9.24.CEJSummer2010 by Stone Griffin Media

Executive Journal

Summer 2010 2009

Construction Edition www.caexecutivejournal.com

Modernizing Baking Traditions for Global Infiltration Voortman's Cookies

C reating C anadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Healthy Food C hoices Sunny Crunch Foods

Maintaining Traditional Principles in Innovative Construction Bird Construction

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R l ea d ing I N D U S T R Y E X E C U T I V E S

Editorial

Executive Journal

Editor-In-Chief: Anthony S. Jacobs

Production Designer: Heather Darazs

Managing Editor: Tony Ware

Correspondents:

Molly Cohen, Staff Writer Kellie Ducharme, Staff Writer H.M. Kuldell Kelly Matlock Shelley Seyler

Advertising Sales Director: Patrick Rose

Executive Director of Editorial Research: Mike Richards

Published by Bull Run Media LLC Executive Editor: Keyla Carr

Design Department:

Sheryvonn McDonald, Senior Designer Amanda Smallwood Cesar Sosa Jay Vandewani

Operations:

Karyn Dowty, Director of Operations Kelly Matlock, Operations Meredith Friedline Daniella Gonzalez Rebekah Tingley Valerie Landers

Letter from the Editor In the past few months more has heated up than the temperature. Fueled by impossible to ignore media coverage of recent events, there have been increasingly hot topics of debate. For example, as countries such as China and Brazil flex their financial might, a strengthened Canadian market is emerging. But what part does sustainability play in an increasingly global economy? How do companies balance international and local concerns? On a domestic level, discussion has been opened on everything from new ways to deliver nutritional enhancements to alternative energy, but there is still a long way to go. To many companies none of this is news, however. There is progressive management that has been implementing strategies advancing conscientious business and promoting Canadian economic stability for years. And as we start to think strategically about 2011 standings Canadian Executive Journal is proud to feature leadership examples such as the following: Regardless of the current diet fad or the latest food form to hit the market, food companies have been producing nutritionally beneficial fare for many years. For example, Sunny Crunch Foods Ltd. in Markham, Ontario, has been known for its use of grains in cereals and nutritional bars for several decades. As a visionary in the industry, Sunny Crunch was responsible for the implementation of several new product types. In fact, the company holds the trademark called “crunchy granola.” To maintain its position in the industry, Sunny Crunch will continue developing products that fill market gaps. Currently the company is working on products to meet the gluten-free trend, and it has explored fiber, omega-3, probiotic and organic offerings, among other options. Sunny Crunch Foods Ltd. products have consistent quality controlled because the company manufactures all of its products in-house and only subcontracts packaging, and the company looks to be positioned to continue as an innovator in its industry. Bird Construction Company’s construction services have resulted in success developments throughout Canada during the company’s 85 years in the industry. However, though its presence has grown tremendously since its founding in 1925, Bird Construction still maintains the same initial values set by founder H.J. Bird, including safety, teamwork, integrity, honesty, professionalism, fairness and personal growth. Bird Construction specializes in design-build, construction management, pre-construction services and public-private partnerships. And, no surprise considering the company’s many years in the industry, Bird Construction has documented experience working in commercial, institutional, residential, retail and industrial sectors, with a large focus on renovation and LEED-certified projects. Bird Construction’s 700 employees are all well-trained and knowledgeable about the industry. Through its team efforts, Bird Construction Company will have many opportunities to increase its already substantial place in the construction industry throughout North America, instilling each project with the values that will continue to propel the company into its second century. When Voortman Cookies Ltd. first opened for business over half-a-century ago, the company made a traditional Dutch-style cookie. That is why Voortman’s logo continues to be a Dutch girl – to show the company’s roots. But Voortman has evolved since then; while it continues to produce traditional cookies, the Burlington, Ontario-based company is now also focusing on healthier cookie options, including sugar-free cookies, flax seed cookies, and all products are trans fat-free. The company’s products are available throughout Canada and into the U.S., and Voortman is just getting started with its global operations. And the company is always innovating, introducing new products and holiday packagings and strengthening its lines of classic cookies, wafers, turnovers and more. By maintaining both its in-house strength and relationships with independent distributors, while continuing to innovate on the company’s terrific products, Voortman Cookies Ltd. has established the infrastructure to have many opportunities to meet its global market goals. — CA Executive Journal

Contents

On The Cover

C.L. Harradence Associates Inc. Modernizing Calgary from the Inside Out

Bird Construction Company’s construction services have delivered many successful projects throughout Canada during the company’s 90 years in the industry. However, though its presence has grown tremendously since its founding in 1920, Bird Construction still maintains the same values set by founder H.J. Bird, including a commitment to safety, teamwork, integrity, honesty, professionalism, fairness and personal growth.

Mechanical Contractors Association Canada (MCAC)

Spotlight

Bird Construction Maintaining Traditional Principles in Innovative Construction

152

136

Carvery’s Construction Ltd. Nova Scotia’s Total Construction Service Option

Ontario

Yukon

Kobayashi + Zedda Architects Ltd. Designing and Constructing Despite Nature’s Challenges

Saucier + Perrotte architectes In Motion

R&F Construction Inc. Recreating Life after Disaster Strikes

MGP Architects Engineers Inc. Thinking Big for Small Communities

Amico Canada Inc. Manufacturing Canada’s Catwalks and Stairways

II By IV Design Associates Creating Outstanding Interiors

Voortman Cookies Ltd. Modernizing Baking Traditions for Global Infiltration

Springer’s Meat Inc. Offering a Prime Family Product

Urbacon Ltd. Updating a City’s Historical Buildings

Provincial Industrial Roofing and Sheet Metal Co. Ltd. Providing Solid Coverage for Ontario

The Newton Group Innovating Traditional Construction Practices

Interior Design Project

Lori Cox Interior Design Big is Not Always Better City Space Kitchens & Interior Design Inc. Cooking up New Opportunities

Ted Handy and Associates Inc. Creating Environmentally Friendly Community Features

CA Executive Journal

Summer Edition 2010

Royal Star Foods Ltd. Making Seafood Delicacies Accessible to Everyone

Nova Scotia

(GBC)

Prince Edward Island

Pubnico Trawlers Ltd. Reeling in Big Business

Teeple Architects Building Industry Partnerships through Innovative Designs

Quebec

A. Villeneuve Mechanical Ltd. Continuing a Family’s Mechanical Contracting Efforts

Bird Construction Company Maintaining Traditional Principles in Innovative Construction

Elric Contractors of Wallaceburg Ltd. Leading Ontario’s Building and Designing Industry

VEGFRESH Inc. Producing Made-to-Order Solutions

Trinity Communications Services Ltd. A Top Choice for Ontario’s Corporate Communications Support

Rogers' Chocolates Ltd. Keeping Traditional Treats, Incorporating Innovative Treatments

Sunny Crunch Foods Ltd. Creating Canada’s Healthy Food Choices

Sardo Foods Ltd. Old World Tastes for New World Palates

Tamarack North Holdings, Ltd. Creating a Lifestyle Around Canada’s Original Masterpieces

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Shore Tilbe Perkins + Will Combining New Resources with Proven Experience

106

Black and Moffatt Architects Inc. Designing Inspiring and Functional Communal Facilities

110

Furlani’s Food Corporation Baking a Batch of Success

MCAC

Contents

Carvery’s Construction Ltd. British Columbia

Saskatchewan 113

Simpson Seeds Inc. Expanding from a Traditional Farm to an International Distributer

Alberta

117

Fresh Direct Foods Ltd. Bringing Innovation and Local Produce to Canada’s Food Retailers

120

Permolex Creating Profit from Grain

122

Stawnichy’s Holdings Ltd. Creating Community through Quality

126

Dimax Developments Inc. Combining Industry Expertise for Building Options

128

Vic Van Isle Construction Ltd. Creatively Designed Construction Solutions

133

Thompson Valley Erectors Ltd. Offering a Multitude of Supportive Skills

136

Flora Manufacturing and Distributing Ltd. Providing the World with Natural Remedies

138

Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership Innovation in British Columbia’s Architecture

141

ARAL Construction Ltd.: Building with Canada’s Natural Aesthetics in Mind

143

Mack Kirk Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd. Continuing a Long History of Roofing Expertise

146

Nufloors Treading on Solid Ground

149

Rambow Mechanical Ltd. Taking a Full-On Approach to Mechanical Contracting

152

Walter Francl Architecture Helping Design Vancouver’s World-class Community

155

Urban Woodwaste Recyclers Where the Past Gets a Future

157

TRB Architecture Interpreting a Future for Canada’s Structural History

36 Coming out of a small town, it is too small of an area to cultivate a specialization. If a company specializes its work, it can go out of business very quickly when those type of projects run out. MGP has worked on projects ranging from schools, to long term care centers to offices. Because of its location, MGP tries its hand at any project.

CA Executive Journal

Summer Edition 2010

Nova Scotia’s Total Construction Service Option Produced by Cathi Sachs & Written by Molly Cohen Glen Carvery began his mechanical company, Carvery’s Construction Ltd., as a sole proprietorship in 1989. It has since evolved into a one-stop shop for the majority of construction services with a special focus on mechanical work. “It’s a business I started from scratch,” he says. “We were incorporated in 1990.”

as carpenters, plumbers, oil burner mechanics, dry wallers, electricians, painters, sheet metal workers and line markers. These employees work mostly in the Halifax Regional Municipality and beyond to its local communities. In these areas, Carvery’s is proficient in repairs, installations and renovations.

This company jump-started Glen’s venture into the construction industry. And as the company heads toward its 20th anniversary, he continues to guide his 36 employees as the company’s president. Carvery’s now has an office and a warehouse located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, which functions as a nonunion shop.

According to Glen, “75 percent of our work is in the commercial and institutional or government sector. The other 25 percent is residential. For that we work directly with the homeowners.”

A Multitude of Talents “We have all the forces underneath the one domain so we’re not only a mechanical company, we also do construction, painting and drywall. So we have all the different trades in-house except air conditioning, refrigeration and ductwork,” Glen shares. To ensure high-quality service, Carvery’s tradesmen are all outfitted with a plethora of cutting-edge tools that match their training and assist in solving any issues or challenges involved in completing a project. Additionally, Carvery’s offers 24-hour day emergency service for all 365 days of the year. These emergencies are attended to in an efficient manner, thanks to the company’s logoed fleet of vehicles. Carvery’s offers its clients’ full construction services based in its range of employee specialties. The company’s craftsmen are skilled

Interior Design Project

MCAC Service Specialization Carvery’s maintains ongoing service work for some of the area’s biggest organizations. For example, it has a continuing contract with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. It also has service agreements for Canadian Forces’ housing for the country’s military. “And we have done the housing contract on the mechanical side for two-and-a-half years. During this time span, Carvery’s serviced approximately 6,800 units. “These are the areas people would really know us for,” Glen explains. When it comes to looking for work, “we have a tendency to base our business on the 'for-sure work', the work that will be going for two or three years. So if we get a customer we try to sew a contract up for at least two or three years. So that’s one of the things I’ve been doing,” Glen shares. “I try to add extra value to the customer by explaining why they need to hire Carvery’s versus anybody else.” Glen’s main focal points when discussing Carvery’s, are the company’s experience and customer service. “It’s a little bit of both really,” he says. With these two areas of focus propelling the company along, Glen plans to spend the next one to two years “just basically

CA Executive Journal

Summer Edition 2010

riding out the storm. It’s a tough economy out there – competition is tough. The key thing is to secure as much work as possible and make sure you keep your employees working. We will ride the storm out a little bit to see what 2011 and 2012 will bring in,” he says. With an eye toward the future and a supportive base of multitalented employees, Glen will continue digging a niche in Nova Scotia’s construction industry. As one company offering such an array of service, Carvery’s Construction Ltd. has diversified itself to becoming a preferred choice for many customer types and project specifications. This diversification will bring continued work to the company’s books and keep its employees active throughout the rest of the recession. 

Lori Cox Interior Design Big is Not Always Better

Produced by TaMeka Marshall & Written by Molly Cohen After graduating from Winnipeg, Canada’s University of Manitoba’s prestigious School of Architecture in the Interior Design Department in 1999, Lori Cox worked in the area for a couple years. A few years later Cox accepted a position with Cohos Evamy, a large firm in Edmonton, Canada. However, she gave up her position several years later to become a mother. “Working for a large company with grilling hours would not fit my new lifestyle, but I didn’t want to leave my profession, which I loved. So I started my own firm, Lori Cox Interior Design. My youngest was six months old and my older guy was in grade one,” Cox explains. Five years after its 2005 founding, Lori Cox Interior Design is still going strong. “It’s a balance between the business and motherhood,” says Cox. However, this balance is in no way hindering the success of her firm. “I don’t advertise and I don’t have a website. But since I’ve been in the field for a while, I have a lot of contacts and know a lot of architects, contractors and project reps so it’s not hard to find work. In fact, it finds me,” she says. Cox works smaller scale commercial jobs like retail sites, medical offices and lawyers’ offices. “I do a broad range and now I’m

getting into the residential market,” she says. Lori Cox Interior Design is celebrating its fifth year as a private firm. “My husband says, ‘the first five years you won’t make any money because you’re just getting started.’ But I’ve crossed that five year mark, and now I’m established. It makes me want to go shopping!” Cox jokes. Marketing by Reputation But, it is not all fun and games for Cox. “Being on my own does have its challenges. Now I have to take care of my own invoicing and other things on the business end of things,” she explains, “but it’s the design I have the passion for. Now I don’t have the team of people to check in with and I love building a design and being responsible for it at the end of the day.” At this point, Cox is the only employee at her firm, “but I have a girl for commercial jobs who does the drafting work for me. We worked together at Cohos Evamy. I also subcontract engineers all the time for work,” Cox says. Cox

Interior Design Project

uses her membership with Interior Designers of Alberta as a resource in local business affairs. “I know people who own project management companies here in Edmonton who give me commercial work and I know property management developers who feed me continuous work. For residential jobs, it’s usually just a lot of word-ofmouth,” Cox explains. The residential jobs are usually large renovations, “like if someone wants to gut an entire house and put it back together,” Cox adds, “I want people who push the envelope.” Cox is often confused for a decorator, but after explaining how intrinsic her work is and her vision for their house, clients ended up gutting the whole house and starting over, under her instruction. “I love seeing how excited clients can be at the work you do. I get a lot more gratification as opposed to being a large firm,” says Cox, “I think it’s made me a better designer because I see a project through from the very beginning to the end and I have responsibility for the good things that happen as well as the bad things. One residential project sticks out in Cox’s mind. “It was for friends of mine, they have a $1.5 million house. I was there from when they started digging to when they finished. And I was part of the actual design of the house itself, the exterior and interior. I did everything, from the millwork to the kitchen, all the plumbing and vases and tea towels,” she reminisces. Forging Ahead Cox’s business has not been drastically affected by the economy. “I feel kind of weird saying this, but I haven’t felt the effects. The high-end residential clients continue regardless of the recession,” Cox says. The only difference

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she has seen is, maybe instead of buying a $10,000 stove, they buy the $7,000 one. As for commercial clients, “they set budgets a year in advance so they still have to spend X amount of money on the lobby renovation,” says Cox. The same pattern occurs in the commercial sector. Instead of purchasing tiles for $25,000, maybe they pick the $15,000 tiles instead. “Recently I’ve had more residential clients gutting houses instead of building new, but no one is stopping the presses altogether.” Cox was recently contacted for a one million square foot project in Edmonton. “That referral came to me from a carpet supplier I use. This is one of his biggest clients. I’m very flattered when those things happen,” says Cox. As for future plans on the larger scale, Cox is open to possibilities. “Sometimes you can envision where you see yourself going and sometimes you have opportunities that guide you,” she says. In the future, Cox would like to expand by merging with another private designer like herself, or taking on a preestablished partner. “I would like to get bigger, but I don’t plan to become a large firm. I like the control and I think that if you get too big you lose the one-on-one with clients,” she says. Additionally, Cox wants to continue designing. If she expands too much, she will have to micromanage projects to other people instead of doing them on her own. “I don’t want to be human resources. It would be appealing to take on other partners where we share jobs but manage ourselves,” she explains. In addition to expanding with partners, Cox also plans to get licensed, giving her more credibility. “I have a lot of aspirations for things I want to do as my children get older. I don’t think I would do what I do if I didn’t have a passion for it. I don’t want to be a superhero, but I love being a mom and having my own firm,” she says. Using her current contacts, passion for interior design and expansive plans for the future, Cox seems poised to become a big name in Edmonton’s interior design industry. 

City Space Kitchens & Interior Design Inc.

Cooking Up New Opportunities Produced by TaMeka Marshall & Written by Molly Cohen As the first quarter of 2007 was coming to a close, Charlene Vaughn, an interior designer in Regina, Saskatchewan, received a surprising offer. Colleagues in the industry offered Vaughn the opportunity to purchase a cabinet and design company they had started about four years previously. After discussing the opportunity with her husband, Rob, they acquired the business, which became City Space Kitchens & Interior Design Inc. Vaughn has been running City Space Kitchens & Interior Design Inc. for almost three years, but she has been in the interior design industry for some time previously. “I did commercial design and facilities management for 15 years, and prior to that had worked with a design firm and furniture company after graduating from university … so it’s been over 20 [years],” she says. Consulting and Selling Jumping from the commercial sector to City Space’s strictly residential sector was no problem for Vaughn, however. She eased right into the firm’s history of working primarily

on renovation projects, and recognized the strength in City Space’s distinctive cabinet sales aspect. “We sell two lines of cabinets, and they’re semi-custom. Our focus is predominantly working in kitchens or bathrooms, but we can create beautiful family rooms, fireplace surrounds, even closets – if it’s built-in cabinetry or woodwork we can likely handle it,” she explains of the firm’s flexibility. This approach of offering a product for sale along with professional interior design is what makes City Space different from its competitors, according to Vaughn. “I’m a registered interior designer with a bachelor degree in interior design, and I have a professional accreditation recognized across Canada. Professionally, this means I charge for my design services, something my competitors in this kitchen and bath industry do not; they offer ‘free’ planning services. I believe that means you don’t get charged for the plan if you don’t buy the product, but somewhere along the line someone is paying to keep those staff employed. Like our competitors we operate a showroom, the difference here is it’s on an appointment basis only and not open to the public to wander through,” Vaughn shares.

Interior Design Project

Although it’s a budding company, Vaughn has assistance (outside of her husband) to help run the consulting and sales part of the business, including the showroom in Regina. “We have a graduate designer who is preprofessional, so she’s working on gaining the work experience needed to write the professional accreditation exam,” says Vaughn. Subcontractors are a large supporting force for the company, as well. The firm has “a gentleman who contracts for us on installations, and I have a young woman who contracts for me on technical drawings,” Vaughn explains. City Space doesn’t perform the functions of a General Contractor (GC), explains Vaughn. “We’re designers so we work with the GC to complete the project for the customer. If our clients need a recommendation we can assist in helping them find a GC – we’ve worked with some great ones. Alternatively, there are scenarios where the client arrives needing our design expertise but they’ve already selected their GC or builder. In either case, once

project work. “I don’t believe the business can be successful without bringing people to work together. I haven’t seen a big expansion in 2010, but I definitely see future opportunities to have some short-term staff, like students, to gain some experience and provide some assistance,” she says.

we’re contracted to work for a client, our role is designer and millwork subtrade to the contractor.” Expanding Expertise Matching its three person in-house capabilities with its subcontractors, City Space has been able to take on some new and exciting projects. “We’re doing some interesting things with new cottage development,” Vaughn shares. “We've completed several cottages in the Qu’Appelle Valley, east of Regina, in the last year, and we’re planning and developing two more.”

Working with students offers Vaughn a chance to mentor, using her years of experience. She tells people interested in interior design that “it’s a lot different than what is portrayed on television. It’s not just colour and fabrics or room staging and completing the work takes far longer than half-an-hour, which is your typical design show time frame. But, if you love the creative outlet it provides and are prepared to work really hard, it might be a career you can thrive in,” she explains.

These cottage projects expand City Space’s work in several different ways. First, it opens the firm’s work territory to include areas beyond Regina’s borders. “Saskatchewan has a tremendous land base with rural communities, and people in those rural areas need beautiful interiors and great kitchens, too, so we’ve been doing a number of lovely homes outside the city limits in addition to the cottage areas.”

Secondly, through these projects City Space shows its strength in working beyond renovations, like new home construction. “We’ve just completed a large home here in the city. It’s a brand new build that included all the finish and lighting selections, as well as the cabinetry,” Vaughn gives as an example.

And, based on Vaughn’s love for the industry, obvious talent and ability to dig in and work hard, City Space Kitchens & Interior Design Inc. appears equipped to take advantage of Saskatchewan’s opportunities to flourish as an interior design consultant offering unique cabinetry within stunning interior design solutions. As the company’s motto states, “We Think Unique.” 

Clearly visible through a portfolio that is ever increasing, the recession has not taken a toll on City Space’s work. “We’d been in the business about a year when the economy began to weaken, and then the global economy dropped out of sight, yet, for some reason, Saskatchewan has rallied and bloomed instead of busting. I don’t know what it is, because it’s never happened before – that Saskatchewan remained strong while others faltered. So it’s been extremely positive and we remain really busy,” says Vaughn. “There hasn’t been a lull at all for us.” With all of this work, Vaughn recognizes she might need to hire additional employees to handle the

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GBC

Ted Handy and Associates Inc. Creating Environmentally Friendly Community Features Produced by Hanim Samara & Written by Molly Cohen The architecture firm Ted Handy and Associates Inc. morphed out of Nesbitt Handy Architect Ltd., a partnership formed in 1987. When Mr. Nesbitt retired in 1990, Ted Handy restructured the Barrie, Ontariobased company to reflect its current title, with Handy as its lead architect and principal. Handy has been in the industry “for most of my life, and I say that quite joyfully. I started practicing in 1976, and I still love every day of it. I feel doubly blessed that every day is a new challenge and opportunity, and that is exciting,” he says. The company offers a full range of architectural services and employs an in-house interior designer. Ted Handy and Associates focuses on central Ontario and the local communities stretching across Simcoe County and beyond. “We do community-type projects like educational facilities, community centres, libraries and churches. The other major component would be office administrative buildings for municipalities, and the third large area of focus would be single-family residential homes,” Handy explains.

passive solar gain and geothermal energy using thermal mass as an important strategy for energy use and conservation,” Handy explains. The building’s energy conservation aspects are what make this school stand out from others like it. The building has occupancy sensors to regulate ventilation in areas that are not being used and increase ventilation in areas that are in use. Similarly, the building also features light sensors to dim or shut off lights when daylight is sufficient. The building’s walls and roof are insulated to reduce heat gain or loss. Special windows also assist this goal. Air quality was also a large focus during design and construction. Builders worked to ensure that the indoor air quality was not tainted by pollutants as a result of the construction. Indoor materials were chosen to avoid volatile organic compounds that could increase the air pollutant levels. From its many sustainable initiatives, the school is now a LEED Gold-certified building.

