can generally pay back the extra cost of buying a high-efficiency boiler in one year, thanks to Fortis BC’s rebate program for high-efficency boiler installations coupled with the fuel savings from a properly completed boilerretrofit project,” he says.

Also, he explains, most projected fuel savings will allow a building owner to recoup the entire cost of the retrofit project in three years.

A new boiler can increase building value When the operating costs of a commercial building have a direct inf luence on property value, it pays to improve the heating system and cut energy bills, says Schell.

“If it currently costs $50,000 a year to heat an apartment building, and we put in a new boiler system, you can save, conservatively, 30 per cent on energy bills: a $15,000 operating-cost decrease. If the building has a capitalization rate of 10, this will equate to a $150,000 increase in the building value.

“If you can qualify for refinancing from the bank on that increased value, you should easily cover the cost of the boiler installation and also have money left over to renovate the lobby or to modernize some of the apartments to get higher rents. The fuel savings will also finance the costs of borrowing the money, with some left over to be used for other items.”

Schell points out that since new boilers are usually much smaller than old ones, “you will also have more space in your mechanical room, and they are less noisy and have cleaner emissions.”

Turndown technology saves energy and money Modern, high-efficiency boilers are more combustionefficient than older models, so while providing the same amount of heat with less input, they operate at much higher efficiency. Coupled with greater turndown

ratios, this efficiency can cut owners’ gas bills by up to 30 per cent, says Schell.

He adds, “During the fall and spring when it is 18 C outside, you don’t need the boiler constantly firing on and off at full input to maintain 21 C inside the building.

“Modern high-efficiency boilers have much greater turndown capability, allowing them to fire at a lower gas input rating than the older boilers.

“These lower turndown capabilities also allow heating systems to maintain more even and constant building temperatures, which are excellent for the comfort of the people working and living in the buildings.”

As an example, Schell says that an older boiler might fire at two million BTUs per hour input firing capacity: at low fire, it would still be firing at a relatively high one million BTUs per hour input. A new highefficiency boiler would have at least a 5:1 turndown, equating to 400,000 BTUs per hour input.

He adds, “The new boilers also have the ability to be fully modulating from the lower firing levels right through to their full fire capacity, and they maintain their superior combustion efficiencies throughout this firing range.”

Installation and service To avoid disrupting building users, install your new boiler from late spring to early fall. In some cases, however, because new equipment is smaller, boilers can be preinstalled alongside old systems, reducing heating downtime to just one or two days.

To increase the lifetime of your boiler and avoid any costly emergency repairs, you should have your boiler serviced and maintained by a qualified and trained service professional at least once a year.

Getting a rebate for your new boiler FortisBC’s Efficient Boiler Program offers eligible business rebates of 50 to 75 per cent of the costs of buying high-efficiency boilers above the costs of standard-efficiency boilers.

FortisBC may also fund part of the cost of getting a contractor or consultant to assess your heating needs or part of the venting modifications for retrofitting a high-efficiency boiler.

It offers extra incentives for energy saved during the first year of operation. Further incentives are available for small businesses installing high-efficiency boilers. • For more information, visit www.fortisbc.com.

Our ServiceS include: • Emergency field and shop repairs • Planned maintenance schedules

Increase the value of your building!

Now TWO Locations to Serve You Better

• New and retrofit installations • State-of-the-art diagnostic equipment • 9,000 sq. ft. testing & repair facility

– Services – Pumps – Heating/Boilers – Parts

in Vancouver / 2,000 sq. ft. facility in Langley • Complete service and repair of all pumping systems • Complete systems & parts, in stock or easily and

quickly ordered from leading manufacturers

VANCOUVER 3586 Commercial Street Vancouver B.C., V5N 4E9 604-872-7104 Fax 604-873-7102

LANGLEY #11-19725 Telegraph Trail Langley B.C., V1M 3E6 604-513-2445 Fax 604-513-2446

• Credit accounts available

Vancouver’s Pump Service Centre for over 40 years!

www.spearssales.com

Emergency Service 24 Hours – 7 Days a Week!

604-872-7104

Spears

SaleS & Service ltd.

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BUSINESSVANCOUVER

Advertorial profile

November 13–19, 2012

How-to

How to upgrade your office copier for free Release the revenue generating potential of your office copier

A knowledgeable and experienced copier representative can assess your existing office equipment and paper-flow requirements in order to determine if your office can get a new copier for free.

A

s every businessperson knows, sometimes you need to spend money in order to save money. For example, you may invest in a high-efficiency furnace or heat pump to save on your heating bill over time. Perhaps you’ve switched to high-efficiency light bulbs or solar panels to decrease your hydro bill.

A new multi-function copier (MFC) can often lower a business’ overall monthly costs and add to its bottom line. In fact, the savings are often so significant, a business can get its copier for free. Here’s how: 1. Prints and copies made on a business-grade MFC cost about 75 per cent less than a standalone printer due to the expensive, low-yield toner cartridges most standard printers use. Direct all your prints to your MFC to save money.