In addition to sustainable aspects, Ted Handy and Associates included design features to turn the building into a “learning laboratory on how a building functions,” as Handy describes, by leaving all the mechanical, electrical

Designing an Everyday Learning Facility Ted Handy and Associates’ design process uses cost control as a guide to its approach, which is managed and completed with social and environmental responsibility in mind. The firm’s work on Mundy’s Bay Public School in Midland, Ontario, is an example of that effort. This project was started in 2006 and was occupied in November 2008. It is now a 50,000-squarefoot elementary school for 450 students in Midland, Ontario. Among sustainability and cost control, the firm also values responsibility and innovative design, creative problem solving, and remaining responsive to the needs of the client and building users. Notable building features of Mundy’s Bay Public School include a central atrium that connects the two floors and creates a sense of community within the school. The atrium also offers “maximum benefit of natural daylight, ventilation and energy efficiency through

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GBC

GBC and structural systems exposed. The building is also made of very durable and natural materials, with polished concrete floors and ceilings, masonry walls and few carpets.

Barrie. “It’s one of the most successful projects we have ever done and has earned us much praise from the congregation, community groups and audio-video professionals who have used the building for concerts and musical productions,” Handy says.

Design Acknowledgement

And in the next one to two years, Ted Handy and Associates will complete a project for the Georgian College’s new Centre for Health and Wellness. “That is a team project with architects Tillmann Ruth Mocellin (aTRM) as lead architects, Teeple Architects as design architects and us as the associate architects,” Handy shares.

The Mundy’s Bay Public School is a great example of Ted Handy and Associates’ dedication to sustainable design. Handy reports, “We urge all of our clients to take a serious look at sustainability, and on occasion we’ve refused to work for clients when they did not feel it was an important aspect. We don’t take that road necessarily with all clients, but we attempt to incorporate sustainability in everything we do.” Other examples of this type of work include Ted Handy and Associates’ recently completed new administrative centre for the township of Springwater. “This building is currently going through LEED Silver certification,” Handy says.

With Handy’s passion and through teamwork with other architecture firms, Ted Handy and Associates can meet its design goals and further enhance its clients' facilities through high standards for excellence. 

In the coming future, Handy does not see a large expansion or major changes for his company, which partners conscientiously to benefit its clients’ needs. “As I said, a lot of what we do is community-type projects. We have three churches we’re working on at the moment, and in the next year or two they will go through design and technical document stages, and that area is particularly enjoyable for us,” he says. With its loyalty to the green movement guiding the way and its vast experience upgrading community facilities, the firm certainly has a great deal of potential work ahead.

Another sustainable project for the firm is an addition to the Simcoe County Administrative Centre, which is currently under construction. “It is targeting LEED Gold. This project has been a design partnership with Teeple Architects of Toronto, Ontario,” Handy notes. The firm is recognized for its design abilities beyond sustainability. In 2001, Ted Handy and Associates won the Urban Design Award of Excellence for its work on the Barrie Public Library. “It was a joint venture with Shore Tilbe Irwin [now known as Shore Tilbe Perkins + Will], and in the library world and within the community, it has remained a wellfunctioning and attractive building complimenting the surrounding neighbourhood,” says Handy. Similarly, in 2006 Ted Handy and Associates won the Ontario Steel Design Awards Honourable Mention for the Emmanuel Baptist church in

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Spotlight

C.L. Harradence Associates Inc.

Modernizing Calgary from the Inside Out Produced by Tameka Marshall & Written by Molly Cohen Catherine Harradence was lucky. Immediately after graduating from university she was hired at a flourishing architecture firm with an iconic reputation in Calgary. “Essentially, I went into the general arts programme at a local university here in Calgary, then after one year there moved on to Ryerson Polytechnic University in Toronto

and graduated in 1980 with a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Interior Design,” she recounts. “While returning home from graduation ceremonies in Toronto, I received word that the architectural firm I had worked at during summer months was trying to reach me. We pulled over at a phone booth to call – there were no cell phones or Blackberrys in 1980 – and see when they wanted me to start. My soon to be boss, and fellow Ryerson Grad, replied, ‘How about yesterday?’” Thus, Harradence has now commemorated her 30th year in the design industry. Since her fortunate beginning, Harradence’s experiencehoned skill and discipline allowed her to enjoy success with numerous large corporate clients both as a senior designer and partner, all in the space of six years. In 1996, however, she decided she was ready for a change. “I originally was part of a partnership, and realized it was time to branch out on my own,” she explains. Thus, she began her own interior design company, named simply C.L. Harradence Associates Inc. (CLHAI). “Initially the focus was on commercial and corporate work for the private sector; and, being in Calgary, it was a lot of oil and gas and legal,” says Harradence. Quickly, however, the company moved into broader directions. “Soon we branched into hospitality, with clientele at the various levels of the hospitality community – Super 8, Holiday Inns, local resort hotels etc. – culminating in major guestroom, common area and banquet facility refurbishment at both Westin Calgary and Westin Edmonton.” Tricks of the Trade Now CLHAI works in numerous sectors. “We are involved in corporate, hospitality, restorative and, residential work, basically anything except healthcare – that’s just not our fit,” says Harradence. With five full-time employees in the company’s Calgary, Alberta, office, satellite staff in Edmonton and three as-needed staff on-call, CLHAI is a closely knit company that is involved in projects ranging in value from $150,000 to over $ 11 million. “I think what really sets us apart is the diversity of our background and that we can bring to each of our clients everything we’ve learned from the areas we’ve done work in,” says Harradence. “And there is a lot of crossover between

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sectors, such as between hospitality and corporate work.” Taking its experience from one jobsite and transferring those lessons to another sector has enhanced and enlarged the firm’s supplier resources. For example, one thing CLHAI likes to do, according to Harradence, is “… to use commercial-grade carpet in our hospitality projects. Carpet manufacturers don’t like to hear this, but we prefer the commercial-grade carpet to the carpets developed for the hospitality industry; we find it offers better construction and longevity for our work.” These tricks of the trade make CLHAI stand out in the Calgary area as a firm with industry knowledge, and have culminated in projects such as a restoration of a former bank building into a restaurant facility. Although the restaurant business tapered off, the building is still being used by a financial firm, which retained all the improvements. The ability of CLHAI to transition a stark commercial foundation into a welcoming environment, marrying the sturdiness of the one with the comfort of the other, inspired a local university to bring its interior design program there for an annual event, showcasing CLHAI’s expertise. Local news papers, radio and TV stations were also clamoring for opportunities to showcase the facility as well. CLHAI also takes great pride in ensuring that each client will receive design branding that is theirs and theirs alone. The mandate is steadfast in that CLHAI clients will never “… find themselves at the ‘party’ only to see someone else ‘wearing their design,’” says Harradence. “This is so critical when we are designing for clients involved in similar business ventures!” Advising Future Designers Although the economic downturn affected the firm, CLHAI was able to sidestep the potential for damage thanks to its intrinsic qualities. “Because of our diversity, we were able to shift our focus as needed,” says Harradence. “We’ve been

seeing a flux in high-end residential work right now. We still have a focus in commercial ventures and have been experiencing a pleasing upturn in that area of our practice.” And, as always, Harradence is looking for new sectors to ease the firm toward. “We have recently entered into work with the City’s municipal community, which has been very exciting for us, and of course are taking our experiences from all our other areas of work to ensure our continued quality.” Harradence’s passion for interior design is evident in the success of her company. And what has allowed this passion

Yukon

Spotlight to flourish is her attitude toward teamwork. She advises people trying to break into the industry to “understand and appreciate the other consultants and team members you will work with, from architects to engineers, contractors and all sub trades.” In addition, she warns, “If you are not prepared to work alongside them and establish mutual respect and communication, it will certainly be your downfall and source of weakness in your ability to deliver the desired end product.” As for CLHAI’s future, Harradence hopes municipal work will become a more lucrative area for the firm. “We’re certainly hoping to carry on in the areas we’ve always worked in, but we don’t have a finely chiseled mandate. A substantial amount of our work is generated from referrals, so it’s difficult to predict where we’re going to go since you never know when or where these referrals will come in,” she observes.

as it enters new market sectors. By continuing to diversify the sectors it works in and strengthen its professional relationships, the firm looks forward to creating increasing buzz as it rides out the economic downturn and maintains its focus on distinctive, quality designs. 

Kobayashi + Zedda Architects Ltd. Designing and Constructing Despite Nature’s Challenges Produced by Eric Gunn & Written by Molly Cohen As a premier architecture firm operating from within the Yukon Territory, Kobayashi + Zedda Architects Ltd. (KZA) has a wide range of architectural design specialties to fill all of the area’s architectural needs. Currently, KZA serves all of the Yukon Territory, as well as northern British Columbia and northern Alberta, out of its Whitehorse, Yukon, office which is located directly above a company-owned café. “People know us in White Horse because we also run a café

However, with the firm’s growing list of impressive, satisfied clients, C.L. Harradence Associates Inc. seems to have a lot of referrals to rely on, even

downstairs from our office; it’s the largest café in White Horse. That gives us a profile in the community that helps our business, because people see us as more than just as architects,” contends Antonio Zedda, a company co-owner alongside Jack Kobayashi. The company was formed in 1993 by Kobayashi and Florian Maurer, and Zedda joined the firm as a partner in 1998. In 2000 the firm became Kobayashi + Zedda Architects with the departure of the third partner, and the remaining partners

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continue to own and run the eight-person company. “I’ve been registered as an architect since 2000 and my partner Jack has been registered since 1995,” says Zedda. Designing for Any Project KZA is known for more than its café’s espresso, of course. More importantly, it offers its clients an invigorating shot of compelling design, no matter what is needed. “The nature of a company like ours in a small place is that you don’t specialize, you tend to do everything. Our focus, in terms of our own passion, has really been on sustainable design and working with the First Nations of Yukon. Those are two areas we focus on,” Zedda asserts. “You come to specialize in nothing particular, but become a generalist. You do products you couldn’t do in other cities because you’re not focusing on one particular segment of the economy.” In addition to keeping a broad approach to design, KZA has also become proficient in skills that complement its architecture services. “We’re architects, but we also have our own construction company and do our own building. We have done quite a few mixed-use residential buildings in downtown White Horse. It gives us an opportunity to understand the whole perspective of building and design, which we think is kind of fun, too. You don’t typically see a lot of architects doing building on their own, but I think you’re seeing more and more of it,” Zedda asserts. As of March 2010, KZA was in the process of combining its architecture and project management skills for the Old Crow Visitors Center, a community project in Old Crow, Yukon. This project is an exciting challenge because the community is built on permafrost, which creates a technical issue for construction. Additionally, the community’s electricity is powered by diesel generators and oil is flown in via airplane

Yukon

Quebec

since the community has no road access. To contend with the locale-specific requirements, “we’re proposing the largest photo-voltaic panels in the area because the cost of the system is less than the cost of producing electricity from oil,” Zedda states The other main challenge for this project is “the whole building has to be flown there in pieces, so it’s much more complicated than having a truck show up to drop things off,” Zedda clarifies. The third major challenge in the area is “an extreme climate. It drops to -50 in the winter and up to 35 degrees Celsius in the summer,” Zedda says.

As for the firm’s focus on working with First Nation communities, KZA assists with designing and building schools and community centers. In these projects, KZA aims to create a structure that embodies some of the values and history of the First Nation community. “We designed the Tantalus school for the community of Carmax a year ago. The people who live in this area never really had permanent communities; they moved with their food source. So we mimicked a traditional temporary structure made from bent willow branches and skins,” Zedda describes.

In keeping with the firm’s sustainability focus, KZA incorporated a lesser-known heating option for a project in 2009. “It was a multipurpose building for a small community in northern British Columbia. For that building, the owner wanted to stay off any oil- or hydrocarbon-based fuel sources. We came up with a lake-source heat pump that used water next to the building as the vehicle for pulling heat out and cooling the building in the summer,” Zedda describes. “The First Nations opened up a hydro dam just after the building opened and now the heat pump is powered by hydropower. The whole building is carbon neutral, because all the energy is being produced by sources that are available on-site.”

Preparing for Expansion

To create the lake pump, “we just put all the piping out on the ice, and in the spring the ice melted and the piping sunk to the bottom of the lake and stayed there,” Zedda explains.

Receiving the opportunity to work on these types of projects is a mark of distinction for KZA, representing the company’s long-standing presence in its market. “When you become established in a small community, people know who you are and the work you do. It’s getting easier and easier to get work; there’s less competition on proposals and people just say, ‘We want you to give us a fee on this project,’” Zedda asserts. KZA’s further selling point is its services beyond those of the typical architecture firm. “Many times someone wants a turnkey service, meaning that they want you to not only design service but to build it. We have that experience. Most of our construction has been for ourselves, but since we have the crew and experience we have done some small projects that involve service to a client to do the whole thing,” says Zedda. Hiring people to carry out KZA’s design approach and full range of services is an important part of the company’s continued success. “We’ve found exceptional people who just walked in through the door,” Zedda states. “In fact, that’s how I came here, and I’m still here. It’s that kind of place, it’s like that Alaskan mentality – just sort of pack up and go and it seems to work out.” Zedda hopes this same principle holds for the coming years. “We’re so busy right now, we’ve never been this busy, the economy here is just cooking. I’d like to think we can do more on sustainability, taking it to a new level – whether it be netzero or something in that realm. I think we’re both getting more experienced, and while we’re focused here, because there is so much work available, we might look for new opportunities beyond, in the neighbouring jurisdictions.” KZA looks forward to expanding and bringing its experience in sustainability to new communities. As a result of its diverse, yet culture-conscious designs and turnkey services, Kobayashi + Zedda Architects Ltd. has established the components needed to further its position as innovators in the area’s architecture industry, while helping to strengthen the native identity, as well. 

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Saucier + Perrotte architectes In Motion

Produced by Eric Gunn & Written by Kellie Ducharme Since its inception over 20 years ago, Montreal-based Saucier + Perrotte architectes (S+P) has established itself as one of today’s most forward-thinking and experimental architectural offices, offering comprehensive services including architecture, urban planning, landscaping and interior design. The firm employs 25 creative minds that drive its worldwide reputation for excellence throughout every imaginable sector – cultural, institutional, educational, hospitality, residential, master-planning – plus maintain its impressive presence within design exhibitions and competitions.

Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, plus a member of the Ordre des Architectures du Québec, the Ontario Association of Architects and the AAPPQ. His partner, André Perrotte, is an equally respected lecturer and visiting critic who holds similar qualifications with the addition of being a LEED Accredited Professional. Saucier + Perrotte looks to integrally link its architecture with the landscape. Every project stresses the physical and

“We are a research-based office, and we make sure that our projects and the competitions we participate in further our research,” explains Gilles Saucier, one of S+P’s founding partners and an in-demand international guest speaker. And all its efforts in research have paid off in terms of accolades. In 2009, S+P received the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s prestigious honor of being named Best Architectural Firm in Canada. Other acknowledgements include International Architecture Awards (presented by the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Centre for Architecture, Art Design and Urban Studies), a Bild Award for a highrise residence in Toronto, a Design Exchange Award for an urban spa, and several Governor General’s Medals in Architecture. The firm has won over 70 awards in 20 years. Saucier + Perrotte’s highly acclaimed buildings have been published the world over, reflecting the office’s status as one of Canada’s premier design firms, and in 2004 the office represented Canada at the prestigious Architecture Biennale of Venice. While adding to its body of significant built work in Canada, the office is expanding its international portfolio of work in Japan, China, the Middle East and Africa. Gilles Saucier is a decorated Fellow of the

symbolic importance of the project site and is a reflection of the firm’s understanding of architecture’s role in shaping the contemporary city and the rural landscape.

Quebec Establishing a Reputation Gilles Saucier and André Perrotte were on the cusp of 30 when they started their firm together, having both graduated from the University of Laval in 1982. Saucier + Perrotte originally formed a relationship because they shared the desire to create cutting-edge designs that would push limits other firms were too afraid to push. “When we started,” Saucier explains, “we wanted to create a platform [for exploration].” For example, one of the firm’s early landmark projects was the Cinémathèque québécoise theatre, an existing historic building that the firm redesigned entirely, transforming it into a modern, contemporary platform for the arts. The firm used aspects of scale and line to create a design fitting for the medium for which the building was being used, and S+P was able to confidently explain its design to the client in detail by describing new ways to bring the building into the future. Bringing together gallery spaces, the public realm, film projections, and cinematic screening rooms, the benchmark project has become a renowned venue in Montreal. Saucier + Perrotte’s Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is another landmark building in Canada and a recipient of an International Architecture Awards and a Governor General’s Medal. This project is a research facility

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Quebec that brings together thinkers from around the world. Offering private offices to the research staff members, the building also provides indoor and outdoor areas (including a courtyard and a tranquil reflecting pool) where the faculty can meet gather to discuss ideas. The atrium space and amphitheatre are used by the staff and from time to time for public functions and performances. The building rides the line between public and private space, attempting to blur the usual hard thresholds established by private enterprise in the public realm. The design takes inspiration from the wide-ranging, hard to define concepts that make up the subject matter of theoretical physics, at once micro- and macro-cosmic, rich in information, and of indeterminate form and substance.

Moreover, the firm’s focus on sustainability and the use of nontraditional materials and construction methods continually fuels new avenues to explore (this is aided by S+P’s membership in the Canadian Green Building Council). Saucier + Perrotte architectes strongly believes that the overarching architectural concept must be in tune with environmental accountability.

extent where they become integrated and indistinguishable from one another,” the partners say. “We are proudest when our ‘sustainable’ designs win awards and commendations that are not related to sustainability, but are given for overall architectural excellence. This means we have accomplished what we set out to do.” 

“We are committed to defining a new synergistic relationship between sustainability and architectural excellence to the

Looking Forward Architecturally Saucier explains that fiscal growth is not as important to S+P as is the integrity of its new architectural ideas and developments. “We don’t address the question of what we should do as a company to be a bigger business; instead we look at what we can research to further ourselves.” The office continues to engage in competitions and projects on the international stage, as well as across Canada.

Prince Edward Island

Royal Star Foods Ltd.

Making Seafood Delicacies Accessible to Everyone Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Molly Cohen Francis Morrissey began commercial fishing with his father at the age of 16. One year later he was fishing on his own. Still based out of Tignish, Prince Edward Island, Morrissey now continues to support his hometown as president of Tignish Fisheries Cooperative Association Ltd., one of the largest employers in Canada. Founded in 1925, Tignish Fisheries Co-op has more than 130 members. “We’re the oldest fish processing company on Prince Edward Island,” says Morrissey, who has been on the Co-op’s board of directors since 1992. He has also served as its president

students work the night shift, but they’re only allowed to work from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. during school nights. They’re allowed to work on the weekends until 1 a.m., and this allows a lot of these students to make $3,000 to $4,000 to help them further their education and we’re proud to offer that,” Morrissey shares. “We also give out scholarships to local high schools for kids graduating and going on to university. It’s a couple thousand dollars each.” These students are recognized at the Tignish Fisheries Co-

op’s annual meeting along with any retired fishermen or employees. “They are recognized and given something on behalf of the company. Last year on our 85th year we had a coming together and had two retired fishermen, one was 99 and one was 100, that had been long-time members of the company,” Morrissey remembers. The fishing and processing industry in Canada faces challenges because it can be hard to recruit younger employees, but the Tignish area has been lucky because the

Fishing Together Royal Star Foods processes herring, mackerel, tuna and ground fish, but it is most known for its lobster processing facilities, which are some of the largest on Prince Edward Island. The company’s products are sold under the brand Star of the Sea, with major exports to the United States, Asia, United Kingdom and Europe. “It’s been there for 86 years and is recognized worldwide for its quality,” Morrissey shares. From its international customers, Royal Star Foods has annual revenue between $30 million and $35 million. It employs between 275 and 300 people. “That’s the mainstay of the small fishing community and the whole surrounding area of Tignish; it’s basically a fishing community and there are three ports that service this company,” Morrissey explains. Royal Star Foods has two separate procession facilities. “All the shellfish processing is done in a new modern plant and the pelagics are done in the plant by the water. The main plant is new, one of the newest ones on the island, only 12 years old, and meets all Canadian Food Inspection Agency standards,” Morrissey touts.

since 2008. Morrissey has a private fishing fleet on the side that is a member of the Co-op. In addition to his roles at Tignish Fisheries Co-op, “I am chairmen of the lobster advisory board for Prince Edward Island, I’m on the board of the Fishermen’s Association and I’m also president of the Harbor Authority,” Morrissey shares. All of this experience also benefits Royal Star Foods, a Tignish Fisheries Co-op subsidiary, where Morrissey oversees operations. Royal Star Foods processes lobster and pelagic species, and purchases 95 percent of its products from members of the Co-op.

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And for the most part, the Tignish Fisheries Co-op is all Royal Star Foods needs for supplies. “We have enough people in the Co-op to service the company with product. The members own the company; they’re working for themselves. They sell the product to the company and the company produces it and at the end of the year they have a shareholders meeting and the profit is paid back,” Morrissey explains. Royal Star Foods also has long relationships with its packagers and suppliers. “We go out to tender and get three or four companies that bid on your packaging and you go with the best service at the best price,” Morrissey says. During his tenure with the company, Morrissey has enjoyed working with theses suppliers and packagers, as well as other members of the local community. “We employ in excess of 40 grade 12 or university students each year. The high school

Prince Edward Island catches have been good. “It’s a pretty decent living, so it’s not that hard to get younger people to take it over,” Morrissey shares. “In the processing plant there are a lot of young people who move on to higher education; still, we’re not bad here. We have a fairly decent workforce that’s not that old in age and it’s a consistent workforce; the plant runs five- or ten-hour days.” Reinventing the Industry Instead of employee concerns, Royal Star Foods is challenged by the economic downturn in the last two years. “A large portion of product is shipped to the United States and Europe, and the downturn drastically reduced the price that could be paid back to fisherman for the product … sometimes income was cut by 50 percent,” says Morrissey. There is not much Royal Star Foods could do to overcome the economic challenge. However, the company was able to find new markets, diversify, cut costs and “basically do the same as everybody else in the world: try to survive,” says Morrissey. “Luckily we were a financially stable company leading into it and the people who took the biggest hit were the captains of the vessels that fish the product.” But Morrissey found a silver lining in the gray situation.

Nova Scotia “When the price of lobster went down there were a lot of people who were starting to consume it that hadn’t been eating it for a while, and this will actually help down the road when people acquire a taste for it again. Sales are up this year and the marketplace has improved,” he says. “Now one of the biggest things facing Atlantic Canada is the exchange rate on the currency between Canada and the United States, since we depend so heavily on the United States.” Royal Star Foods has an interesting relationship with the United States. The company has two fishing seasons. The spring season goes from the first of May to the last day of June, while the fall season runs from August 10 to October 10. “But at that time the U.S. fisheries kick in and what a lot of people don’t recognize is 40 percent of the lobster that gets caught in the U.S. is shipped to Canada, processed in Canada and shipped back to the U.S. to sell to American consumers,” Morrissey explains. “It’s brought in live, cooked and processed, and then reshipped back to the U.S. and Europe. That’s where the supply for Red Lobsters and Outback Steakhouses all come from. There are few lobster processers in the U.S.” Because of the competition with the United States’ lobster market, Royal Star Foods is introducing new products for new markets to maintain its profitability. One new product is a microwavable lobster. “A whole frozen lobster can be bought in the store, put into a microwave, and seven minutes later it’s fully cooked. From the recession the industry shifted away from food service and it made some of its packs more consumer friendly to the retail side. We brought packaging down to what the consumer wants and it’s gone over very well,” Morrissey says. “The consumer realizes, ‘I can get enough lobster here for me and my partner to make a lobster roll for under $9.’”

Pubnico Trawlers Ltd. Reeling in Big Business Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Jane Catoe Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime. If that man is George Cunningham, president and founder of Pubnico Trawlers Ltd., he’ll catch a lot of fish, open a fish processing plant and have a fine career as the head of a family business. And he’ll make it sound easy. Located in Lower East Pubnico, Nova Scotia, Pubnico Trawlers Ltd. employees 20 to 25 locals (depending on the season), and processes thousands of tons of commercial white fish at its 12,000-square foot processing plant, generating $10 million to $12 million in annual revenue. Pubnico Trawlers specializes in processing salt fish, which is primarily cod, but also includes pollack, hake, cusk and mackerel. Pubnico distributes the fish under both its Trawler brand and various well-known private labels. Only about 10 percent of Pubnico’s business is not salt fish. “We dabble in a bit of frozen,” says Cunningham, “but not to the point where we change the structure of the company a lot.” Pubnico values the quality of its brand and the plant is a fully licensed and government inspected H.A.C.C.P. (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point)-approved fish processing plant.

Cunningham, your classic veteran northeastern fisherman, is charmingly understated and matter-of-fact, with an unforgettable seaboard accent. You can almost hear the twinkle in his eye. Tracing Pubnico’s history, he says plainly that it “started off as a fishing company in ’78, then after three years we went into the processing business.” At that point Pubnico got out of the fishing end altogether. Family Fish Fishing is in Cunningham’s blood. Still active in the industry at 68, he admits to being “on fishing boats and the fishing industry ever since I was 15 years old. The family was involved in the fishing industry going back to my grandfather for sure, and that was a hundred years ago. My grandfather started in 1894 – fishing boats and then processing. My grandfather, my father, two of my older brothers, two of my younger brothers – they have all been involved. And moving from fishing to processing is just how it evolves. It definitely wasn’t planned that way.” With Cunningham gingerly spinning a folksy tale of family lore, humble fish and accidental success, it’s almost easy

Royal Star Foods is also increasing its sustainability. “Some of the measures we’re putting in place include a shorter fishing season by a couple days and reducing trap limits. Right now it’s 300 per day and we’re reducing to 270 traps, which will reduce 300 miles of rope to reduce entanglements for whales and mammals,” says Morrissey. “Another thing is putting mechanisms on our traps so if a trap is lost at sea, within 90 days the biodegradable twine will release and anything in the trap will escape. All our boats use biodegradable cleaners in them so there are no chemicals going into the water.” These new steps add to the high quality and now sustainability that sets Royal Star Foods apart. “We’re very proud of the products the company puts out, and that’s why it’s been in business for 86 years and has customers that are very loyal to the brand,” Morrissey summarizes. Relationships firmly in place, Royal Star Foods and the Tignish Fisheries Cooperative Association Ltd. look to have many more opportunities ahead that will benefit both local fishermen and international customers alike. 

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Ontario

Ontario to forget that Pubnico is a multimillion dollar company built with shrewd persistence, hard work and effective management. In this slow economy, managing Pubnico’s international supply chain effectively is critically important, and, no matter how picturesquely Cunningham paints it, that takes skill, experience and leadership. “With the downturn here, sources, quantities of fish in other countries, and fluctuations in currencies – it all makes a difference,” Cunningham sums up. Fishing quotas are a challenge in the industry, as Cunningham explains: “In the last 20 years they’ve reduced quota a lot due to decades of overfishing. Quotas are dependent on what science says about the stock.” Quotas vary yearly, which sends Pubnico casting its nets far and wide for product. Cunningham says, “To increase our sales, we’ve sourced fish offshore. Norway … Iceland. Alaska. Even China.” Even-keeled Captain of Industry The salt fish industry is almost as old and unchanging as the sea itself. It goes back about 500 years in Canada, Iceland and Norway. If anyone can think of a new way to salt a fish, Cunningham seems open to the idea, but generally poohpoohs new products. “[The industry’s] stayed the same for years,” he says with seaborne wisdom. “We’re always looking

for some different packaging and anything we can do to increase sales and keep the quality up.” The processing is still much the same as it ever was, and involves cleaning, salting and drying the fish for distribution. Once done outside with the help of Mother Nature, today the task of drying is performed indoors with commercial machines. Other than that, there’s not a lot of specialized equipment. “It’s pretty much hands-on and labor intensive,” stresses Cunningham. As the techniques have stayed constant, so have the industry players. Cunningham cites good relationships as one of the strengths of his business. “We’ve developed long-term relationships with suppliers and vendors, some for 10 to 15 years. We’ve always developed relationships with good, reliable people. After that, it’s easy.” Cunningham stresses that the development of Pubnico is a process. “This has evolved pretty slowly … over 30 years.” Yet, Cunningham remains satisfied with Pubnico’s past, present and future rate of growth. “It’s pretty hard to come up with new products, so we’ve concentrated on what we do well. We’re always looking for new opportunities, though,” he says. Passing the Trident

Teeple Architects

Building Industry Partnerships through Innovative Designs Produced by Hanim Samara & Written by Molly Cohen Teeple Architects Inc. was founded in 1989 and immediately began invigorating the architectural industry throughout Ontario from its office in Toronto. Teeple’s innovative design philosophy hinges on several topics: sustainability as the essence of each project; integration of architecture and site; diversity of spatial composition; interconnection of architecture and landscape; translucency and transparency in spatial composition. It accomplishes these goals through a selective use of materials and textures, making its designs stand out from all others. Teeple is known for its work in the institutional, commercial and residential sectors. “We’re working from [Toronto]

Though Cunningham clearly still enjoys running Pubnico, he is already grooming his successor. “My youngest son now is involved in the business,” he says with pride. “He’s doing things like representing us at the yearly seafood show in Boston, where we meet some of our customers and some of our suppliers. People from all over the world are there.”

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Recently, the firm completed the overall concept and design for the Georgian College Health & Wellness Centre, a $39 million project in Barrie, Ontario, that is the perfect example of Teeple’s typical job. To make sure it covered all of the building’s requirements, Teeple “interviewed the building’s various users,” says Radigan, who joined Teeple in 1995 and works on nonprofit residential projects, educational buildings, institutional facilities and recreational sites. What was determined was the most efficient, affecting way to construct a structure that will offer a space for community members to receive healthcare and for students at the college to learn and practice in the medical field. With Radigan leading Teeple’s team for this project – helping to navigate project management, scheduling efficiency, cost control and skilled designs – the firm partnered with aTRM (architects Tillmann Ruth Mocellin) to design the three storeys (totaling 170,000 square feet of space) the new building requires. This construction process will be the single largest project in the history of Georgian College.

This is Cunningham describing, in his usual understated way, the International Boston Seafood Show, the largest seafood show in North America, which features 16,000 buyers and sellers from more than 90 countries, and more than 800 exhibitors. It’s a big deal for fish peddlers, and shows that Pubnico swims in a big pond. But Cunningham admits, “There’ll come a point in time when I won’t want it anymore and I’ll work for [my son] for a while.” He pauses, and then has a realization. “That might be what I’m doing now,” he adds with a chuckle. As for Pubnico’s future, Cunningham is positive. “The Canadian economy was kind of rough last year. In Canada and the salt fish industry, I don’t think there’s room for a lot of increase in sales. But we’re positive. We’re forging ahead. Everything’s working good for us.” He then adds with a twinkle, “We’ve been at it long enough that we think we know what we’re doing.” 

Redesigning Health Facility

to Vancouver; most of our projects are here with some in Alberta and Vancouver,” explains Chris Radigan, a partner at the firm. Throughout the region, Teeple’s 26 employees are known for their work on projects like community and recreation centres, libraries, schools, university buildings and high-density residential projects.

“It was a government infrastructure project that came up very quickly. We worked with aTRM and put a proposal together and worked closely to develop the design program for the building,” Radigan shares. “And we’ve taken it all the way through, it’s under construction now. We did a separate structural tender to meet government requirement for getting the building in the ground as fast as possible. We’re on track to meet the deadline of March 2011.”

Ontario Teeple has worked with aTRM on several projects in the past, so the firms are comfortable designing together. “As usual, it worked out well, and we were sharing responsibilities and dividing up the work. It’s a great working relationship,” Radigan explains. “We discuss [the division of responsibilities] at the initial stages. Typically, Teeple is responsible on the front end on the design side, but both firms are involved in every stage.” Another company played a large part in the success of this project, as well. Local Barrie company Ted Handy and Associates Inc. offered architectural and construction advice based on its knowledge of the area. “They were a part of the project team from the proposal stage and have been generally involved throughout the project, and since they were local it is helping with the construction phase. They are sharing contract administration responsibilities with aTRM during the construction process,” Radigan says. The College is currently building out the complete project. With the additional classrooms, laboratories and clinical space provided, students will be able to learn in a professional setting. They will be accessible to many different health programs and will have opportunities to work with patients. This new building will also aim for LEED Silver certification as part of Teeple’s focus on sustainable design. “We have storm water collection into underground storage that is used for landscaping irrigation; we have heat recovery on the mechanical and ventilation systems; and we have the typical recycled content, local materials, parking for bicycles and quality exterior building envelope,” Radigan says.

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Ontario Sustainable Future The Georgian College Health & Wellness Centre is a prime example of Teeple’s experience with energy efficiency. Teeple aims to create environmentally conscious architecture whether it is part of the project’s requirements or not, as the firm is constantly conscious of the built environment’s impact on human health and environmental stability. When it is working on a project, Teeple takes local context, microclimate, geology, topography, site conditions and features into account. This approach to sustainable design might also be useful for some of Teeple’s upcoming project examples. “We were just awarded the River of Death & Discovery Dinosaur Museum in Grand Prairie, Alberta, where we have worked on two other cultural projects,” Radigan shares. “And we’re working on schematic designs for three new buildings at Langara College in Vancouver.” Beyond these next few projects, Radigan sees few changes in the company’s future. “We’d like to continue our work and maybe start working more across the country, and if that works out, we will slowly grow the firm. However, we’re more concerned with maintaining quality than with becoming bigger,” Radigan says.

R&F Construction Inc.

Recreating Life after Disaster Strikes Produced by Mike Armstrong & Written by Molly Cohen Richard Rimkey has been part of his father’s insurance restoration construction company, R&F Construction Inc., since he was 15 years old. “I started right when I was a kid … that was around 1986. I worked 80 hours per week that whole summer,” he remembers. Experience pays off, however. Rimkey is currently the president of the company. “I always knew what I wanted to do right from the get-go, knew I wanted to be running a business,” he says. R&F had an unusual start. “My dad was in janitorial services in 1961; he did that for many years and had over 40 employees. Then, in the ’70s, he had a car accident and

worked with an adjuster. They built a good rapport, and because he was doing the cleaning business at banks and factories the adjuster asked if my dad wanted to get into insurance [restoration work],” Rimkey says. Learning from Experience R&F began establishing this identity in 1972. However, over its tenure in the industry, the company has diversified its services to become a home builder, as well, in order to combat tough times in its main vein of work. “Eighty percent of our business has been insurance-related, but most recently in the

Teeple has built a solid reputation for innovative and creative building designs. And, with its focus on sustainability, the firm is keeping pace with changing market trends. Through its merit-worthy capabilities, bolstered by strategic partnerships with other firms such as aTRM and Ted Handy, Teeple Architects will continue designing and sculpting the future buildings of Canada. 

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Ontario restoration contractors across the country. He keeps his experience in the different company roles in mind during day-to-day proceedings. “A lot of people that are presidents let it get to their heads, but you don’t look down on your employees; you level with them and treat them with respect so you can get it back,” he advises. “They make up your company. The biggest thing you can do is have a strategic plan in place. If you do not have a plan in place and the roadmap to where you’re going, you will not be successful. It doesn’t matter what you do, you have to have that roadmap of how you’re going to get there.” In addition to his company’s strategic planning, Rimkey believes R&F stands out from its competitors because of its care. “Next year will be our 50th anniversary and we’re a family business. We bought my dad out three years ago and I’ve been running the business for 12 years. Our creed is ‘restoring lifestyles is what we do,’ whether it’s a customer or an employee,” Rimkey explains. “If an employee has issues, we help them out. We’re one of the only companies in the area that pays the bill for employees’ psychologists; we send them to help with marriage problems or with kids because our motto is, if you’re not happy at home, you’re not happy at my work.” These opportunities are available for all of R&F’s employees. “Our people perform and that’s what sets us apart, we get the job done on-time and on-budget,” Rimkey says.

last four months insurance companies have really tightened up on us and they’ve actually cashed out their insurers. In our company alone we’ve had over $2.5 million in cashouts, which has kind of hurt us,” Rimkey shares. In addition to tighter insurance companies, R&F also faces lowball pricing from its competitors. “You usually get the smaller companies trying to get in to be lowballing prices. I watch that, I look for who is quoting on jobs and whether I want to quote against them. We pick the projects that we have a good chance of getting instead of wasting our time on ones we know we aren’t going to get,” Rimkey says. “We’re still strong, we do other things as well, and my project managers have been pounding the pavement looking for work. I’ve always told them if you don’t ask you don’t receive.” In an effort to expand operations, Rimkey purchased a new, 54,000-square foot facility in the fall of 2008 and moved the company there the following March. “We developed a whole contents division for hard and soft contents and bought an Esporta [industrial wash system]. We have a 22,000-square foot storage facility for contents. I’m also just finalizing my bonding insurance and I’m looking into corporate commercial work. And we’ve got some good leads right now on good projects,” Rimkey says. The company now works out of two locations – Orillia and Barrie, Ontario – and between the two sites it employs 65.

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The R&F team has many years of experience doing insurance restoration for the commercial sector, often dealing with fire or water damage claims. When Toronto flooded in 2005, R&F quickly responded to the situation and saved S&F Foods Inc., a food distributing company, over $1 million in seafood and chocolate. “Usually when a business has fire or water damage, the power is gone. We have to move fast to get power up and running. We’ve done up to $2 million projects for commercial work through insurance claims. And because we’re good at that, why not do the commercial side on government work or whatever other work is out there?” Rimkey says. “So we are diversifying in that area. We also just redeveloped our environmental side and we’re doing a ton of mold remediation work and I just certified some of my guys on asbestos removal and oil remediation.” This diversification in capabilities has changed R&F for the better. “Twelve years ago we were a $2.5 million company. Now we’re going to reach $10 million this year,” says Rimkey. This improvement comes from an overall knowledge of the business. My partner is my brother and he is a master carpenter. I’m also a carpenter by trade; I’ve worked from the ground up doing every job you can think of,” says Rimkey. Rimkey is also knowledgeable of the whole industry through his work with various organizations. He is on the board of directors for Disaster Kleenup Canada, an organization of

Rebuilding Under Constraints R&F handles drywall, painting, trimming, insulating, demolition and cleaning in-house. The company subs out mechanical, electrical, plumbing and heating tasks. “We have a whole supplier program in-house,” Rimkey shares. “We have deals with different suppliers to get better pricing and because of our warehouse here we can stock supplies in bulk to get a better price. That’s what you have to do in order to make it work.” Having space and resources has helped make easier coordinating the components of recent projects that have required extended timeframes. “We just completed an oil spill outside of Orillia in a trailer park area that had over $300,000 of damage. Oil went down in the ground, so we had to dig it up. We had to pick the actual house up, move it off, redo the foundation, and put it back on the new foundation once the contaminated soil was removed,” Rimkey summarizes. This project took two months; R&F worked with environmental and structural engineers to complete this project.

job. We’re getting to the drywall stage now. It will be about a two-and-a-half months job,” says Rimkey. One of the most interesting projects R&F completed was a $1.5 million fire damage claim at the Bayview Wildwood Resort in Severn Bridge, Ontario. “We got called in to do the remediation and had a timeline because it happened in November or September and we had to have them up and running before the season started. We worked a lot of hours to get it done. It had an indoor swimming pool, training facility, squash courts, 30 units and we had to do them all. But we got it done a month in advance,” says Rimkey. The other most interesting project Rimkey remembers was a fire damage at the Highwaymann Inn in Orillia, three weeks before the area’s huge Perch Festival. People come to Orillia from all over for the festival where they tag the perch and if someone catches a tagged perch it can be from $100 up to $1,000 dollars. “For three weeks we had 70 people in the building day and night and we managed to get their restaurant up and running and reopened for the festival. The first day we went in to scope it out the maintenance guy locked me in! They had chains around the doors and locked me into the restaurant, so I just sat at a table and made my calls until he came back after an hour-and-a-half,” Rimkey recalls. Looking toward the future of the company, Rimkey plans to turn R&F green. “Part of the reason why is when we deal with contents on a mold claim or fire, most insurance companies itemize the soft contents (clothes) and throw them in a dumpsite. The reason why I bought the Esporta machine is we can save all that; we can make it 100-percent bacteriafree,” he says. “We also bought a Hardline to clean hard contents (dishes and utensils), so we’ll be able to save a lot more contents that would normally be put into a landfill. Investing in advanced technology is our thing right now.” With this in mind, Rimkey hopes to get involved with LEED projects in the near future. As for the rest of his long-term growth plan, he hopes the commercial side takes off. “We’re working on a deal right now with a manufacturer of steel buildings, definitely going to get into that,” he adds. With its new technology installations and specific plans for the future, R&F has the foundation needed to reach its revenue goals. As the company continues meeting its clients’ needs, R&F Construction will grow its customer base, preparing it for a continuously profitable future. 

In March 2010 R&F was working on a large fire loss in Barrie in which over half the roof was destroyed. “We’ve actually replaced the whole roof now and reframed some of the walls and the garage and rebuilt the whole house; it’s a $320,000

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MGP Architects Engineers Inc. Thinking Big for Small Communities Produced by Hanim Samara & Written by Molly Cohen

It is also important to keep a knowledgeable MGP representative on-site since many of the firm’s projects “Remember those old blueprint machines, the ones with the ammonia? I was hired to run those when I was in high school,” says Henry Pietrzakowski, recalling his first step into the architecture industry. Pietrzakowski didn’t let a few toxic fumes deter him, however. In 1988, Pietrzakowski graduated from University of Manitoba’s Masters Program (where he received the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada medal for the thesis). “I presented my thesis on a Thursday and started working full-time that Monday,” he remembers. Pietrzakowski is now a project architect and partner at MGP Architects Engineers Inc., an in-house architecture, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering firm in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. MGP works all over northern Ontario, which is not as remote as people may think, according to Pietrzakowski. “We’re the oldest firm in here with over 50 years of experience. We do a lot of hospital work on North Shore, and work in the smaller communities,” Pietrzakowski explains. Operating out of a small town, MGP could not subsist on a specialization, as those types of projects could run out. Therefore, MGP has worked on projects ranging from schools to long-term care centers to offices. Because of its location, MGP tries its hand at any project. “I know people are surprised that we have a small office but get so much work. Well, getting work is easy, but you have to put it out there,” Pietrzakowski shares. Creating a Super School Although MGP is small, it gains the respect and appreciation from its clients. Repeat clients are a large part of its work, especially for institutional work like hospitals and long-term care facilities that constantly need

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updating. “Unlike other firms in our area, we probably have the largest professional staff in the area with our three registered architects and a registered engineer,” says Pietrzakowski. “And clients also like that we are the ones that are onsite and don’t just disappear after signing a contract.”