2. Colour prints made on an MFC can save you between 10¢ and 90¢ per page compared to the same print made on a colour inkjet or laser printer. If you use a colour printer, just do the math. The potential savings are huge.

3. No need for separate printers, scanners, fax machines and copiers taking up valuable office real estate (not to mention storage space for toner and a warm body to manage it) and, possibly, costly service contracts. An office-quality MFC will give you more useful features.

4. Print only what you need, when you need it with an MFC. Businesses that pay print shops to produce excess materials in

order to avoid expensive second runs end often up tossing unused materials in the trash.

5. Similarly, modern-day MFCs may incorporate banner printing, saddle-stitch finishers, a hole punch feature and more.

You may be able to completely eliminate outside printing and associated costs with the right MFC in place.

6. Staff can be trained on and utilize one MFC instead of multiple devices. Your office will run more efficiently, getting the most out of your business investment.

7. Print on both sides of the page, including incoming faxes – this decreases paper costs and increases filing space.

8. Do away with “cheap” fax machines that are expensive to operate. Add fax to your MFC so that all incoming faxes can be routed to email or file, then forwarded through your network to reach the correct recipient and be digitally filed. Junk fax is simply deleted without printing, and faxes can be sent directly from your PC. No printing required and no need to leave your desk.

9. Copier contract rates go up each year. By getting a new MFC, you start at the lowest rate again – and the new copiers generally have lower operating costs overall. By the way, personalstyle printers don’t usually offer service contracts, adding to unnecessary landfill waste when they break down.

10. Do you charge clients for copies and prints? Instead of buying an expensive third-party tracking system or not charging for prints directed to a regular

A copier may have the potential to pay for itself.

printer, you can utilize your MFC’s built-in codes to track and charge copies, prints, faxes and scans. Charge your client for all functions instead of just copies to produce an additional revenue stream, which may pay for a new copier by itself.

11. Choose a copier company that has a policy of proactive maintenance. Some copier companies only respond to emergencies and breakdowns.

This is equivalent to getting your vehicle serviced when it’s broken on the side of the road.

A quality service provider that routinely provides maintenance and replaces key components before they break will ensure

the copier (and your staff) will experience fewer emergency breakdowns. So not only will your copier be more efficient, it will also last years longer. Replacing it less frequently equals money in your pocket and helps the environment.

A knowledgeable and experienced copier representative can assess your existing office equipment and paper-flow requirements in order to determine if your office can get a new copier for free. • Jennifer Yeager is a co-owner and sales manager of Steelhead Business Products, a local family owned and operated company. Visit www.steelhead.net.

Providing reliable copiers and great service for 40 years.

Still local, personable and efficient.

Still the best choice for YOUR office.

l copy l

print

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scan

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fax

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steelhead.net

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604-473-9100

BUSINESSVANCOUVER

Advertorial profile

November 13–19, 2012

33

How-to

Valley Power Sweep provides quality services in British Columbia, Canada From starting out with a one-ton truck to servicing a wide area just east of Vancouver, Jeff Lindhout has developed a positive reputation and great customer sevice

We’ve built our business on being straightforward, honest and doing good work. I do know of other contractors where, if there’s a problem they will leave the problem and hope it goes away.

The important part is to work with your customer to gain a satisfactory end result. If there is an issue, we get it resolved

J

eff Lindhout purchased Valley Power Sweep in 1998 during an economic downturn, and his purchase only included a single sweeper and a one-ton truck.

Since then, he has slowly built the company through doing a good job for customers and responding to their requests and a growing clientele. Today, he operates three Schwarze sweepers, an S-348 and two A4000 machines, as well as an assortment of smaller, trailer-mounted sweepers and scrubbers.

Valley Power Sweep services a wide-ranging area centred around their location about 100 kilometres east of Vancouver, B.C. A willingness to travel that much distance is not unusual in the relatively sparsely populated western province.

Once outside of the confines of Vancouver, B.C., the province is primarily composed of small towns 15 to 20 miles apart from each other.

In addition to sweeping, the company provides scrubbing for warehouses, production plants and other industrial locations. They also perform a variety of hot and cold power washing services for the same type of clientele, plus cleaning of heavy equipment. Other services they handle in order to be a “one-stop shop” for their

clients include asphalt repairs, crack sealing, curb repairs asphalt sealing and catch basin cleaning.

Another challenge facing anyone in that market area is the significant difference in weather conditions and snowfall from one area to the other. “In much of our market area, including all of the City of Vancouver, there is not a large emphasis on putting down sand or other traction material,” says Lindhout.

“That all changes when we get to Whistler, though, where we typically do four to five weeks of sweeping. They have to use much more traction material in the winter.”

To better cope with whatever challenge a situation might bring, Lindhout has one of his Schwarze A4000s outfitted with a windrow broom. This comes in handy in a couple of circumstances.

“The windrow broom is mostly used for any kind of very tough debris that doesn’t want to come up. Oftentimes where a lot of sand was put down we can get the top layer up with normal sweeping. Then, we use the windrow broom to break up the packed-down layer underneath before vacuuming it up with the sweeper.