“We’re always conscious of outer lying areas, like up north,” says Partner Henry Pietrzakowski, “and I do have a partner who is registered in Michigan, but the problem with working in the U.S. is you always have to partner with another company.”

involve sustainability designs, which can be very specific. MGP is currently putting its sustainability expertise to good use on the Superior Heights Collegiate project. One of the first things that came up for MGP was whether the school would go for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. However, the project owner must pay a premium to be formally acknowledged and ranked as a LEED certified, and this project did not have money in the budget for that. “But what we did was parallel LEED requirements so we were conscious of materials, energy efficient fixtures and lighting orientation. We definitely had sustainability in mind throughout this whole project, and if certified the project would easily surpass LEED Silver requirements,” says Pietrzakowski. For this Superior Heights Collegiate project, MGP assisted with the design, though the company’s role was originally as a local liaison between the project’s architecture company (based in Toronto) and the general contractor. However, “as the project developed, we started getting more involved, eventually carrying out design collaboration and assisting with contract document development. At this point we are running the entire job in terms of contract. I know everybody here is fired up,” says Pietrzakowski. Currently all of the steel is up, and masonry and windows are being

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Ontario high school and includes grades seven and eight. It also has a late school program for kids who did not finish high school and want to come back and get their high school diploma. Lastly, it has a developmental education component for handicapped students,” Pietrzakowski explains. Redesigning Ontario’s Largest Buildings Large scale community-interested projects, like the 200,000-square foot Superior Heights Collegiate project, are familiar to MGP. “We also just completed the Department of Fisheries and Oceans,” Pietrzakowski says. “The new building has storage maintenance facilities and an entire floor for the existing natural resources building.” installed. With the school enclosed in snow prior, interior work took place over the winter in preparation for a September 2010 door opening. The tricky part of this project is the large amount of people it will accommodate and the complexity of the divisions that will be held in the new facility. Basically, two existing high schools are amalgamating into one new school. “It’s a large

Also on the company’s list of completed projects is the Roberta Bondar Place, on Sault Ste. Marie’s waterfront, plus the largest long-term care center in Ontario and a $10 million invasive species centre in Sault Ste. Marie, “which researchers hope will strengthen the city’s role in biological research,” says Pietrzakowski. Now that MGP has practice working in so many different sectors, the company is looking for new ventures to keep its expertise growing. “We’re always conscious of outer-lying areas, like up north,” says Pietrzakowski, “and I do have a partner who is registered in Michigan, but the problem with working in the U.S. is you always have to partner with another company.” Pietrzakowski explains that, as a partner, “you’re always wondering what’s going on next year. We want to hold on to the staff we have, but to do that we have to give them work,” he says. But MGP has no shortage of upcoming projects. “We were just commissioned by a new school board and won the bid to design a new $10 million elementary school in town,” Pietrzakowski shares.

Amico Canada Inc.

Manufacturing Canada’s Catwalks and Stairways Produced by TaMeka Marshall & Written by Molly Cohen Amico Inc. is a subsidiary of Gibraltar Industries, a company in the U.S. that manufactures a wide range of products for the construction and renovation industry. They make everything from structural connectors to mailboxes. Amico Inc. is focused mostly on the industrial construction sector. “In Canada we manufacture and fabricate the widest range of gratings, expanded metal and plank-type gratings in the industry, in a variety of materials: steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and even fiberglass. They are mostly used for catwalks, walkways and stairs,” says Glenn MacKay, national sales manager of Amico Canada Inc. MacKay jumped into the industry after a successful stint in telecommunications. He started in plank grating in 1990 with ISG, a manufacturer founded in the late 1970s, and he continued there after ISG was purchased by Amico in 1995. Manufacturing Coast to Coast Now, Amico Canada has a full range of grating and expanded metal products to be used in all kinds of building

applications, including security applications, catwalks, guarding and many more. “They are the type of products that everyone sees every day but never notices,” remarks MacKay. “We also have a side of our business in building products; we make metal lath and trim for stucco and EIFS systems.” Amico is the largest company in its industry and it manufactures the largest variety of products in that industry. While everything is produced to industry standards, Amico Canada stands out because “we feel we put out the best quality and out-service our competition,” MacKay shares. “It’s the only want to differentiate in this industry. We’re the biggest, but we also have to be the best.” And this variety of products is produced at Amico Canada’s three plant locations: Vancouver, Montreal and Burlington. Between the three locations, the company employs many employees, the number of which fluctuates based on the amount of work running in each plant. “We cover coast to coast, and even north into the Arctic,” MacKay adds.

The company is also going to continue concentrating on care centers throughout Northern Ontario and healthcare facilities in smaller communities. Corporate office work is another one of Pietrzakowski’s big pushes in the next couple of months. “It’s funny, I know a lot of the firms down south have a specialty and whenever I think we’re specialized in one area, I remember that we’ve completed a diverse range of project types,” Pietrzakowski reflects. Working in small communities, but exhibiting a wide range of capabilities, MGP Architects has found the formula for its success. By combining its experience, passion and creativity with its commitment to clients and work integrity, MGP has the means to excel in many different sectors and regions. 

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Ontario Although it has a large service area, Amico Canada does not need to outsource any work. “We have our own people for supply chain, etc., but we do rely on the U.S. head office for some of that, too,” says MacKay. Additionally, Amico Canada might be known in some areas or in certain industries under the Amico- Dramex name after it acquired Dramex, an expanded metal producer. “We bought Dramex four years ago and rolled them into our company. So, in some markets we refer to ourselves as Amico-Dramex so clients recognize the name they used to deal with,” MacKay explains. Forging a New Niche Despite its successful acquisitions and reputation for quality, Amico Canada felt the effects of the economic downturn. “The market dropped drastically last year as construction projects came to a halt. The price of steel dropped significantly from what it had been in ’08, and that impacted us greatly,” MacKay remembers. “Basically, if you try to maintain your margins, what you used to sell for $1 you’re selling for $0.50. It’s hard to make the same amount of money when you’re doing that.” MacKay found there was not one specific way to overcome these challenges. Instead, Amico Canada had to incorporate

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many incremental changes to make a large difference. “We tried to get closer to our customer base. And we did have some layoffs, for a while we did a furlough system where we had our salaried staff working less hours each week, but still coming in five days a week, and it ended up being a 10-percent reduction in salary costs,” MacKay shares. “We all shared some of the pain to get through that period successfully.”

reduce time on setups. It’s a constant thing we’re doing to cut costs,” MacKay explains.

the economy gets back to full steam we will be in a stronger position than ever,” says MacKay.

Diversifying the business to infiltrate more sectors was also a major influence on the company’s recent success. “More and more we’re trying to evolve part of our business to architectural instead of just industrial,” says MacKay.

Amico Canada’s next step was to use less to make more. “We’re trying to become a leaner company, so we are always looking at our processes and how we can streamline them, cut out wastes, cut out costs, and we’re always trying to

Gratings and expanded metal are most popular in places like steel mills, oil refineries and other industrial facilities. “That’s where we make our money, but we’ve been trying to open up new markets, and we’ve sold material in the last few years for going on the outside of buildings as a façade,” says MacKay.

Instead of fretting, MacKay expects slow, but steady growth back to where Amico Canada’s sales used to be through taking hold of any opportunities it gets and urges burgeoning salespeople to take the same advice. “No one sets out when they’re young to be a grating salesman. But as opportunities come your way, it’s all about how you meet those head on and what you do with those opportunities that take you where you can go, and determine whether you plateau or continue to move forward,” he says.

One such memorable project for MacKay is Amico Canada’s involvement in the Portland Aerial Tram project. “It was in the U.S., but sold out of our Canadian facilities. They put aluminum expanded metal on the outside as a decorativetype finish,” MacKay remembers. “The effect is amazing.” While this new advancement into the architectural sector has helped, it has not been a sudden growth explosion. “We’re still down quite a bit from where we were in our highs,” says McKay. But this slow period is not a setback for Amico Canada. “We’re growing our business back, and when

Working off this philosophy, Amico Canada will certainly take the move-forward approach, as seen through its venture into the architectural industry. With its reputation for high-quality products and the promise of quality customer service, Amico Canada seems poised to continue its growth pattern, with the ability to surpass its past sales peaks to become the most prominent grating product producer in North America. 

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II By IV Design Associates Creating Outstanding Interiors Produced by TaMeka Marshall & Written by Molly Cohen Dan Menchions and Keith Rushbrook began their careers separately but similarly. They both jumped into Ontario’s

interior design with a big splash, winning awards as they created innovative interiors unavailable from anyone else.

After years of success, the two banded together in 1990 to form II BY IV Design Associates in Toronto, a fully multifaceted interior designing firm.

Under their guidance, II BY IV immediately gained notice for its work and only gained momentum with each passing year, continued its reign of success with bigger and more prominent projects that eventually stretched throughout the world. “We are very proud of the diverse type of work we do in the office. Our retail clients know us as retail designers; our hospitality clients know us as restaurant designers or hotel designers; and our development clients know us for our development work on residential complexes,” says Menchions. “We really actually are very fortunate that we’re not specific in any niche, but are well-rounded.” Menchions and Rushbrook remain the company’s owners and principals, and II BY IV has 20 employees including the founders. “We have every type of person in here, from an associate to a senior designer, intermediate junior, administration

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Ontario staff – it’s a really youthful and fantastic office,” Menchions adds. Growing Projects II BY IV is an interior design firm; however, it will consult on architectural components if a client requests. The firm’s interior design work is spread throughout the world. “We’ve worked in Trinidad, Turks and Caicos, Caiman Islands and the United States,” says Menchions. One of II BY IV best known work was the interior design for New York’s Yankee Stadium. “We did 37,000 square feet of premium hospitality space, including the dugout lounges, legends suite club, NYY Steak restaurant, part of the Hard Rock interiors and part of the conference facilities. We were the only outside firm working on the project with the architect. It was fantastic,” Menchions remembers. Outside of the United States, II BY IV work can literally be viewed while traveling around the world. “We do work for Crystal Cruise line, the only six-star ships on the ocean; we’ve been working with them for 14 years,” says Menchions. Over the years II BY IV work has been sought after for bigger and bigger projects; one of those projects is Toronto’s

Ontario new Trump International Hotel & Residences. For this recognizable project, “we’re doing all 57 floors and every single aspect of the hotel and residences, restaurants, spa, administration areas, staff facilities and public facilities. It’s our biggest project in-house today at 850,000 square feet of space,” Menchions says proudly. According to Menchions, workers are currently on the 37th floor of the tower and “moving relatively fast” toward the top. The Tower is slated for completion in 2011, but “furniture has been ordered this year. It’s a very exciting project,” Menchions shares. Florida Sunshine in Toronto In addition to the Trump Tower, II BY IV is also working on an unprecedented residential complex: the South Beach Condos + Lofts. Located in Toronto, this new residence offers a resort-like living, something no other building in Toronto does. “And it was offered at a very reasonable rate with five-star luxury finishings. The developer knew he had to hit the market big … he knew that to attract the market and make a statement this is what they needed to do and they did it successfully,” shares Menchions, who did a lecture with Rushbrook on the successful approach to this project. “It’s a huge project; it’s two towers. And it’s been successful, especially since it launched right before the recession hit here in Toronto. Over the last year-and-a-half it has successfully sold out of phases one and two, so it’s a very unusual project,” Menchions says. For the South Beach Condos, II BY IV designed a 13,000-square foot marketing center, which features three fully furnished model suites. The firm also had the unusual responsibility of designing the entire exterior of the building in the theme of Miami, Florida’s South Beach in the 1920s. On the interior, II BY IV designed all 40,000 square feet of the facility’s amenity spaces. This area includes pools, spas and restaurants; multipurpose areas; lobbies; elevator lobbies; residential corridors; suite surrounds; the layouts for every single suite; all the finishes; lighting, all the furnishings in the public spaces and the finishes to go with that. The South Beach Condos’ interior is what really shines, taking the essence of Miami and creating an inspired environment embodying the breezy, bright vibe but 1,500 miles away. “Starting from the lobby and through to the residencies the details are pretty spectacular, and the amenities offer many things that other developments do not have,” Menchions summarizes. The theme, according to Menchions, is fairly contemporary with cues from the South Beach bright colors, clean lines and high-end glamour. “We did three levels of interiors for the model suites, an entry suite level that has a loft-type feeling

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and two kinds of sophisticated suites – one black and one a glitzy white suite with lavender accents,” Menchions shares. While the South Beach Condos has a very specific time period in mind for its design, the end result will be appreciated for many years to come thanks to the sustainable design aspects II BY IV was able to incorporate. “As designers we are very responsible with the type of materials we select, and in this project there is an attention to sustainable products in the flooring, carpeting, paint and lighting – we used LED when possible,” says Menchions. “We also have solar panels that are crowning both towers, one illuminated with green and one with blue, and that’s bringing both attention to the structure and power back into the building.” But what really impresses Menchions about this project is the development’s purchasers. “What’s really spectacular is that this has been designed for everyone, at every level. We thought we were designing for a certain demographic, but they started getting empty-nesters, first-time homeowners, parents buying for children residences, a diverse group of people,” Menchions remembers.

Beyond his European conquest goals, Menchions plans to continue working in Canada and throughout North America, while “moving into the hotel world and hospitality world. We’re getting our feet wet in some pretty large projects and really showcasing our talents that way,” he says. “We have more coming on board with developments that we love ... and retail is a fantastic focus, so it’s just really expanding that as well.” Through its past work and pending projects, it is clear II BY IV Design Associates has found the knack for creative and unprecedented designs that make the firm stand out from its competitors. With innovative techniques and firm expansion goals, the company has the components to widen its footprint. 

Turning Obstacles into Opportunities That diverse group of homeowners was attracted through South Beach Condos’ impressive marketing facility, where sample rooms were available. And II BY IV marketing strategy is not so very different. According to Menchions, about 95 percent of the firm’s work comes from word-ofmouth referrals from people who have previously seen the firm’s work and who have worked with II BY IV in the past. “What’s been wonderful about last year, even though it was a devastating year, is that it gave us the opportunity to go out and market our company,” Menchions says. “So we went out, met with people, and focused ourselves on going after projects and the demographic of clientele we wanted to work with.” This effort was directly to maintain the firm’s staff and keep business flowing in the office, and “this year we’ve been slammed with a lot of work, and I’m not going to complain at all,” says Menchions. Now the only thing keeping Menchions awake at night is “creativity … which is really fantastic, not a bad thing.” And this creativity is visible in II BY IV finished works. “Keith and I are very hands on in the office; we’re not the type of principles that go out and get work and then hand it off with no direction … we will physically draw and work with the teams to execute the work with them,” Menchions shares. The firm’s distinctive touch will hopefully continue flowing to meet Menchions’ future goals for the firm. “I would love to be over in Europe … a project over there is coming very close, and that will keep us busy for next four years,” he hints.

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Voortman Cookies Ltd.

Modernizing Baking Traditions for Global Infiltration Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Molly Cohen Like many children, Garry Postma grew up with a fondness for cookies. However, Postma’s appreciation for the sweet treat was in part based on his father’s position as a sales manager for Voortman Cookies Ltd. (Voortman) in Burlington, Ontario. “My father would take me and my brother to the bakery on Saturdays, and while he was in the office we would be in the bakery, sampling cookies and sometimes making mischief,” Postma remembers. In 1977, Postma followed in his father’s footsteps, and after graduating from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario,

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Postma joined his father in the Voortman ranks. “I worked with him for 15 years until his retirement.” Postma initially worked in supervisory and sales roles for Voortman, and then moved up to sales management and has been the company’s global sales director since 2005. In March 2010, Postma also became the company’s president. Through this position he has worked with the company’s original founders and namesakes. “Around 1951 Voortman was founded by brothers Bill and Harry Voortman. Their family emigrated from Holland, and they started this

Ontario company here in the Hamilton area. Over time the business expanded, and they relocated the bakery several times. Now the plant is in Burlington,” Postma explains. To this day, Harry Voortman remains involved in the company as its CEO. Postma relates, “He provides longterm direction, but as for daily operations of the company, I fill in more and more. And it’s working out well for both of us.” Healthy Cookies? When Voortman first opened for business, the company made a traditional Dutch-style cookie. That is why Voortman’s logo continues to be a Dutch girl – to show the company’s roots. But Voortman has evolved since then; while it continues to produce traditional cookies, it is now a modern company also focusing on healthier cookie options.. “We have sugar-free cookies, flax seed cookies, and we’re one of the first companies in North America that went to a trans fat-free product. All of our products are trans fat-free as of 2004,” Postma says. “We also sell bulk and regular cookies. The company’s sugar-free flavors include Chocolate Chip, Chocolatey Crème, Chocolate Wafers, Fudge Chocolate Chip, Fudgydelicious, Iced Almonette, Lemon Wafers, Oatmeal, Peanut Butter Wafers, Shortbread Swirl, Strawberry Turnover, Strawberry Wafers, Tea Ring and Vanilla Crème. “This is a strong and growing category for us,” Postma notes.

field we have about 500 distributors, as well as a number of sales managers. They’re not all employees, as the distributors are independent, but altogether we have up to about 1,000

families in total who are dependent on Voortman Cookies,” he explains. Just as the company values its relationships with these independent distributors, Voortman maintains long-term relationships with its raw material providers and packagers, who complement the company’s total in-house production. “When it comes to baking, we want consistency in raw material. We can’t have a batch that’s different than the next batch, so we need to have the best quality raw materials that are consistently the same quality,” Postma says. Based on its management and monitoring, Voortman is certified in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). HACCP certification ensures quality and safety for the food industry. “So there are high standards in the plant,” Postma says. “Recently we’ve earned one of the highest accreditation scores for HACCP.”

Voortman also offers a number of classic cookies, including Almond Delight, Almond Krunch, Chunky Chip, Soft Oatmeal, Soft Oatmeal Raisin and Windmill. Voortman’s roll packs come in a number of flavors including Almonette, Chunky Chip, Coconut, Fudge Striped Oatmeal, Oatmeal Raisin, Shortbread, Tea Ring and Windmill. Many of the company’s cookies are available internationally. “I’ve really enjoyed my last five years in global sales. Going to all these different countries and starting from scratch, finding people who can represent us and working it out from beginning to end, I really enjoyed that,” Postma reports. And Voortman is just getting started with its global operations. “We have been global for the last five years and want to push for more of that,” Postma says. He also notes that the company has excellent management operations for selling its products in the U.S and Canada., reinforced by a diverse workforce. Postma is pleased with all of the company’s employees, no matter what their location. “In the plant there are around 260 employees, in the office are another 50, and out in the

Ontario Constant Improvements

Ontario have lots of opportunities in North America, especially the United States, and we need to focus on our sales there and grow our global sales. There are a lot of countries we’re not in yet, and there are lots of opportunities as well. So we’ve got a pretty good future globally.”

Despite its long-term relationships and high“My father would take me and quality standards, Voortman, like many companies, has my brother to the bakery on faced recent challenges. “The Saturday and he would be in economy of course is a big factor, as is the U.S. exchange the office and we would be in rate. Seventy percent of our the bakery making mischief,” business is in the U.S., so fluctuation of the exchange Postma feels Voortman’s says President Garry Postma. rate affects us dramatically,” location in Canada offers a Postma says. “The other beneficial launch pad for the challenge has been to company’s future plans. “I’ve introduce our product further done a lot of traveling, and worldwide. We have overseas looking at opportunities from transportation expenses, a global perspective I see which factors into the cost of the product, as well as duties – [Canada is] in pretty good shape,” Postma says. all costs that are over and above what a local supplier would have to deal with. For this reason it’s been important for us By maintaining both its in-house strength and relationships to find a niche. That’s why the healthier choice has helped with independent distributors, while continuing to innovate to open doors in other countries. Of course, every country on the company’s terrific products, Voortman Cookies has its own regulations with products, and trying to bake Ltd. has established the infrastructure to have many something locally that is applicable for all countries in the opportunities to meet its global market goals.  world has also posed a challenge.” To further set itself apart, Voortman is in a constant state of improvement. “We are always looking for ways to make our products even better,” Postma notes. “Voortman makes excellent turnovers; it’s one of our strongest categories, and we’re always looking for ways to do even better yet with that category.” Voortman’s turnovers are soft cookies with real fruit fillings. The company’s fruit filling flavors include Apple, Blackforest, Blueberry, Date, Raspberry and Strawberry. The rest of the company’s cookie lines include wafers in Vanilla, Strawberry, Chocolate, Lemon and Peanut varieties. Its specialty cookies include Whole Wheat Ginger Snaps in bagged packaging. Voortman also offers a holiday line of Christmas cookies including Assorted Festive, Festive Green, Festive Red, Gingerboy, Iced Almonette and Shortbread Swirl. With his eye toward differentiation, growth and improvement, there are few things that keep Postma awake at night. “What are really important are relationships within the company among the people. It’s really important that everyone is working together. You can get a lot accomplished that way. And we have very good people here, so we’re on a good path,” Postma says. Making use of its high-quality personnel, Voortman will be looking into different growth channels “to expand our reach. But that’s all I can really say right now,” Postma shares. “We

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Springer’s Meat Inc.

Offering a Prime Family Product Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Molly Cohen “I went from playing with Transformers to making sausages,” jokes Walter Mueller Jr. of his transition into the family meat business, Springer’s Meat Inc. The company was originally founded in 1959, but “we purchased it from the Springer family in 1986, and kept the name because it was a well-established company in Hamilton, it was a family-run business, and we wanted to keep going with that,” Mueller says. Mueller is now the Ontario-based company’s director, while his father, Walter Sr., is the president. And Springer’s Meat is still a family business, although it is now the Mueller family. “My sister runs the deli, my brother-in-law is the director of operations and runs the entire plant, my fiancée is here, my uncle is a butcher in the deli, and my mom is in the deli, as well – it’s the whole family,” says Mueller.

it produces. Springer’s Meat’s biggest market is the pizza toppings business, as well as food service, “and we have an onsite deli here that serves the public, though we don’t advertise that, it’s just convenience for locals and they have been used to that from the beginning,” Mueller explains. “Now, there are still serious sales being generated there, but our main focus has been servicing larger chains.” The deli remains as a beloved service to the community, and it also has provided an excellent source of publicity. “We’ve had a lot of articles in the local paper and that draws attention. It can be lines out the door. We have schnitzel Thursdays and used to cook maybe 20 schnitzels, and now we have done close to 1,200 on that day. We couldn’t have succeeding without the loyalty of our customers on every level,” Mueller says.

Substantial Growth In 1986, when the Muellers first took over Springer’s Meat, “there were about a dozen employees here in about 6,500 square feet, and now we’re up to 70,000 square feet with 80 employees,” Mueller shares. In that time Springer’s Meat evolved from serving the local areas and establishments to the entirety of Ontario, “and in the last couple of years we’ve got federal certifications and we ship across Canada,” Mueller says proudly. Mueller attributes his company’s growth to its solid focus on quality. Mueller recognizes it’s “not the cheapest on the block,” but the company is proud of the superior products

Ontario This perspective reflects how Springer’s Meat has grown so much, but still holds to the concept of a family business. This philosophy is also matched through the company’s expansion plan. Instead of moving to a new facility, the company wants to continue to employ its long-time locals, so it has bought adjacent building and properties when they become available. “Right now we’re building a facility on the corner of our lot that’s going up for the storage of products and shipping that will help us service our customers a lot better,” says Mueller. This expansion project has been rather time consuming for Springer’s Meat as the company looks into materials to use in the new space that will be energy efficient and environmentally friendly. “It’s not what it used to be, you don’t whack up a building in no time, there are things you have to consider now and what’s the most efficient way to do it,” Mueller acknowledges. Despite this promising addition to the Springer’s Meat facility, the company faces challenges. It must contend with ever-

Ontario

says.

changing government regulations from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. “Those are the most difficult, because the government passes something down to us and says, ‘Make it so,’ and we have to constantly be able to adapt. We have to hire coordinators to fill those gaps and make sure everything we do is up to date with every regulation that comes out right away. Food safety is a number one concern here,” Mueller

In addition to regulation changes, Springer’s Meat faces obstacles in its aim to find more customers. “It’s always difficult trying to gain market access when you’re the small guy and you’re going up against huge, well-established companies,” Mueller says.

Rolling out new products is not too stressful for Mueller since all of Springer’s Meat’s products are made in-house. To complement its in-house capabilities, Springer’s Meat has long-standing relationships with its raw material suppliers and packaging contractors. “We’re very loyal to the people who have been with us for a long time. Someone might come along and it will be five cents cheaper, but we stick with the people, products and items that have always worked well for us regardless of cost,” Mueller explains. “But at the same time when we’re developing new products, so there are avenues for different companies to come in and present on that.” In choosing the companies it works with, Springer’s Meat relies on personal relationships with external venders, and prefers companies that are globally integrated. “I’ve grown up in this industry, so I’ve known these companies my whole life. If we have a problem, I pick up the phone and the owner of the company is on and we work through things. Things come along fast and you need those kinds of people standing behind you,” Mueller shares. Relationships with vendors and customers are also part of Mueller’s key performance indicators. Springer’s Meat counts customer relations as an important part of the company’s success. “A customer called with a complaint about a product, he didn’t prepare it properly, and we sent

him a replacement and told him how to do it. Now he is our biggest fan now. He apologized and said ‘I’m glad you took the time to educate me and show me,’” Mueller shares. “I have all these emails that say ‘Thanks for taking the time’ – I get that email, it doesn’t go to a department. The product speaks for itself. There shouldn’t be hesitation to pick up our products … you won’t be disappointed.” With this customer relations focus in place, Mueller has further plans for distributing Springer’s Meat. “We want to get more into national grocery chains and a greater distribution across Canada. And we recognize we need private labeling to maintain steady business. Right now seasons have a huge impact on business; around holidays we go crazy for two months, then lull for a couple weeks, and it would be nice to level that off to ensure we’re running at full steam all the time,” he says. With top-quality products, a lineage of knowledgeable leadership, and its community’s support, Springer’s Meat has the resources to spread its reputation throughout Canada’s meat industry. 

To overcome this challenge, Springer’s Meat offers “a different flavor profile or a higher-quality product, things like that where we can say give us a shot, try it, you won’t be disappointed. There’s nothing worse than buying something for the first time and thinking, ‘This is terrible.’ With our products hopefully everybody will see it’s a product worth having in your stores,” Mueller shares. Beyond these challenges there are few things that keep Mueller awake at night. He jokes, “Vegetarians keep me awake. Actually now we make veggie hotdogs, so either way we’re safe.” Maintaining Relationships Indeed, Springer’s Meat has new products in the works in order to maintain its market position and gain new clients, but there is nothing specific Mueller is willing to divulge at this point. “We do some cold packs; they will be coming to a supermarket through a midsummer release, and there are oriental-based items and halal products,” he shares.

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Ontario

Urbacon Ltd.

Updating a City’s Historical Buildings Produced by Hanim Samara & Written by Molly Cohen After 15 years of practicing law and working with large corporations in the real estate development industry, Ron Carinci became the chief operating officer for Urbacon Ltd., where he has worked for the past four years. “My family has been in land development and I’ve been in it since a young age,” he says of his interest in the industry. Founded in 1984, Urbacon is a development company that works throughout the country out of four offices: Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Toronto, Ontario; and Montreal, Quebec. Each of these locations offers comprehensive services that help clients plan and

build commercial buildings and interiors, implement civil infrastructure works, and execute advanced designbuild and maintenance of data centres in an efficient and collaborative manner. “We have various departments – we have a buildings group, an infrastructure group, a data center and critical facilities group and an architecture department,” says Carinci. “We’re a one-stop shop construction company.” Revamping the Old According to Carinci, Urbacon’s strength lies in its ability to hold to stringent schedules and budgets, while meeting

the demands of ambitious building efforts. “We pretty much do it all,” he says. “We have a commercial, industrial and even a custom homes division, so we cover the entire span of construction management, even going into civil works like road works and site services.” Recently, Urbacon put its construction development capabilities to work managing a project located at 222 Jarvis Street, Toronto. 222 Jarvis is actually a retrofit of an older building that was originally constructed in an inverted pyramid style in 1971. It was sold in 2007 to the province and is now managed by Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC), an agency that provides real estate services to the Government of Ontario. “We started working together with the architects and the project managers in the fall of 2009,” says Carinci of the project’s process. Demolition has started on the project as part of its first phase, and tender packages have been submitted to various trades as part of the government procurement processes.

With impressive retrofits like 222 Jarvis and Rogers Communications completed, Urbacon plans to continually evolve its command of effective, efficient building technologies. “We have many departments, and we’re growing those divisions to cover the entire spectrum of the industry,” Carinci shares. As proven through these projects, Urbacon has the experience in numerous areas within the construction industry and has the in-house technical and management capabilities to tailor its services to various types of projects. The company is constantly adapting and evolving to maintain its status as a leader in the construction industry. One thing is clear: Urbacon is well respected throughout Canada for its construction practices and commitment to quality, and will have many more opportunities to continue assisting owners navigate projects to successful completion. 

“The most interesting part of the building is that it has 18 escalators. Currently the escalators are surrounded by walls that will be replaced with glass and a large skylight. It’s quite unique. The other interesting point is we’re seeking a minimum of LEED Silver certification for the project and have included intelligent building design principles and energy-efficient systems,” says Carinci. Despite Carinci’s enthusiasm for the project, he recognizes that there will be certain challenges involved in completing it. “Like any older building, we won’t know until we actually open her up. The biggest challenge we anticipate we will face is the structural modifications required with the removal of supporting walls and the introduction of the glass,” he says. “But upon completion, the building will be a spectacular example of innovative and environmentally friendly design.” Diverse Strengths The 222 Jarvis project has been very exciting for Urbacon, and the company has particularly enjoyed working with ORC, WZMH Architects and CB Richard Ellis. “We enjoy working with the project team. We are also working with ORC on another job located at Keele and 401. This is a very different job, as it involves the construction and installation of site services and roadworks,” Carinci explains. Urbacon recently completed the CityTV broadcast and office building located at Dundas Square for Rogers Communications. This project was another retrofit of an existing old building in the center of Toronto. “It is the Times Square of Toronto, the busiest area you could possibly work in, and the building encompasses all the land, leaving little room to maneuver,” says Carinci. “The building is very technically sophisticated.

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Ontario

Provincial Industrial Roofing and Sheet Metal Co. Ltd.

Providing Solid Coverage for Ontario Produced by Mike Armstrong & Written by Molly Cohen Doug Uglow is inspired by his father’s 50-plus years in the roofing industry, and is on his way to match that experience. Uglow joined the roofing industry in 1972, when his father founded Provincial Industrial Roofing and Sheet Metal Co. Ltd. Uglow is now that company’s president. Uglow is also involved in the roofing industry through his roles in associations. “I was president of several associations and sat on their boards. Right now I’m the head of the Toronto local union negotiating committee,” Uglow shares.

With 38 years under its tool belt, Provincial is gearing up to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2012. Located in Concord, Ontario, Provincial serves the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors in southern Ontario, from London to Kingston to Barrie. “We’re a niche roofer; we just try to go around the competition … we don’t compete head on with production workers,” explains Uglow of his company’s approach to the business. “We have to stay with more of our private clients and work with roofing consultants to get our

name out there. We’re not looking to be biggest roofer around, we like our niche market and like to provide the best services to everybody.” Upholding Reputation According to Uglow, the internal strength gained from Provincial’s 60 to 70 employees helps give the company a leg up above the competition. “We’ve been in business for almost 40 years and we’ll be going on another 40 years because of the talent that’s in our company; it’s a very stable workforce of longtime employees with quite a bit of experience, so the talent and experience is there,” Uglow says. “The other thing [that makes Provincial stand out from the competition] is our attitude toward giving our customers the best work at the most reasonable price.” Provincial has experience and is well-versed in various types of roofing systems and products, and since it has its own inhouse sheet metal fabrication shop, the company is not tied to any specific roofing materials. “We’ll suggest what’s best for that building, not sell a certain product,” Uglow explains. “We have a roofing repair maintenance division, separate from the production side, so we make money repairing the roof and will hopefully keep that client for when they want to replace that roof in the future. The idea is that you’re creating the service so they stay around and are long-term clients, and we have a lot of those.”

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Ontario Aiding Provincial’s promise of ongoing services is the fact that it can offer its clients extended warranties, unlike some of its competition. “Several manufacturers only give long-term warranties to certain roofers that have certain standards. We have a great reputation that has allowed us agreements with all the majors, so we can get their longtime warranties,” Uglow shares. With so many added values to offer its customers, Provincial maintains a very stable gross annual revenue between $10 million and $20 million. Despite its stability, Provincial anticipates facing some of the economically related challenges spreading through the industry. “We’re not getting any foreign competition yet, but we’re assuming it will be coming soon. As far as the downturn goes, we just hunkered down, like anybody would, and began cutting overhead costs as much as we could … and we keep doing the same old thing and the work still comes,” Uglow says. Steady Service To support its work, Provincial relies on only a few subcontractors, like mechanical and structural engineers, while all of the roofing and sheet metal fabrication is

Ontario completed in-house. “The sub-trades are a pretty minor part of our business; it’s only more important when you get difficult jobs where you become more of a general contractor. We have a couple like that and have good relationships for ad hoc, one-of-a-kind jobs,” says Uglow. As for vendors, Provincial can choose between six major suppliers of roofing products located in Toronto. Choosing which company to work with usually depends on price and service. “Price is important, but not one and only. Sometimes we will pay more on the price because the service is there. We like loyalty, and we like knowing people we can trust when occasionally we need others to help us out to finish a difficult task or within a difficult timeframe,” Uglow admits. These vendors have been helpful throughout the years on some of Provincial’s most interesting projects. Going back about 25 years, Uglow remembers that the logistics of working in Goose Bay Laborador were challenging. And putting the roof on the Saddledome in Calgary stands out as a memorable project in the company’s history. Uglow also remembers the tricky crane work associated with Heritage Copper. In regards to the business, there is one thing that might keep Uglow from a good night’s sleep on occasion. “Right now I’m worried about issues with safety. In the roofing industry we have problems with fire, but we’ve updated our policies here so they bother me less,” he says. In the future, Uglow hopes to keep doing “keep plugging away, business as usual,” he says. “We don’t plan to grow too much. We do well where we’re at, but you can’t be stagnant in any business, we know that, so we just want to keep providing the same service and carefully expand.” With its legion of experienced employees, passionate leaders and reputation in the industry, Provincial Industrial Roofing and Sheet Metal has the framing to continue building upon its already sterling reputation. 

The Newton Group Innovating Traditional Construction Practices

Produced by Cathi Sachs & Written by Molly Cohen The Newton Group, owned and run by president Edwin “Ed” Newton, is comprised of four subsidiaries that share share the same logo, even though they represent different specialties. In 1994 Ed founded Kiwi-Newton, a proficient construction management company in the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors. Ed purchased Nadeco in 2000, but the company had been operating as a mechanical company for many years before that. In 2007, Ed added Newton Bridge to the group; this company specializes in highly technical bridge replacements and repairs. In 2008 Ed rounded out the group by creating Newton Parking, a company known for its prefabricated parking structures. Efficient Building Ed has been in the construction industry for over 20 years, since before the New Zealand native came to Canada in 1992. “I was doing part-time building over [in New Zealand] for a couple years, and before that I was doing carpentry in London for four years,” he says. From his diverse history came the idea for prefabricated building structures. Now Ed is just beginning to put his idea to work with Newton Parking. “It specializes in a special building system, which we call Canada Car, and it’s a modular parking system. It’s for parking structures they use for an airport or municipal buildings requiring multilevel parking to maximize space in one location. There are lots of parking structures around, but this is a more durable, longer lasting, different type of building than most of the others out there,” Ed says. “It’s a proven German technology, so the concrete quality and galvanizing of the steel and the way the building is engineered is highly advanced. There is no cracking in the concrete that would cause corrosion, which is the biggest

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nightmare for anyone who owns a parking structure. These have a lot less maintenance.” For these types of projects, Newton Parking fabricates most of its own major components, using another company for the steel, then it collects everything and it gets erected onsite. “We do the design of that; it’s all design-build and a turnkey operation. We do use an outside engineering firm to review and stamp our drawings, though,” Ed shares. Ed plans to bring the same idea to Kiwi-Newton. “We have a design for condominium-type buildings, multilevelresidential buildings and student housing. We’re putting proposals to that right now to springboard off this technology, making them out of concrete. It’s a totally different design, but it’s still using the same idea of prefabrication and putting everything together in the plant, including windows and wall panels, before we ship them,” he explains.

Ontario To put this idea to work, Newton Group has a large facility and 40 employees in Guelph, Ontario, for prefabrication. “We’re doing the parking right now and plan to grow the parking business. For Kiwi-Newton it means we have to narrow our focus a bit. To build modular, we can’t do everything for everyone. We’re more focused now on building certain types of buildings,” says Ed. But that is the future of Kiwi-Newton. Right now the company is established in traditional construction management services. “We’re still subbing out most things. We sub out the electrical work, the site work, the roofing and maybe decking and things like that. We’re doing a community centre in Erin, Ontario, right now, and we’re subbing everything out and working as the general contractor,” Ed explains. “But in my future I want to be more into prefab. But we’ll still do this on a smaller contract and for the new, bigger projects we’ll aim for prefab.” Looking to Expand While the prefabrication is its new focus, the Newton Group does more than create building structures. “We look at mechanical design and energy efficiency of the building. Our system design will be more efficient for energy than what is out there right now. We know that’s the case in

Ontario Europe and we’re modeling after buildings over there where they have much more stringent energy-use requirements,” says Ed. “I’ve got personnel to help figure out the system and the pricing, but we use outside consultants to assist us.” The Newton Group’s innovative and traditional construction has served the company well. “Our operation has been $25 million to $30 million. We hope to, in the future, make that bigger, but I’m more focused nowadays on the bottom line. I think I could have had a lot bigger volume, but I’m looking toward the future,” says Ed.

A. Villeneuve Mechanical Ltd. Continuing a Family’s Mechanical Contracting Efforts Produced by Cathi Sachs & Written by Molly Cohen

To make these revenue goals, the Newton Group might look to expand beyond its current geographic footprint. “We work west of Toronto and north up to about Bradford. It’s about 100 kilometers from Guelph, where our head office and subplants are,” says Ed. “With Newton Parking we’re looking out in Winnipeg, willing to travel because it’s a prefab product. We plan to ship by rail if necessary and send out a small erection crew to put it up. Geographically, I don’t set strict limits for Newton Parking, but with Kiwi-Newton I try to keep it closer.” In addition to the community center project the Newton Group has in Erin, the company is also working on a parking structure in Markham, Ontario, and also just finished a retirement home in Bradford. “We do a little hospital work in Guelph. We have other little projects here or there. We finished a project in Parry Sound on an expansion for the wastewater control plant,” Ed shares. For now, Ed is not planning to acquire any additional companies to grow the Group. “Now I’m just zeroing in on the right opportunities and finding buildings that best suit us, like prefab and design-build – we’re going to chase projects that are our type of thing,” he says. With this goal in mind and the company’s innovative approach to construction through its prefabricated designbuild structures, the Newton Group has completed the groundwork to spread its brand throughout whatever regions it targets.  Growing up in a family business can lead to more respect and a greater passion for that company. For example, Jeff and Jason Villeneuve have spent their formative years helping to develop their family’s mechanical contracting company, A. Villeneuve Mechanical Ltd. “I think we’re second to none in western Ontario,” Jeff says of the company position that he and his brother have helped establish.

commercial (hospitals, seniors homes, hotels, restaurants, government offices, etc.), but we have branched out to both industrial [mining] and residential, and offer 24-hour service and maintenance contracts,” Jeff explains. “We have a very well-trained staff that specializes in their respective areas, and thus we can service all of these areas with the utmost of quality.”

Holding Strong

The company has grown for a small workforce of three to five employees in 1985 to a workforce of between 20 and 30 employees at any given time. This number fluctuates a bit based on the season, but “that’s just the way construction is, sometimes construction is very busy and sometimes it’s not,” Jeff rationalizes.

Founded in 1985, A. Villeneuve Mechanical works in the area surrounding the company’s office in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Under Jeff and Jason’s guidance, A. Villeneuve Mechanical works in numerous sectors. “The majority of our work is

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Ontario A. Villeneuve Mechanical’s employees are well-trained in a plethora of trades, as the company keeps a large portion of its work in-house. These internal crafts include plumbing, hot water heating, boilers, natural gas and propane, Jeff explains. Beyond these services, A. Villeneuve Mechanical works closely with a number of other mechanical subcontractors [control, fire protection, site services, HVAC, mechanical insulation and testing/ balancing contractors] to offer a complete mechanical package.

Ontario Market Flexibility

“This is what we’re comfortable with as far as size, and we do well at the size we’re at. However, we are always at the forefront in looking for new and innovative ideas for our customers,” says Jeff Villeneuve.

With its force of experienced and professional employees, Jeff does not see A. Villeneuve Mechanical’s workflow diminishing in the foreseeable future. “I don’t foresee any slowdown in the next year in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario – there’s numerous commercial and mining projects coming out in the next year,” he says. And Jeff plans to be a major force in completing that upcoming work, building on the company’s already large portfolio.

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Recently, A. Villeneuve Mechanical completed several large projects in Northwestern Ontario. One such project required the company to complete all of the mechanical work for Superiorview High School in Thunder Bay. This was a very large job, yet it still had to be finished within a very tight time frame in order for students and staff to occupy the building. Pulling together, A. Villeneuve Mechanical managed this feat, operating on-time without cutting corners.

Along the same lines, A. Villeneuve Mechanical just finished the mechanical work for the Fort Frances Ge-Da-Gi-Binez Youth Centre. This First Nations facility – intended for the area’s aboriginal youth, ages 12 to 17 – assists those with facing law-related conflicts reconnect with their traditional heritage to transition back to the community.

Currently, A. Villeneuve Mechanical is using the experiences from these past projects on current and similar jobs in the area. “Right now some of the larger projects we’re working on are Robert Moore School in Fort Frances, a Mine Dry Building for Goldcorp in Balmertown, and a large addition to Confederation College in Thunder Bat,” Jeff gives as examples. “These are good-sized project for us.” The company is also working on the Isabella Retirement Living Residence in Thunder Bay. This facility has 94 beds, most of which are for independent living, while a smaller portion is for assisted living. While much of A. Villeneuve Mechanical’s work is tendered or is initiated from government funds, the Isabella

Ontario Retirement Living Residence is privately funded. This range of projects truly highlights the company’s variety of specialties, flexibility in sectors, and high level of comfort working for the government, institutions or private owners. With its strong reputation, A. Villeneuve Mechanical Ltd. has become more and more involved with “design-build” projects. Jess says that “both engineers and owners have come to value their expertise in the mechanical fields, and thus have contracted their services from the early design stages.” Jeff says there are times when the long hours draw on you, but when you see the result of your hard work at the end of the day it makes the long hours worthwhile. Likewise, Jeff has very few concerns with respect to his company’s future, and does not feel the need to initiate a growth or expansion plan. “This is what we’re comfortable with as far as size, and we do well at the size we’re at,” he shares. “However, we are always at the forefront in looking for new and innovative ideas for our customers.”

Ontario With so much confidence in their company’s current performance, employee base and size, Jeff and Jason are upholding the family’s tradition of leading A. Villeneuve Mechanical to continued success. Based on the company’s flexibility in the industry and strong reputation as a trusted and competent mechanical contractor, A. Villeneuve Mechanical Ltd. will have plenty of opportunities to maintain its niche in Ontario’s market. 

Bird Construction Company

Maintaining Traditional Principles in Innovative Construction Produced by Cathi Sachs & Written by Molly Cohen Bird Construction Company’s construction services have delivered many successful projects throughout Canada during the company’s 90 years in the industry. However, though its presence has grown tremendously since its founding in 1920, Bird Construction still maintains the same values set by founder H.J. Bird, including a commitment to safety, teamwork, integrity, honesty, professionalism, fairness and personal growth.

Recruiting for Future Generations Bird Construction’s 700 employees are all well-trained and knowledgeable about the industry. “Many of our staff members have been with us for generations – father, son, brother, etc.,” says McLaren. “We have a 25-year club – it has over 200 members now – and many staff members have been with the company for over 20 years.”

Bird Construction specializes in designbuild project delivery, construction management, pre-construction services and public-private partnerships. And, no surprise considering the company’s many years in the industry, Bird has documented experience working in commercial, institutional, residential, retail and industrial sectors, with substantial experience in recent years with the LEED certification process. All of Bird’s construction management, project management and general contracting skills are held in-house, and the company’s personnel self-perform work in some sectors while choosing to subcontract the components of other projects to skilled trades to provide the greatest value to each client. Bird’s established construction processes have ensured continued growth for the company, recently announcing annual revenue over $1 billion. “We have the ability to bring a more personalized experience for the customer,” says Mark McLaren, the company’s business development manager, discussing Bird Construction’s ability to stay ahead of the competition. “Our organizational structure allows executives to become more involved at the client level.”