“The windrow also is handy in heavy construction cleanup, and we have some clients

with roads without a curband-gutter. They oftentimes just want the material swept off to the side of the road.

One relatively recent change Lindhout has seen in his market in recent years is that calls from construction contractors have been coming with less lead time. With the advent of cell phones, the typical contractor tends to wait longer to call a sweeper when one is needed, then wants them to show up onto the jobsite more quickly .

“We certainly try to accommodate everyone if at all possible,” says Lindhout, “but sometimes if our sweepers are all out we just have to decline the business. When this occurs, typically that will become the catalyst for them to modify their planning process to give us more lead time in their schedule in the future. That type of thing is a learning process in both directions.”

The equivalent of the US Environmental Protection Agency is called Environment Canada. Currently, the agency does not require that there be a sweeper on a construction jobsite at all times.

However, if an agency inspector is dissatisfied with the amount of dirt and debris on a construction site they will require that the contractor hire a sweeper. If that doesn’t

happen, the agency will make sure the site gets cleaned – but at a higher price than Valley or any other sweeping contractor is likely to charge.

“More and more,” says Lindhout, “the agency is getting on contractors to keep their messes cleaned up. Even though sweepers are not required on construction sites, contractors are being warned that if they don’t keep their site cleaned up they will be shut down. Most of the sites will have you come on twice a day, once around lunch time and then again at the end of the day around four o’clock when they’re shut down.”

“We’ve built our business on being straightforward, honest and doing good work.

I do know of other contractors where, if there’s a problem they will leave the problem and hope it goes away. There can always be times where a job doesn’t get done quite right, due to weather or cars being parked in the parking lot or whatever. The important part is to work with your customer to gain a satisfactory end result. If there is an issue, we get it resolved.”

For more about how Valley Power Sweep operates in its British Columbia market area, including information not covered here about their snow removal and de-icing operation. Call 1-888-423-8003 •

at Valley Power SweeP we don’t cut cornerS...we clean them!

Power SweePing | Power Scrubbing | PreSSure waShing

VancouVer: 604-221-8003 | Valley: 604-792-8003 | tF: 1-888-423-8003 | valleypowersweep.com

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BUSINESSVANCOUVER

Advertorial profile

November 13–19, 2012

How-to

How to reduce your commute Have your life and business run smoothly by locating both in Pitt Meadows

The growth not only in Pitt Meadows, but also in communities around us is causing businesses to take a closer look at what we have to offer – and what they are finding is attractive opportunities.

A

s our days quickly fill with work, family, recreation and email in-boxes, every moment becomes a more precious commodity. So why spend it sitting in a car being unproductive and tense?

Pitt Meadows offers an alternative by being the perfect location to locate and grow your business.

“What’s happening in Pitt Meadows and the surrounding region is that the workforce is locating here,” says Kate Zanon, CEO, Pitt Meadows Economic Corp. (PMEDC) “So to reduce the commute, it makes sense to bring your business to the workforce.”

“If your business is out here, ideally your workforce is out here or can easily follow with the range of housing types and affordability that you don’t have in downtown Vancouver.”

The growth not only in Pitt Meadows, but also in

communities around us is causing businesses to take a closer look at what we have to offer – and what they are finding is attractive opportunities.

“There is plenty of housing stock in neighbouring communities, and the population in the region is expected to double. The amount of jobs is also projected to increase substantially,” says Lori Graham, PMEDC Economic Development Coordinator.

Industrial land is abundant in Pitt Meadows. Onni’s Golden Ears Business Centre alone has 95 acres of space that can be customized to suit clients’ needs. Businesses are choosing Pitt Meadows because their specific needs can be catered to.

For people not wanting to head into the valley, Pitt Meadows is one of the few places in Metro Vancouver that’s available and affordable. It also offers excellent access to road, air, rail and

port transportation, and is near three U.S. border crossings.

A reduced commute time is also in line with Pitt Meadows’ commitment to sustainability.

In addition to creating master plans for pedestrian and cycling, public transit services will follow industrial park expansion to ensure green travel options for employees.

“Here you have affordability, land and lifestyle,” says Zanon.

“You have several options based on your family needs. You can be close to an urban core and the ability to be hiking or biking on a trail within 15 minutes.”

Pitt Meadows is also one of the few communities in the region that still has vacant industrial land.

“On the industrial side of development, many companies don’t have room to expand in their current Metro Vancouver location. Often businesses spread out with sales in one

location and shipping in another. Production is not nearly as efficient as it can be. If your business is growing and your needs are changing, you need a location that can accommodate you,” says Zanon.

“Often people move to Pitt Meadows and commute to Vancouver, or other areas to our west,” says Graham. “After living here for awhile, they realize they can find everything they need locally and learn that Pitt Meadows is supportive of startups and entrepreneurs. “In five years, it’s expected that even more people will be looking to locate in Pitt Meadows not only because of its affordability but its employment opportunities too,” she says.

And if you want to be there when that happens, the Pitt Meadows Economic Development Corp. encourages you to get in on the ground floor now. •