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Construction Finding long-term and trusted employees requires a specific process. “We have a defined recruiting, hiring and education strategy giving employees a path for growth from apprentice to journeyman to tradesman to project manager,” says McLaren. To find highly skilled employees, Bird recruits from colleges and universities with established “co-op” programs. However, the company also works with construction schools that do not have formal programs in place. “When a young person is hired, we rotate them through all aspects of the construction business, and then we select or determine where this person will have the most impact within the company,” McLaren explains. Hiring these skilled employees has been a large benefit to the company beyond their day-to-day responsibilities. A few years ago the company “saw ‘impending financial decline’ and began to redirect its focus on the public sector,” McLaren shares. “We are now working on many infrastructure projects.” Many of the company’s recent projects are for Defence Construction Canada (DCC), the construction arm of the Department of National Defence. A National Company with a Regional Approach Bird Construction’s work is organised by region. In addition to the company’s corporate office in Toronto, Bird Construction maintains branch offices in Saint John, Halifax, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. The company designates its long-term clients based on region and industry. Atlantic Much of the company’s recent work includes Bird Construction’s focus on sustainable design. Recently, the company completed the Shearwater Helicopter Facilities in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Drawing on its experience with hanger construction, as well as other military maintenance facilities, Bird delivered this training and operations centre ahead of schedule. In addition to a substantial hangar space, The Helicopter Facilities features administration space, warehousing facilities, a workshop and office space. Included in this new facility are many LEED aspects making it an energyefficient building. Sustainable features include rainwater collection, energy-efficient mechanical systems, and a fire protection system that emits water droplets in a “fog” in order to mitigate fire damage.

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Ontario Other recent projects include the design-build delivery of St. Stephens Border Crossing in New Brunswick. Bird Construction worked on this $20 million project with Rideau Construction; a partnership that was later secured when Bird Construction acquired Rideau in early 2008.

Manitoba Meanwhile, the company’s Winnipeg office expanded its reach in the commercial sector with the South Beach Casino.

Ontario Recently, Bird Construction delivered a high-profile project on the McMaster University campus in Hamilton, Ontario. The six-storey, 130,000-square foot Engineering Technology Building provides state-of-the-art graduate and undergraduate students’ teaching facilities, research laboratories and administration space. Some of the building’s notable aspects include a dual-duct supply air system and triple-glazed unitized curtain wall that help achieve the LEED Silver certification.

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This ’50s Art Deco-themed casino includes traditional table games, slot machines, a cosmopolitan restaurant with space for 112 patrons and a bar for 123 guests in the building’s 26,000

square feet. The design-build delivery model allowed Bird to include space for back-up power and computer-driven security systems within a tight budget. The company also shortened the construction schedule, despite a two-month delay. Edmonton With its strong commitment to a safe working environment, Bird Construction’s Edmonton branch has recently been recognized for its achievements. Noted for its 60 consecutive person years with no disabling injuries, no work-related fatalities in the previous three years, no outstanding compliance orders under Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Legislation, and no violations of the OHS Act in connection with any incident investigated by Alberta Employment and Immigration in the past two years, the Edmonton Branch was awarded the 2008 Best Safety Performer from Work Safe Alberta.

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Ontario The Branch’s safety efforts were also evident in its recent work in Fort McMurray on the Suncor Voyageur Coker. At 390 feet high (about 32 storeys), this project made for a challenging jobsite, yet Bird was able to deliver the $45 million project successfully, without incident. By recommending cast-in-place concrete, instead of the precast concrete that was originally specified Bird was able to significantly reduce the costs to the client. After three months of preparation – focusing on alternative concrete sources, environmental risks and traffic mishaps – Bird completed the base concrete pour in 17 consecutive hours using 475 truckloads of concrete, nine concrete pumps, five batch plants and dedication from Bird Construction’s crews. Acknowledging the planning and success of the pour, project owner Suncor Energy awarded Bird its prestigious Suncor President’s Operational Excellence Award for Safety Leadership.

Elric Contractors of Wallaceburg Ltd.

Leading Ontario’s Building and Designing Industry Produced by Mike Armstrong & Written by Molly Cohen Elric Contractors of Wallaceburg Ltd. (Elric) has perfected its project management process over its 41-year history and become one of Wallaceburg, Ontario’s most diverse general contractors. “We are mostly a commercial and industrial

general contractor, with a little residential. We do a full scope of work from start to finish,” says Jim Pollard, the company’s owner and partner.

Calgary Recently, Bird’s Calgary office successfully delivered the Alberta Schools Alternative Procurement project. The $634 million project was awarded to BBPP Alberta Schools Partnership consortium, of which Bird is a member. Working as a joint venture with Graham Construction, Bird built 18 schools throughout Calgary and Edmonton. The company’s goals included maintaining low cost and finishing ahead of schedule. The buildings are all constructed of structural steel and infill block, as well as piles and grade beams for the foundation. Designed to LEED Silver certification standards, all 18 schools employ energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems, daylighting and water management applications. Each school includes 218 modular units, which allow for greater flexibility for changes in enrollment. Faced with a building boom in the province at start-up, the

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“We have quality staff that are capable of doing various general duties on the job site so, as opposed to just supervising the job, we have a number of staff that can do things hands-on and maybe a little more efficiently than other general contractors that just look after the job,” says Jim Pollard, owner and partner.

But while Elric tends to use the same subcontractors repeatedly, the company puts most of its jobs out to any subtrade that can handle a component in a project. “If we’re not familiar with them, we ask for references, past customers and projects from their past. We have to make sure they’re reputable,” Pollard says. Combining the revenue from all of its different roles on projects, Elric’s annual sales are between $2 million and $5 million. An Experienced Eye

Pollard has been with Elric for 23 years, and under his guidance the company’s field employees provide more than just project oversight. “We have a quality staff that is capable of doing various general duties, as opposed to just supervising; they do things hands-on and maybe a little more efficiently than other general contractors that just supervise a project,” he explains. More than Just a Contractor Elric has four employees stationed in the office and another eight employees in the field, which primarily encompasses the London, Windsor and Sarnia corridor, Pollard explains. Elric’s in-house capabilities include supervision, Computer-

Aided Design (CAD) services, and a range of general carpentry work. The company also does design-build projects “if the need arises,” says Pollard. “My dad is an architect and engineer, so we’re able to call upon his services. He has an independent company, but we work closely with him, getting answers much faster than other people may have access to.” As for other partnerships, Elric subs out electrical, HVAC and plumbing, says Pollard. “It’s very important to have good relationships with [subcontractors and vendors]; we tend to rely on three to five subtrades per component. We choose those that you can count on for efficiency and accuracy compared to others you’re not familiar with.”

Contributing to that revenue is a project Elric completed in February. “It’s the Southwest Regional Credit Union; we built the new facility in Wallaceburg as the general contractor,” Pollard shares. Now, Elric is working for two factories that are coming to Wallaceburg and opening up shops. One of the facilities is for Advanced Emissions Technologies Ltd. and the other is for Precismeca.

themselves, Elric also includes another interesting approach to its construction practices: all of its projects are built with a mind for sustainability. “All the projects we construct exceed energy standards and building code requirements. Often customers don’t want to spend extra money to be formally certified, because a lot of projects are privately funded, but we meet many requirements anyway,” Pollard shares. “The LEED projects you do see are often government-funded projects that are getting money, as it isn’t cost effective right now for private companies to go through the whole program. Still, in our design and construction process we include sustainable elements.” With 30 years of experience in the industry, Pollard has unsurprisingly an eye for construction trends like sustainability. He is also knowledgeable when it comes to judging industry stability. “I see things getting better,” he says of his area’s economic outlook. “It couldn’t get much

Additionally, the company has done a variety of nursing homes. “Fairfield Park was the first nursing home built under the new design guidelines (at that time) when the government was on a kick to improve nursing home facilities. It is a single-storey building – using standard, mostly residential construction techniques – that is costefficient with very reasonable utility costs.” Pollard says proudly. According to Pollard, one of Elric’s most interesting projects is currently underway. The company is working on the Kinsmen Community Center in Wallaceburg, which is a renovation of an old tire building. “There are a lot of old buildings in town and this one had been empty for years when the local Kinsmen group bought it to turn it around,” says Pollard. The Kinsmen group plans to include a community center at this location that the public can use at an affordable rate. It will have a multipurpose room and services that “provide the community with opportunities that wouldn’t necessarily be provided if they didn’t have a cost-efficient building to go into,” Pollard explains. “It’s a time-consuming project, but we’re hoping to do more renovations in the future. We’re hoping the town and surrounding area will bounce back.” While these projects are impressive in

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Ontario worse than last year, could it?” This economic improvement will fuel future growth for Elric. “The economy has been a little down in this area, but it’s starting to rebound and we’re hoping to be a part of that,” Pollard foresees. With its track record of successfully completed projects, Elric will undoubtedly find its restoration projects an active part of the area’s economic revitalization. Matching its dedication to sustainability, diversity in market sector and extensive design-build capabilities, Elric Contractors of Wallaceburg has amassed what is needed to continue successful development throughout Ontario. 

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VEGFRESH Inc.

By 2005 VEGFRESH was so successful Sangiorgio bought one of its competitors. “I kept the brand name because that company had been in business for 44 years when I bought it,” he says. In June 2006 Sangiorgio merged VEGFRESH with this newly acquired facility.

Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Molly Cohen

Designing the new plant to fit all of VEGFRESH’s equipment was a challenge. Sangiorgio had the equipment positioned using 3-D CAD to maximize the flow of product. “We have to bring in raw material, process it through the plant, and then put it into finished-product coolers. So the design of the plant was part and parcel of this project, and because we operate 24 hours per day we couldn’t call our customers to say we needed two weeks to move,” Sangiorgio points out.

Producing Made-to-Order Solutions After graduating from York University’s Schulich School of Business, Mike Sangiorgio worked as an accountant for several large companies and smaller firms before ending up at the Ontario Food Terminal in 1991. It was here, by sheer chance, that he came across a means to establish his own business niche. “I was implementing a computerized inventory control system for one of the wholesalers down there, and one day I went into the cooler, saw some shredded carrot and asked the warehouse manager about it. He said, ‘That’s something I’m doing personally. If you want to open up a business, we’ll sell this to some bakeries in Toronto.’ I said OK,” Sangiorgio remembers. That night Sangiorgio met with his first customer who agreed to buy the product. “Once or twice a week I would meet the farmer from Bradford off the highway, get the carrot, drop it off and go to work. I started concentrating one day a week on the carrot business,” he explains. Sangiorgio was soon to need to make more of a time commitment to his burgeoning trade in custom-processing fresh produce, however. He began making cold calls and

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met with success when a muffin batter company said that it needed banana puree because its current vendor was supplying it with whole peeled bananas that the batter company had to spend time crushing. Sangiorgio began filling this company’s needs, allowing its productivity to shoot up by 70 percent. The day after the batter company began using Sangiorgio’s banana puree. “They gave us a contract for 200,000 kilos of bananas, and we had to scramble to find a facility. I bought this $75 grinder, and we called some friends, since we had no employees, and ran this product. That’s when I left my job, and gradually we got busier and gained customers,” he shares. VEGFRESH Inc. was then incorporated on June 10, 1992, with Sangiorgio as its president.

To implement the move, VEGFRESH utilized both of its facilities. While one was being dismantled, the other one was operational. “We literally moved on a Friday afternoon and were regularly running shifts on Sunday in the new 50,000-square foot plant,” Sangiorgio remembers. “You need to have a good team, and there’s no way I could have done it by myself. It had to be a joint effort. Everyone knew their strengths and weaknesses, and everyone worked together to get it done right.” Sangiorgio notes that the company now runs two production shifts and has a full sanitation shift that covers full days, six days a week.

From this new facility, VEGFRESH is able to secure its niche in “manufacturing products our customers need, as opposed to selling what we manufacture,” Sangiorgio says. “We also manufacture only to order, so everything is absolutely the freshest it could be; and we have full traceability, so when our customers get a product they know exactly when that product was manufactured.” In keeping with its emphasis on documented quality control, VEGFRESH is proud of its Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and ISO 9000 certifications, and is currently upgrading this to SQF quality standard. The company has a wide range of customers, from retailers to food manufacturers. Those customers include wholesale companies like Sysco food service and companies that manufacture soup, salad and frozen muffin batters. “Ninety-nine percent of our products are further processed,” Sangiorgio explains. VEGFRESH currently has just over 100 employees and annual revenue of more than $12 million. The company has two locations in Ontario, with its headquarters in Toronto. One VEGFRESH location is a manufacturing facility that houses a warehouse for packaging material and a raw cooler. “We process more than 100,000 pounds per day of finished product, which translates to 150,000 pounds of raw

Building Success After the banana puree, VEGFRESH started making lemon and orange pulp and shredded zucchini, “and then it just kept growing,” Sangiorgio says. “We moved to another facility, we moved to shredding carrot on our own instead of buying it already shredded, and every year we added more equipment and products.”

Ontario material a day, so we have to keep our supplies in stock,” says Sangiorgio of VEGFRESH’s materials, most of which come from Ontario. Managing its raw materials, supplies and vendors is very important to the company’s success. “We run anything from banana, lemon, orange, zucchini, carrot, potato or onion, so we don’t want to be processing substandard product because it’s going to make a big impact on the yield and on the quality of the finished product. And since we manufacture to order, we work only what we need when we need it,” Sangiorgio says. Additionally, “we need to document when we’ve

Ontario manufactured a product, so that when we send out a bag of peeled potatoes we know exactly when it was produced, who was working on the line, where the raw material came from and when we received it. That’s all part of food safety and HACCP and being accountable for a product people are consuming.”

products. “We just installed the support line in January 2010. The equipment peels, slices and removes seed pockets for 120 apples a minute for each machine, and we have two. I’ve designed a feed system to feed the line. We will supply the pie filling industry, but we want our own line of pie filling as well to diversify as much as we can,” Sangiorgio shares.

When looking for vendors, VEGFRESH focuses on quality, price and reliability. “If we get a big order from a customer and our inventories are depleted, we don’t have six months to wait. We need it now. We get calls at 8 a.m. needing 10,000 pounds of diced potato by noon. We have no more than a 24hour lead time. Our business model works because we run two shifts and are here constantly, so we need our vendors to support that,” Sangiorgio explains.

Other new developments include a new retail brand name. “Right now for retail trade all we do is parisienne potatoes. We want to expand on that and do a wedge potato or French fry potatoes. We have a brand name in the final stages of getting trademarked, and we will be coming out with a new line of retail products soon,” Sangiorgio hints.

Expansion Process With its vendors in place, the biggest challenge for VEGFRESH has been the downturn in the economy. “Some customers lost business, so it became slow, but then others got busier. We supply the restaurant industry through wholesalers. So if a family of four couldn’t spend $100 at a fancy restaurant, they stop at a Metro – whom our customers supply with home meal replacements (HMR) – to buy an entrée of mashed potatoes with chicken and spend $30. The biggest challenge was being able to handle the production and changing economy,” Sangiorgio shares. Looking at the economy and planning which industry to expand into or how to diversify was necessary, but tricky. But Sangiorgio decided that concentrating on catering new products to the sectors and customers he already serves was the best initial option. “We could just go to existing customers because we have a proven track record for payment. They knew who we were, and we didn’t have to do a sales call. The more we diversify, the more successful we can be,” Sangiorgio says. This was the philosophy behind VEGRESH’s new apple line for the muffin industry, as well as the company’s new apple pie filling

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you can’t pull customers in from the street, whereas with manufacturing the line is set up,” he says. With Sangiorgio’s successful history, eye for diversification and knowledge of industry needs, VEGFRESH Inc. is ready to continue its expansion process as a key player in both the custom food components and the retail market. 

With these new products, Sangiorgio hopes to grow within its various markets and diversify into different products. “We’re always telling our customer that if they have a problem or need a product, they shouldn’t ask me what I can do; they should ask me for something that they need. Sangiorgio reports that a few years ago, a customer wanted to produce bread with lemon, but found its prototype, made with lemon juice, to be too tart. To solve the problem, VEGFRESH put lemon rind mixed with sugar into the bread rather than lemon juice, eliminating the bitterness. Sangiorgio notes, “Our customers don’t always realize we can manufacture everything they need; we can customize our equipment.” Meeting its customers’ needs is what has kept VEGFRESH’s plants so busy. “In 18 years of business, we’ve never laid off an employee,” Sangiorgio observes. While the company is busy and diversifying, Sangiorgio is not just floating down easy street. “We operate 24 hours a day, so I can always get a phone call, and I’ve often gotten phone calls about a machine that is breaking down or a truck that won’t start. There are always issues, and I’m always in contact with the second shift,” he says. “Thursday nights I work late, so weekly I see all three shifts. Every day I see the first shift; Thursday I see the people at night, and I usually stay in time for the cleaners.” For the company’s future, Sangiorgio “would like to see good growth. This past year we saw only 14 percent growth from May 2009 to May 2010. We started the business in 1991 in a mini-recession, but people still have to eat, just not necessarily what I make. That’s why it’s important for us to be flexible in our manufacturing. I’ve always believed manufacturing is the industry to be in because with retail

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Trinity Communication Services Ltd.

A Top Choice for Ontario’s Corporate Support Produced by Eric Gunn & Written by Molly Cohen

Skilled people are an important part of Trinity Communication’s business because much of the company’s work is handled in-house. Lo Giudice explains, “We subcontract some excess work if all of a sudden we get big jobs. However, 85 percent of our work is done in-house.”

Promising Continued Quality

hardware installation and IT support; and directional drilling (a service Trinity Communication can provide through a recent acquisition). “We have over 90 people and employ some subcontractors in certain areas. We do anything from construction to commercial installations to plant upgrades,” Lo Giudice adds. “Our position is fairly solid; as a contractor we believe in safety first. We have an internal culture that values safety, and we do have a lot of practice in creating a safe working environment.”

Trinity Communication’s services come from the following departments: commercial cabling installation; underground, aerial and technical construction; fibre optics; multi-dwelling units; data and voice networking; computer

However, focusing on safety is not always enough to keep Trinity Communication ahead of its competition. Thus, Lo Giudice relies on his company’s solid reputation for support during challenging times. “I’ve told my people to make

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The economy has been the biggest challenge of late for Trinity Communication. “We’ve seen it a little later on than the U.S. did. What the U.S. has been going through affects us afterward. People in Canada tend to be following the U.S.; jobs are being cut up here and people are tightening up their belts,” Lo Giudice explains. “We’re trying to keep our people working, while being more efficient and giving our customers better pricing and service.” To meet customer demands, Trinity Communication is offering better pricing with its usual top-quality workmanship. “And we look at our people to make sure clients’ needs are taken care of. Because our company features private ownership, we can decide if we make less and take care of our people first.”

Joseph Lo Giudice emigrated from Sicily, Italy, to Canada when he was 13 years old. By the age of 16 he was working full-time in the construction and eventually the telecommunication industry. After 22 years of working with Maclean-Hunter Cable, he founded his own communications company, Trinity Communication Services Ltd. (Trinity Communication) in Toronto on August 16, 1990. As the president of this company, Lo Giudice oversees all of its work in the greater Toronto area and surrounding southern Ontario region from the company’s office. Throughout its 20 years of operating history, Trinity Communication has earned a strong reputation as a highquality telecommunications contractor within the cable and communications industries, and has established some largescale, long-term partnerships. “I’ve been in the business for about 42 years and on my own for 20 years,” Lo Giudice says. “Right now we have contracts with Rogers Communications Inc., COGECO Cable Inc., and several other business partners. We’re helping to build coaxial cable and fibre optic cabling infrastructure and networks for these corporations.”

sure the deliverables are there, and show commitment to customers,” he shares. “In all of my years of experience, I’ve found that customers want timely service available and want to see that you’ve done what you said you would do.”

Working with subcontractors has gone well so far for Trinity Communiation.“It’s been great because we treat them like they’re part of our staff, and they’re on our training safety matrix, so no one works with us in the field unless they go through the same training methods as our people do. They’re like a long arm of us with their own vehicles,” Lo Giudice says. Technologically Updating With its in-house talent and subcontractor skills in place, Trinity Communication is holding strong. “We’re excited about starting fibre to the home projects, that’s new. We will be extending fibre optics from the street to homes in new subdivisions. Both Rogers and COGECO are doing fibre to the home

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Rogers' Chocolates Ltd.

Keeping Traditional Treats, Incorporating Innovative Treatments Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Molly Cohen Steve Parkhill entered the food industry in 1980 while still a student, working at the slaughterhouse for Schneider Foods in Ontario. During his 23-year stint at Schneider Foods, Parkhill spent half of his time in the manufacturing/supply chain part of the business and the other half in sales and marketing. In 1992 he was transferred to what was then a recent acquisition for Schneider Foods, and since that time, he has worked as an executive. In 2007 Parkhill joined Rogers’ Chocolates, a historic company in Victoria, British Columbia. Drawing from his experiences at Schneider Foods, Parkhill is now leading Rogers’ Chocolates as its president and CEO.

projects. We’re getting to work more and more with wireless communications, so that’s pretty exciting to see how that side of the business works,” Lo Giudice shares. “And we’re always looking for new ventures.”

The company is proud of its historic roots in Canada. Charles Rogers, who started the company in 1885, traces his family back to the immigration to North America on the Mayflower. Rogers made his way west by working on the railroad. He finally settled in Victoria and set up a grocery store where

he quickly learned that chocolate was his most popular item. Noting this, he officially founded Rogers’ Chocolates. “There are not many 125-year-old Canadian companies, and we are Canada’s first and finest chocolatier,” Parkhill says. During the company’s formative years Rogers and his wife made the chocolate and served the line that wrapped around outside his store. “He could never make enough to satisfy the demand, so there’s a lot of folklore and stories about him working until the wee hours of the morning and selling the chocolate until it was all gone around midday. He would then have to shut his doors and say, ‘Go away. I don’t have any more. See you tomorrow.’ And business kept growing,” Parkhill relates. Though the original store no longer exists, the company is headquartered out of a building Rogers built a few years into the business. It is still in the original condition as when

Despite the changes in the service focus, labor continues to be Trinity Communication’s biggest expense. “It’s always the labor. Your labor is always 70 to 80 percent of expenses,” Lo Giudice points out. Because of that expense, “we are trying to restructure our company to make sure we’re efficient and make sure we have processes and strategies on how to meet our vision,” Lo Giudice explains. “We always want to look after our employees and their families by keeping up their training, because for our customers we are the team that they choose for turnkey services and technical expertise.” With such devotion to its employees and care to make sure subcontractors are well-trained with regard to safety and quality control, it is clear why Trinity Communication is a major contender for corporate communications support in Ontario. And with an eye toward up-and-coming technologies, Trinity Communication Services Ltd. will continue to hold its place in the market. 

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Ontario it was built in 1903. Parkhill observes, “The inside of the store was just recently declared a heritage site by the city of Victoria [the only one in the city], so it’s quite a gem for the downtown core. There’s a wonderful ambiance when you walk through the front door into our little chocolate shop here on Government Street.” Stylish Morsels Parkhill attributes part of the success of Rogers’ Chocolates to the product’s in-store appearance. “Our vision is to enrich lives and put smiles on people’s faces by creating cherished memories, and that’s how I try to orient our chocolate school where we train our retail sales associates and factory employees and everyone in our company,” Parkhill reports. “We make fabulous chocolate, and we make ours a little different by using them to create memories. We’re street-front boutique properties trying to mimic or create that in-store feeling for people. People come in to mark some occasion and we like to celebrate with them.”

Ontario To meet the demands of all these special occasions, Rogers’ Chocolates currently has a factory manned by 40 employees, a head office of 10 people and the rest of its 115 employees in its retail stores. In total, the company’s annual revenue is about $10 million. This revenue comes from the company’s products: a selection of milk, dark, white and sugar-free chocolates over brittles, fruits, nuts and just about anything else. Rogers’ Chocolates is also known for its caramel nutcorn and ice cream.

Now, however, there is the occasional “odd product that we’re considering having copacked for us if it involves a substantial capital investment. We will have the product made to our specifications, while we grow the sales to the point where we can bring that production in-house. But well more than 95 percent of what we sell is made by us,” Parkhill reports. To have the needed resources for its production, Rogers’ Chocolates maintains long-term relationships with its suppliers. For more than 50 years its chocolate supply comes from a San Francisco, Calif., company called Guittard Chocolate. “We don’t co-brand with them or promote that to our consumers, because it’s our brand we want to build, but we have a long-standing relationship with them for high-quality chocolate ingredients. They provide a whole range of chocolate ingredients, and we buy all their high-end offerings. You have to start with high-quality ingredients for high-quality results,” Parkhill adds.

One example of a devoted customer is a professor at the University of Victoria who was doing some research on climate change on an ice sheet in Antarctica. “This was an actual floating ice sheet, not an area of land, and with the university we arranged to deliver her a two-pound box of Victoria Creams to the ice sheet for Christmas,” Parkhill remembers. “She’s from Victoria and worried about missing her annual Christmas chocolates from Rogers’. So the university arranged it to ship to New Zealand, where a cargo ship that supplies that ice sheet took it from Auckland down to Antarctica.”

To address this challenge, Rogers’ Chocolates will tout its 125th anniversary, occurring in fall 2010. The company will use this milestone as a marketing tool and an opportunity to launch a new product direction while staying respectful of its classic lines and sub-brands. “Our hope is the new products will have a real appeal for younger demographics,” Parkhill shares. This anniversary is an opportunity for Rogers’ Chocolates to showcase its accomplishments over the past years, as

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These new products also bring a change to Rogers’ Chocolates’ supply chain. “Up until 1990 we produced all our chocolates in the back of the flagship store. There was an extension out the back of that building, and we did all of our manufacturing there for almost 95 years until we built a factory nearby,” Parkhill says.

These products are available domestically at Rogers’ Chocolates’ 10 retail outlets in British Columbia and 300 resellers across Canada. The company also ships internationally to 50 countries through a mail order system that dates back to the 1930s and has now migrated online. Parkhill explains, “Interestingly, we don’t market in those countries. That business is tied to the in-store experience when visitors have come to our stores, and they continue to order our products to their home countries.”

Despite long-term customers like this professor, Rogers’ Chocolates has its challenges. “We’ve been around for many years and our products are time-tested from the 1800s. That plays really well to a Victoria marketplace where it’s a strong British scene, and it does extremely well with baby boomers. But the challenge is, to achieve growth, how do we become a relevant brand to a younger demographic?” Parkhill asks.

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Thinking Globally

well as where it plans to go in the future. The company will unveil new packaging and product development and use its strengthened R&D competency for a competitive advantage. “In retail business, we have to have an element of fashion and need new things to talk about constantly. I felt we were a little bit stuck in a grandmother-ish look and feel to our products and packaging, and we don’t want to alienate any consumers. But we want to engage a broader spectrum,” Parkhill says. Currently, Rogers’ Chocolates is working on several subbrands to launch in the fall. “We have our classics, and they will stay untouched from where they began in the 1800s and remain today. Then we have an artisan sub-brand and lifestyle sub-brand that includes organic chocolates, inclusions of antioxidants and newer interesting flavor contributions and health benefits and so on,” Parkhill shares.

While Rogers’ Chocolates is a traditional company with long-standing relationships with customers and vendors, it also views itself as part of the global market. As such, it is open to improving lifestyle standards that affect its products. “We’ve been getting a lot of e-mail traffic about child labor practices for cocoa farming in Africa. My first reaction was, ‘We’re a small company on the west coast of Canada. What can I do to impact farming practices in a jungle on [the] other side of the globe?’ But I realize there is something we can do,” Parkhill says. Rogers’ Chocolates is pursuing a concept called AdoptA-Village with the Planeterra Foundation to identify a community in a cocoa-growing region that creates a traditional craft or type of art that Rogers’ Chocolates can sell in its retail stores and then return all proceeds to that community. “Our employees can connect with that community, and we can support them and do book drives

Ontario and build schools and build the community. They’re out actively looking in Brazil and Ecuador to find a village or community that is willing to receive us as a sister community. I wanted to do something more than just write a check,” Parkhill explains. “It’s also about our international culture. We’re not just making chocolates but enriching lives and making a small difference in communities that depend on cocoa for a living.” This project is still underway and will hopefully be in fullswing by the end of 2010. Other projects in motion for the company are internal and include “looking at the business model to see what is ready to double and what needs strengthening. We have a strong balance sheet and the ability to finance organic growth and double the number of stores we have. We’re just polishing up our growth strategy at this point,” Parkhill says. With these plans in place, very little keeps Parkhill up at night. “I’m an eternal optimist to a fault sometimes, and that’s a blind spot for me. I don’t lose sleep unless it impacts people. If it looks like we have to lay off people, we ask for people to take a day off without pay per month, or to work

Ontario seven-hour shifts for a period of time so no one has to get laid off,” he says. Parkhill plans to spend the next one to two years putting Rogers’ Chocolate in a growth stage. “Coming out of our 125th anniversary will be a historic expansion, and we’re looking for new retail locations, focusing on British Columbia in new markets for us. We’re focusing on key partnerships with co-branding opportunities. But we are definitely ready to implement growth strategy and expand geographically as well as demographically,” he shares. According to Parkhill, Canada’s current stability will provide the perfect platform for growth. “I agree with most people saying the worst is behind us, but we will see a long recovery. But we can no longer say, ‘Things are OK in Canada and we don’t need to worry about anywhere else.’ We all have to become far more aware of other variables beyond our borders that can affect our businesses,” Parkhill urges. With this international focus, push toward modernity and supportive traditional history, Rogers’ Chocolates stands on the brink of its next generation of success. 

Sunny Crunch Foods Ltd.

Creating Canada’s Healthy Food Choices Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Molly Cohen Regardless of the current diet fad or the latest food form to hit the market, food companies have been producing nutritionally beneficial fare for many years. For example, Sunny Crunch Foods Ltd. in Markham, Ontario, has been known for its use of grains in cereals and nutritional bars for several decades. “We started Sunny Crunch in 1970, so that’s 40 years … we should drink some champagne on that,” jokes Willie Pelzer, the company’s president. Before founding one of Canada’s most prominent health food producers, Pelzer was an insurance salesman for Allstate Auto Insurance. However, “food was always on my mind. I learned to cook at an early age, and I said I have to go do something with food one day. Oats came up and I thought, ‘There must be a better way to eat porridge.’ That was my model,” he shares. In 1970, when Pelzer was hit with his inspiration, “the natural food industry was just in its infancy, and I realized it could use some good new products. I found that oats were a good, nutritious product, so I made a cereal with them,”

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he simplifies. “And then I went to the stores and presented that first cereal – our crunchy granola – and that’s how we got started.” Initially there was some hesitation when it came to healthy food products. “At first, the reception for the cereal was very poor, because the buyers looked at it as bird seed no one would ever buy, but I told them that it’s going to be a cereal that will be very popular down the road, which it has become,” Pelzer remembers. “There’s no store without granola now. So then we developed granola bars, they came online about 1977, and we make granola bars and nutrition bars now. We do our own label and also private labels for supermarkets." Fighting for Oats As a visionary in the industry, Sunny Crunch was responsible for the implementation of several new product types. “There’s a lot of product out there that did not exist until we made it, and we’ve kept up with that position all along.

Ontario We're always coming up with products and everybody is always surprised,” Pelzer explains. In fact, Pelzer holds the trademark called “crunchy granola.” “They call me the king of granola. But it took me 14 years to get our trademark because Kellogg kept opposing it. When I won Kellogg had two lawyers and I only had one, and the lawyers were very upset with me. I told them they were immoral trying to steal from me. They said, ‘You are hitting below the belt,’ and I said, ‘Exactly, that’s where I’m aiming,’” Pelzer remembers. Currently, Sunny Crunch employs around 100 people and serves all of Canada, with some presence in Japan, Mexico and the United States. The company’s annual sales revenue is $25 million. “We established ourselves with very little competition, because the product was so different than what has been on the shelves; we basically had the run of the race because everybody said it was a crazy product,” Pelzer explains. “Now it’s different, because the whole nutrition industry has changed – people are starting to care what they eat and grains happen to be a very important nutritious item. Oats are one of the finest grains, and the taste is good too, and that’s why it’s popular.”

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Ontario To maintain its position in the industry, Sunny Crunch will continue developing products that fill market gaps. Currently the company is working on products to meet the gluten-free trend. “We were always aware people were allergic to gluten, but it was difficult to a supply guaranteed as 'gluten-free' until there were regulations, but now everything is controlled and we have secured the supply,” Pelzer shares.

tends to use certain vendors repeatedly. “They have to supply the product under the specific standards that we require. Nowadays, we have organizations that do audits to

Whether gluten-free or not, Sunny Crunch products have consistent quality controlled because the company manufactures all of its products in-house and only subcontracts packaging. The rest of the company’s supply chain is relatively straight-forward, taking advantage of multiple mills that specialize in product such as organic or gluten-free oats. Working well with vendors is an important part of Sunny Crunch’s profitability; thus, the company

Ontario make sure they follow the programs. This developed in the last five years, before that you had to just believe a person,” Pelzer remembers. “It’s the same with us here; we do organic products, too, and we have to go through a complete washup and decontamination so there is no chance anything else will be in there that is not organic. And we are inspected. “The concept is solid,” continues Pelzer, discussing the health food industry initiatives. “We are trying to reduce the usage of chemicals in our growing of food, processing our

Ontario foods and so on. We have started a movement that is going to win in the end.” The Future of Health Foods Even with the industry’s bright future, Sunny Crunch has faced its share of challenges. “Since we were innovators of new products, there were no regulations in place, so we had problems with Health Canada all the time,” Pelzer says. “We came out with a fiber cereal in 1972. They said, ‘Fiber has no nutritional value and you’re selling it as a valuable item in the cereal so you are misrepresenting,’ and they seized the product. Now, looking back, can you believe that?” Pelzer ponders. Even though Pelzer offered research, and information in books and from experts, Sunny Crunch could not produce fiber “until Kellogg came out with a cereal that almost read like a medicine and mentioned fiber, and they believed Kellogg. So I phoned up Health Canada and they said, ‘Well, yeah, we’re considering that it’s OK,’ so we finally came out with fiber, too,” he says.

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A similar challenge was the accepted sources of nutritional additives. “Health Canada would only recognize two sources of fiber: wheat bran and corn bran. We came out with a product called pure food product. Well, they said, ‘You can’t use the word pure’ … until Quaker came out and called something pure food, and then I could come out,” Pelzer remembers. “My products were always seized, but I wouldn’t give up. Some said, ‘Keep up the fight, we believe in it but there’s nothing we can do from our point.’ Today it’s different. You can use fiber … you have all these claims you can make, whereas before you couldn’t.” This newfound freedom has led to many developments down the road. For example, Sunny Crunch launched an omega-3 cereal bar in December 2009. “It’s plant-sourced and it’s fantastic, going like wildfire. This bar has oats, wheat, pumpkin seeds, chia, flax seed, protein powder and cranberries – all very nutritious, and tasty, too,” Pelzer shares. Next, Sunny Crunch will release probiotic products. “They have been selling for a while, but they only supply

Ontario the ingredients that produce the cultures you need to be probiotic. We put the cultures in, so that as you eat it, you have it all right away,” Pelzer says. With these new products in process, Sunny Crunch’s plans for the next few years are based on past success. “The future growth is to do the same thing, to come out with variations of products using proven basic ingredients. One of the products that will become very popular is just oats. They’re being presented in such a way that you just put your milk on or whatever and just eat them,” Pelzer shares. There is little that Pelzer can see to hold Sunny Crunch back. “I think [Canadian industries are] doing fantastic; the only problem we had was automotive. Everything else seems OK; we always have ups and downs, that’s how it’s been as long as I remember,” he says. With its position stable in the economic environment, and its list of impending products strong, Sunny Crunch Foods

Ontario Ltd. looks to be positioned to continue as an innovator in its industry, with ample opportunities to continue growing and diversifying its product offerings. 

Sardo Foods Ltd.

Old World Tastes for New World Palates Produced by Sean Barr & Written by H. M. Kuldell “When I started in olives, people only asked if we had black or green,” says Mario Sardo, founder and CEO of Ontario-based Sardo Foods Ltd. “That's all they knew about olives then.” In 1965, Mario and his wife Joan immigrated to Canada from the small Sicilian town of Catania, Italy, where the couple had been selling olive and olive oils. They moved to North America with a dream of introducing the delicious flavours of Mediterranean to their new home. Sardo Foods initially focused on importing the finest quality olives. Forty years later the company has grown into a successful national brand with more than 200 product lines. Sardo Foods has also become a key supplier and manufacturer of store brands within most major retailers in Canada. From olives, the company branched into antipasti, pesto, tomatoes, pickled products, cookies, coffee and other high-quality, gourmet foods. The privately held company now employs more than 110 people and grosses $50 million annually. Extending the Olive Branch to New Ideas Though olives aren’t an everyday food in all households, they are the heart of the Sardo Foods business. The consistent quality and freshness of its products won over grocers and customers, giving Sardo Foods strong roots in a niche market. The company then began educating its customers by offering olive options beyond black and green. It introduced new varietals, as well as developed new flavors such as Jamaican jerk and Indian-inspired masala. Innovation is often followed by imitation, and other olive distributors took note of Sardo Foods’ successes. What was once a niche market now has more distributors than suppliers, Sardo says. “The guys who copy are always one step behind,” Mario says. “So we make sure that they stay one step behind.”

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Sardo Foods stays ahead of its myriad competitors with meticulous quality control. As stated by Mario, “Olives may look the same, but they don't taste the same.” To assure a consistent product the company has been working with the same honest, dependable suppliers it has for decades. Every year, Mario personally tours the crop. Once imported, Sardo Foods takes over and performs all the processing in its state-of-the-art facility in Bolton, Ontario. The company also creates it own packaging, which is updated every two to three years. Products then go through one of its two distribution centers in Quebec and Calgary. In the current economy, some company executives wake up to financial nightmares. Mario, on the other hand, jumps out of bed with new product ideas. Product development fuses the company’s creativity with a chance to address what its customers want. Recently the company introduced a line of shelf-stable products even though it has historically provided fresh products. “That gives the consumer a little bit of a break,”

Construction

Ontario Mario says. “Instead of buying our products and using them immediately, they use them whenever they want.” Prepackaged, ready-to-use products that keep fresh for four to five weeks are also under development. The idea is to create fresh-made sauces and vegetable toppings for meals such as pizza and pasta that can be kept conveniently in any gourmand’s pantry. “There is a lot of work to it, but there is a lot of satisfaction when you love what you do,” Mario says. “At this point, it doesn’t matter if it sells or not: It matters that the customer sees the product the way they want to see it. Later we’ll worry about selling it.” Growing Product Reputation

Lines

inspires brand loyalty from consumers in return. All of these qualities point to continued longevity and growth for Sardo Foods Ltd. 

and

Mario loves what he does so much and keeps himself so constantly occupied that one of his employees had to point out to him that 2009 was the company’s 40th anniversary. After four decades in the business, Mario still enjoys his work and spends more time on dreams he wants to see actualized than reminiscing about previous achievements. “My favorite project is not finished,” he confides. Though he doesn’t reveal the details of this new concept, he explains it's been in the works for several years and may debut in 2011. “We need a second shift to be able to introduce all the new ideas we have.” For now, Sardo says his namesake company will continue the same smart, sustainable growth it has been undergoing for decades. By 2015, he anticipates his company will be grossing $70 to $80 million annually. But numbers aren’t the only way he measures the his accomplishments. “I'm doing well because I have customers calling me,” Mario says. “For example, if you have a company that wants to make an olive bread, you’ll call around and people will tell you to call Sardo. When people think of olives, they think of us.” Sardo Foods Ltd. has a proven track record for success and shows no sign of slowing down. The current tried and true products, alongside the new shelf stable and soon to debut prepackaged ready-to-eat products, are a testament to the company’s ingenuity and dedication to customer satisfaction. CEO Mario Sardo is resolute in his commitment to provide only the finest quality goods and

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Ontario thanks to its AutoCad familiarity. Architects, designers, and any related industries can contact Tamarack North for drawing approvals, reviews, consultations or to receive progress updates through images and schedule monitoring.

Tamarack North Holdings, Ltd. Creating a Lifestyle Around Canada’s Original Masterpieces

Changing Industry Expectations

Produced by Victor Martins & Written by Molly Cohen Working with an appreciation of Canada’s natural wonders – its mountains, lakes and flora – Tamarack North Holdings Ltd. excels at building lake homes, cottages and related buildings. These projects allow a total emersion in their surroundings and provide a luxurious lifestyle to residents

of the Muskoka area. With its head office in Port Carling, Ontario, and a geographic footprint up to one hour away, Tamarack North builds custom homes for clients who also share in an appreciation of the area’s organic creations. Tamarack North was founded in April of 1990 by Chris Madden, the company’s current president. “We moved to Muskoka in 1997, which is when business took off,” he says. Tamarack North now offers turnkey services, allowing the company to assist with innovative design and specific engineering of a dream home, as well as working with municipalities to gain permits that will meet every aspect of a project’s requirements.

Tamarack North offers complete project management. It has experience with estimating; budgeting; creating and maintaining schedules; representation on behalf of the project owner in regards to zoning allowances; septic system design and installation; structural engineering, which includes woodwork and mechanical engineering with a large emphasis on HVAC installation. Tamarack North is also a preferred contractor in the high-end residential sector

Since the recession, Tamarack North has noticed a shift in its area. “We have new competition from Toronto moving into our geographic range,” Madden shares. Additionally, “Ontario just initiated the harmonized sales tax, so that’s been a struggle to deal with. Now eight percent of taxes is from labor costs. Couple that with the recession and all these other things going on in the economy and it’s a big hit for the construction sector in Ontario. But the seasonal cottage industry is still quite strong,” Maddens says thankfully. To overcome this challenge, Tamarack North is maintaining its reputation for high-quality work. This quality is aided through its in-house carpentry services and its close relationship with its subcontractors for tasks like electrical, plumbing and HVAC work. Managing these subtrades is an important aspect to the business. “You cut out the middle man,” Madden explains. “You establish loyalty and can hold them accountable for their work.”

Professional Qualities Madden was inspired at an early age by his father’s career as an engineer; he now has 27 years of experience in the construction industry. Through Madden’s guidance, Tamarack North offers an array of services to its clients. “It’s all about having professional engineering. That gives people more confidence in our management abilities to run large projects,” Madden explains. Tamarack North’s silent partner, BG Capital, provides some of the services for the company. This proven partnership is helpful for Tamarack while it is coordinating its 50 employees. These professionals include trained and accredited architectural designers, engineers, carpenters and craftsmen. Additionally, the company has its own group of licensed subtrades, like arborists, landscape designers and installers, plumbers, electricians, heating contractors, kitchen designers, interior decorators and stone masons as examples. With

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such

plethora

individuals,

Ontario For example, these subcontractor relations were particularly beneficial for a project at Skelton Bay Point. There, the company worked with Ventin Group Architects and interior designer Sloan Maurin. “We did the complete project management and physical build of the project, including the main cottage, boat house and all of the landscaping, including the waterfall and waterslide,” says Madden. “It was quite complicated civil engineering and mechanical engineering to do the slopes of the slides and fit them together on a small parcel of land. The total construction period was two years; it started in 2000 and the customer systematically gave us different phases of work to complete.” For jobs like the Skelton Bay Point, Madden looks to gross revenue and gross profit to judge how successful Tamarack North was in completing the project. Of course, work has slowed down since the economic decline. For now Madden does not see that changing. “Things look steady,” he says. “The new harmonized sales tax is challenging for the construction industry.” In the future, Madden hopes Tamarack North will grow through acquisitions and development. “We will diversify by creating building models. We will take our brand name that we’ve established over the last 20 years and make a different inventory of projects for sale instead of doing strictly custom

Ontario home buildings,” says Madden. “We will start from scratch, because every one of our projects was completely custom. This will launch in the fall of 2010.” As Tamarack North moves toward opening this new part of the business, it will continue expanding its pre-established reputation and ability to serve several sectors. With its band of professional engineers, Tamarack North Holdings will grow its business, working to realize a built environment that does justice to the gorgeous natural views and countryside surrounding these majestic projects. 

Shore Tilbe Perkins + Will Combining New Resources with Proven Experience Produced by Hanim Samara & Written by Molly Cohen In January of 2010, Ontario’s well-known recreation and education facilities designer Shore Tilbe Irwin merged with U.S. firm Perkins+Will to become Shore Tilbe Perkins+Will (STP+W), an architect powerhouse focusing on public buildings. “They were looking for a Toronto office, and we are based in Toronto and work from coast to coast, though the majority of our work is within 200 kilometers of the city,” says Andrew Frontini, one of the company’s principals. Frontini became an architect in 1991 and joined the firm in 2000. Five years later, he became a principal of the company. Frontini is very excited about his company’s recent merger with a company immersed in honoring both clients’ visions and social needs since 1935. “We have a specialization in sports and recreation, which was of value to [Perkins+Will],” he says. “We’re excited because they have strength in terms of marketing and reach, and we are 80 people now and can use that clout for accessing new markets through increasingly advanced project delivery.” Designing for Numerous Products One of STP+W’s first projects after the company officially merged focused on its philosophy of advancing how the world uses building within one of its long-standing niches. “We’re one of Ontario’s leading library architects,” Frontini says. The project mentioned was the Orillia Public Library and Market Square, an approximately 40,000 square feet and $17 million project located in Orillia, Ontario. For this project, STP+W served as the design architect and architect of record for the whole project,

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Ontario which included the library and overall design for the market square and library square. “In a community like Orillia, the Central Library acts as real centre of gravity, socially, so it makes sense to build the public realm around it,” Frontini explains. This new library took the place of the city’s old library, which now hosts a farmers’ market on Saturdays. The market’s approximately 70 farmers set up shop in a big parking lot behind the existing library and the opera house – a historic building that dates back to the 1900s, when it was used as a town hall and has since doubled as an entertainment venue. “The existing central library was technically obsolete and far too small to serve its community any longer. We’re rebuilding the library on the same site, but will use the library to frame a series of new urban public spaces,” says Frontini. “The idea is to accommodate parking for the library during the week, but during weekends it can be a farmers’ market or outdoor festival space. It also has a reading garden and library square that are more intimate and framed between the library and the historic building.” Another interesting aspect of this facility is its sustainable design. “We started for LEED Silver, but found more opportunities, so we are now targeting LEED Gold,” Frontini

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Ontario explains. The designs for this project began in the summer of 2008. Construction began in mid-2010 and will be finished in the late summer or fall of 2011. Spreading the Talent The client for this project is the city of Orillia, where STP+W has worked before. “Before this project, we did the design for the Orillia multiuse recreation facility, which was brought to the completion of contract documents. The construction did

Ontario not proceed, however, because of ongoing environmental assessments on the site,” Frontini shares.

come back to you, though it all goes through bid processes and RFP processes.”

Similar to its projects with Orillia, STP+W has plenty of experience working with municipalities. “We are fortunate enough to have repeat clients with municipalities – we’ve done two projects for the city of Barrie, we’ve done two projects for Whitby, and we’ve done four projects for the University of Toronto,” Frontini shares. “Sometimes it can be five years between projects, but they remember you and

One of STP+W most interesting projects, according to Frontini, was the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Center, located at the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus. This academic campus library was completed in 2007 and was the school’s first LEED buildings, receiving a LEED Silver certification. “It’s pretty innovative programmatically. It’s the first academic library to have all of its books in self-serve compact storage, so that the lightfilled perimeter spaces can be used for collaborative work and digital study,” Frontini explains. “It has won, and is still winning, many awards. We are very proud of this project – it’s a beautiful place to learn and study.”

With the Orillia Public Library and Market Square’s successful completion nearing, STP+W has yet another example of its expertise in applying social context and technological advancements, and will certainly get opportunities to use its increased scope to meet market sector and geographic expansion goals. Municipalities, schools and public spaces worldwide could certainly benefit from Shore Tilbe Perkins+Will’s reinforced design culture of understanding space functions, energy efficiency and aesthetically pleasing designs. 

With financially, socially and environmentally conscious library projects completed, STP+W looks forward to its next projects. “What was attractive about joining Perkins+Will was bringing what we do best – recreation sports, library and other public building types – to a broader office,” says Frontini. “We will collaborate with their other offices that do student centres, campuses, post secondary schools, and they will do the same when they have a need for specialists in recreation and sports.” STP+W is also planning to expand geographically. “We hope to do work stateside and overseas in the Middle East,” says Frontini. “In terms of market sectors, we hope to collaborate with their offices to do different kinds of projects in our neighborhoods like healthcare and science and technology.”

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Black and Moffatt Architects Inc. Designing Inspiring and Functional Communal Facilities Produced by Eric Gunn & Written by Molly Cohen Every community – whether it is defined as geographic or only philosophical – deserves its own, distinctive meeting facility. And it takes a certain type of person to understand and quickly absorb the views of a community to create that space. Luckily, Black and Moffat Architects Inc. (BMA) is southern Ontario’s answer to that need.

Located in Toronto, BMA was originally founded by Walter Moffat in 1987. Moffat is still a partner at the company, along with Marie Black, who joined the firm in 1990. Under the tutelage of these two experienced architects, BMA grew over the years to include architecture, planning and interior design services.

Maintaining Focus Since it was established, BMA’s has made its niche in the community, institutional and heritage sectors throughout southern Ontario. And its works have received more and more recognition. Recent accolades awarded to BMAassociated projects and their owners include the “Best of the Best” award from the Toronto Construction Association in 2006 and the Heritage Toronto Award of Excellence in 2007. To maintain its quality control, BMA keeps all of the architecture and interior design as in-house disciplines. This in-house capability is handled entirely by partners and senior staff.

of this project was to create a more open and accessible community centre. To accomplish these goals, the children’s playground was transplanted to the roof, giving it more space and security and a large, undulating wall on the second floor offers an area for children’s jackets and leads toward activity rooms reserved for the day care. Meanwhile, the reception desk was transferred to an area in the middle of the building’s main sections and the main entrance was moved to the main lower floor, creating a courtyard for visitors to use. With these successful and beneficial projects completed, Moffat plans to continue “doing satisfying work [that]

This level of personal focus helps with BMA’s ability to win requestsfor-proposals (RFPs). According to Moffat, this is because of his firm’s “foresight and attention to detail, which comes because of our size and because we’ve been doing this for so long.” Updating the Old Those recently won RFPs have resulted in some fantastic and much-appreciated projects. One such project was a restoration and renovation of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, which is located on Bloor Street. This project won Toronto Heritage’s Award of Excellence in the Architectural Conservation and Craftsmanship Category. The church was hoping for increased access, functionality, security and flexibility, and BMA met these needs by creating three connecting areas between the church’s original four buildings, including a new main entrance made entirely of glass. The renovations revealed some of the church’s original decorative façade, like stonework, wood truss ceilings and stained glass windows that were covered by earlier work done on the building. A similarly impressive upgrade project took place on the 20,000-square foot Central Neighbourhood House Community Centre and Day Care addition and renovation. The point

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Ontario projects such as those offer.” He hopes to continue with his firm’s traditional role in the institutional and heritage renovations, but plans to work more on “renovations, working on new buildings integrated with old.” Through Black and Moffat Architects’ efforts communities will have places of quality to meet and grow, improving life in southern Ontario. 

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Furlani’s Food Corporation Baking a Batch of Success Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Molly Cohen In 1984 Nadio Furlani founded Furlani’s Food Corporation, a manufacturer in Mississauga, Ontario, known for blending garlic with margarine and other basic ingredients and selling the spread in pails to the food service industry and retail customers. Around 1992, 75 percent of the company was purchased by Paul Kawaja, the owner and operator of Whyte’s Food Corp. Soon after this purchase, Furlani’s began providing bread products to its customers. These new products had the traditional garlic spread incorporated, so they were sold as a fully garnished product. “When they initially began to do it, the bread was being purchased from a local bakery, but fairly soon after they

began to bake the bread themselves. That was sort of the initial venture into the baking business, and now it’s a defining feature of the company,” says James Kawaja, Paul’s son and the company’s current operations manager. “Around 1993 my father purchased the last 25 percent of Furlani’s and is now the sole shareholder.” James joined the Furlani’s team in 1999. “I graduated from University of California, Berkeley, a couple years before that and did an internship in New York at an investment bank, then came to work here,” James explains. “I spent most of my summers during university working for my father. We’re very close, and I knew this was what I wanted to do.” James appreciates working with his father for a myriad of reasons. “My father is interested in growing the company and is willing to take risks as long as they are calculated. He’s pretty courageous in the amount of money he’s willing to put into the company to see it grow,” he asserts. “In his mind they aren’t risks at all, and I don’t see them as risks either; they’re calculated maneuvers. I think risks typically imply that the potential to lose is great, and I don’t think he ever saw it as that.”

Structuring for Internal Strength With the Kawaja family leading the charge, Furlani’s has experienced growth and innovation to maintain its position as a leader in the industry. “The baking portion of the company was significantly overhauled in 2000 when a new facility was built to take the company to an entirely different level. In my mind that was when the company as we know it started, because that really changed everything,” James reflects. “We opened up a 100,000-square foot facility, and now it’s more like 160,000. In the beginning we were at a 10,000-square foot facility, so it’s a pretty significant leap.” In this new facility, Furlani’s produces an array of products within the breadstick, garlic loaf, garlic toast and processed garlic categories. Building this facility to handle all of the manufacturing is one of James’ most interesting experiences at Furlani’s. “Assembly of this facility was a project that in no way paralleled anything we’d ever done. Building a bakery is quite hard; I don’t know any other way to put it. The amount of new technology that’s suddenly at your disposal … and when you understand how to properly implement the equipment it can give you quite an advantage over your competition, so you have to hit the books pretty hard and do a lot of studying.” Upon completion, Fulani’s fully automated, SQF- and HACCP-certified plant runs three shifts per day. “If you were to combine all the employees in an aggregate sense, there would be between 300 and 400, but closer to 400,” James reports. All of the employees are considered a key factor in Furlani’s success. “We have an incredibly dedicated and able staff. There are certainly people here that I would attribute a

lot of the success to. And we need these good people, as we manufacture substantially for private and branded labels.” These employee strengths contribute to Furlani’s in-house supply chain, which makes all of the company’s products. Furlani’s only subcontracts for packaging. Managing suppliers and vendors is an extremely important part of the business, however, especially when it comes to monitoring quality and price. When it comes to choosing a new company to do business with, “we like to visit their facility. We like to have as many probing, investigative discussions with some of their top employees as we can, and hopefully with the owners of the company. We also like to talk to people who have dealt with them in the past,” James reveals. “You always take a leap of faith if you’ve never ordered with someone before. So we don’t like to switch suppliers if we don’t have to.” Even with its valuable employees and trusted vendors and suppliers, Furlani’s has been facing industry-wide challenges. “The issue all bakeries faced in the past couple of years has been the fluctuation of flour price. We’ve seen it double over a full year’s period, which is a staggering obstacle for any bakery to overcome,” discloses James. “There are several ways to deal with it, though, like you can try to purchase futures, lock into prices for that.” Another challenge has been the currency rise. “The Canadian dollar approaching par with the United States’ dollar is making it extremely difficult for any exporter of manufactured goods in Canada to compete. Prior to this point in time we had significant advantage in our dollar being so low, but as it rises we see that dissolve. What we’ve

James and Paul are not the only Kawaja family members working together. His brother recently began working at Furlani’s and his sister is involved with White’s. “The family situation here has been very good. My siblings are hard workers and very able, while my father is the smart as they come, and I like being able to ask him questions and witness his maneuvering,” James shares. “Being in the business for 40 years has made him a seasoned pro. He was a professor for 10 years prior, so he’s no fool; he’s a very bright guy. He’s extremely funny too, so you get a lot of laughs out of him.”

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Ontario tried to do in order to compensate for that is develop more local business, Canadian-based business,” James shares. However, Furlani’s survived the economic drop much better than other companies might have. “We didn’t witness what I think a lot of other industries did, which was a decrease in demand from the consumer. What we’ve witnessed for the most part is the average consumer continuing to eat our foods. We were able to be somewhat more comfortable than a lot of manufacturers were,” James asserts. “Our commitment of growth and our tremendous sales production have been the backbone behind this company’s growth.” The Next Goals Sales and growth are based on the company’s ability to churn out new, useful products. “From product conception to the customer’s store is at most six months,” informs James. “Timing might only shift if new machinery is required to make it.” And Furlani’s hopes to “continue down the path we’ve always been on, which is to grow rapidly by developing capacity and customer. We’re an ambitious company and hope to continue developing new high-quality products made with the consistency customers prefer,” James states. “At the end

Saskatchewan of the day you’re left with two significant problems: One, to create an idea, and, two, to execute it. And it can be challenging to know what a customer would like to have that they don’t already and then to make it properly. Still, the growth of the company and growth of profit margins and happiness of the employees shows we’re on the right path. We’ve got a successful system, top-to-bottom. When things get done here, it’s never the result of something I’ve done; it’s the result of something we’ve done.” And, as Furlani’s continues to supply its current customers, “we’ll develop a strong relationship with them because we’ll continue to prove ourselves a worthwhile partner supplying them with new and exciting products,” shares James. In one to two years, he hopes “you’ll see a company with significantly higher revenue and a more solid customer base. The product will be coming out of a more sophisticated facility that reflects a lot of people’s hard work and study.” And James has every reason to feel confident, considering Furlani’s many years of success in the bakery industry. With its exemplary employees, approach to overcoming challenges and ambitious future business plans, Furlani’s Food Corporation will surely meet is growth goals and increase its niche enhancing the flavor of baked goods. 

Simpson Seeds Inc.

Expanding from a Traditional Farm to an International Distributer Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Molly Cohen Farming runs deep in Greg Simpson’s family. His grandparents were pioneers in the Saskatchewan farming industry and his father continued to grow the family farm, eventually establishing it in mostly grain production. However, as with many farms, the Simpsons felt their biggest problem was marketing. During his time at university Greg often contemplated how to improve the farm’s marketing plan to increase sales. After one particularly influential agriculture class, he took a risk and planted about 15 acres of yellow peas, a crop considered unusual at the time. The first harvest was successful, and the Simpsons continued to perfect its pulse crops – peas, chickpeas and lentils. However, every farm has an offseason, and it was not until Greg had graduated university and was working at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) when an opportunity presented itself to fill that downtime for the Simpson family. While at AAFC, Greg says he “gained a lot of experience in the area of pedigreed seeds, from inspecting the fields where the seed was growing at harvest time and watching the product be cleaned and processed for seed purposes through seed cleaning facilities. So [my father, brothers and I] decided to build a plant, called Simpson Seeds Inc., as a way to diversify our farm. It would keep you busy doing seeds in the winter, but once you were done cleaning the seed and distributing it in April for planting in May, what do you do with the facility? That was the big question.” It was during the plant planning process that Greg became acquainted with William Connelly, a district manager for United Grain Growth. Through this connection Simpson Seeds began working commercially on a tariff basis, producing one million pounds in its first year. “Today we’re doing over 130,000 metric tons per year. So we grew a little bit. We went from one plant to four facilities in Saskatchewan,” says Greg. As Simpson Seeds began working with more companies, it became harder to support all of their needs. “So then we said we can actually principle this grain and own it and take it all the way to the CIF markets ourselves. We started out one country at a time in the early ’90s, and now we’re in 70 nations worldwide,” says Greg. “It’s one of those steady growth stories where you don’t really realize the growth is

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Saskatchewan going on until you look back. We don’t spend a lot of time reminiscing, though; we spend time figuring out what the next step or move is and how we can grow the company and strengthen it and diversify it.” Rolling Out New Products Currently, Simpson Seeds has about 80 employees, with Greg as the company’s president and equal parts of the company ownership and responsibility shared with his two brothers. However, the company’s next step is handing over the reins of the company to the third generation of owners. “We’re G2, and G3 is how we refer to that next generation – there’re six of them we’re mentoring right now,” says Greg. But the transition may not be too hard, as G3 understands the family business and is already introducing new products to Simpson Seeds. In 2008 G3 began working on a new red lentil splitting facility that generates red split lentils. “What you do is take a lentil, take the skin off it [decorticate], you split it right in half, then polish that and ship that product. That’s very popular in the Middle East and Indian subcontinental diet, at home and abroad,” Greg explains. “We really enabled G3 to build that project. It had been on the horizon for years, we always knew it was there, but it was

just a question of timing. When G3 came along it was cool to see that particular vision for red lentil splitting actually executed through the next generation.” The red lentil splitting project is wholly operated and managed by G3 and is supported by Simpson Seeds expert staff. Greg and his brothers helped G3 with research and development and traveled globally with them to assist with design, “but when it came right down to it they had to make the thing run, had to market it, enhance it, they have to do everything you need to do to make it competitive. Really, it’s their baby, even though it’s still under our marketing brand,” says Greg.

we did decide to control every level of the supply chain. By having a farm that is well-connected to the latest in research and development of new varieties, our farm was able to bring in all the things that make us better in terms of as a

In addition to the new red lentil products, Simpson Seeds is introducing another new product. “We were able to win the tender for an exclusive marketing of a Spanish brown lentil. So that’s a new variety we’re rolling out into commercial production as a brand new 2010 product,” Greg shares. Despite these new products and promising next generation of company leaders, Simpson Seeds has faced many challenges over the years. For example, the company’s biggest risk is unpredictable weather. “I can point you to the drought of 1988 and the frost of August 2004. Those are two significant years where we had to cope with significant disappointment in terms of crop,” Greg remembers. In tough times, Greg says there’s nothing to do but work a lot of hours on your own. “I recall working weeks on end without holidays or breaks or wages, just to keep the thing alive until you pick up momentum.” The company’s most recent setback was the onset of the recession. “Trillions of dollars disappeared off the global market, and we deal with capital markets by the millions. All of a sudden major banks in the U.S. go south and stock markets crash and commodity volumes drop over night,” Greg says. “Surviving that was day-by-day, because you didn’t know which account was going to turn bad on you, and thankfully we had more good accounts than bad accounts and had ourselves in a situation where we had our debts managed.” Building off Reputation Simpson Seeds was able to survive the recession in large part to its management of the company’s supply chain, all of which is handled in-house. “We were mavericks, because

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Fresh Direct Foods Ltd.

Bringing Innovation and Local Produce to Canada’s Food Retailers Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Molly Cohen

supplier of lentils in the international plane,” Greg explains. This process creates a synergy between Simpson Seeds and its clients. By using the newest and best technology, Simpson Seeds offers higher quality, higher yielding that are pure to varieties and have no mixed classes. “Managing this process is all about the quality you’re able to institute – policies and systems and structures that enable you to reliably and consistently turn out a product that is some of the best in the world,” says Greg. Simpson Seeds is so sure of its process the company is prepared to put its name on its product bags. “Ask anybody that understands anything about honor, especially in Asian and Middle East markets, they just see that bag carries our name, so as a result it has earned us a lot of kudos or respect in the marketplace and our brand is sought after highly, because they just know we’re not going to try to jeopardize the integrity of the product in that shipment,” says Greg. Based on its reputation for high-quality products, Simpson Seeds’ future plans include “continuing to get better at what we do, looking at our facilities and continuing to modernize them, just increasing our storage and improving delivery capability for farmers, and continuing to diversify our base of lentil varieties,” Greg shares. “We feel there is enough space in the lentil market and we want to continue to occupy that space and drive through new technologies.” This focus on technology may revolutionize the way Simpson Seeds works. “At some point we’d like to have a robotics system come in that just enables us to increase more volume and bring more consistency to our shipping line. We

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had a spurt there in 2007 to 2008 when you could hardly find people to work, and robotics is possibly an answer to that,” says Greg. “And we’re building a new office, gaining efficiency by amalgamating two offices into one.” These technological advancements and new office will position Simpson Seeds to maintain its position in Canada’s burgeoning economic opportunities. “I think if you take a look at the richness of this nation, the vastness of this nation, we’re really resource rich, richer than you think. And I think because of that we’re poised and positioned very well and can really have a huge impact on the globe in terms of what we do in every sector – agriculture, forestry, mining, oil and gas. We have extremely capable people and have the potential to turn out very innovative stuff,” Greg projects. Greg realizes his view may be more optimistic than others’, but he is a firm supporter of his community. “Particularly being here in Saskatchewan, we have a great province and I think that it’s going to be positioned well as we get through the time of economic challenge and difficulty. I think that in time we will start to see recovery internationally and the first place that you see an impact when you have global growth is resource rich countries and Canada is one of them,” Greg foresees. Between Greg’s hopeful view of Canada’s future and the company’s position as a major supplier in the pulse crop industry, Simpson Seeds has established a multifaceted business model that will enjoy continued growth throughout both geographical regions and new products. 

Ron Lemiski joined the food industry around 1970 as a chef working for restaurants, hotels and institutions. He eventually moved into the food distributing industry, working for many of Canada’s most well-known companies. “Then I had the opportunity to go out on my own, and I’ve been doing this for 10 years,” he says. Having experiences every avenue of the food industry, Lemiski integrated his experiences to the advantage of Fresh Direct Foods Ltd., a food-processing company where Lemiski started as a partner, but after eight months he assumed the role of single owner and company president. Fresh Direct’s roots, however, date back to 1999 when the company started in restaurant supplies, and the company has supplied peeled produce to save time for chefs. Through its work with the Calgary Co-op, Fresh Direct began redirecting, and by 2004 it had repositioned itself as a supplier to food retailers. Fresh Direct now creates vegetable plates, fruit bowls, stir-fry’ blends, and other prepared fruits and vegetables and supplies them to a selection of Canada’s grocery stores. Following the success with the Calgary Co-Op, Fresh Direct began working with Sobeys, Costco, Walmart and Canada Safeway. “You can see how it evolved over the years. We’re basically specialized in the retail industry now. In the early 2000s, husbands and wives were both working, so it was easier for them to pick up fruit and veggie bowls and stir-fry mixes in the market on their way home,” explains Lemiski. “The ease of making a particular dinner is how this niche

started in the U.S. in the late ’90s. It picked up in Canada three- to five-years later.” Support from Country Brethren What really sets Fresh Direct apart from its competitors is its loyalty to Canada. “We’re a local processor; whereas a lot of the industry processing is done stateside and shipped here. Our local processing, however, results in a difference of three days of trucking, so with us you can get the freshness aspect of it. And, being local, some people will support a Canadian company versus an American company, so that’s how it started off,” says Lemiski.

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Alberta For all of his projects – whether it’s managing Fresh Direct or challenges. “The economy has stalled some things … there’s merely cooking dinner – Lemiski consider three important a lot less people with jobs and money to spend … but we’ve components: the ingredients available, their source and what maintained our levels and sales. There is very little help tools/personnel are available. With a strong emphasis on from banks or the government, no grants available, so we’re employees, it’s no surprise Lemiski’s family members work self-funded, which is always a challenge,” Lemiski shares. To at Fresh Direct as well. “My wife overcome these challenges, Lemiski and son work here and my daughter says, “you have to cut down on some was involved for nine years,” he things; we now have machines and shares. Including Lemiski’s family, equipment to automate some of the “We’re a local processor; while a lot of Fresh Direct has 70 employees at jobs.” its 16,000-square foot location in the processing is done stateside and Alberta, Calgary. “Originally we Constant Improvements were in a smaller location – 5,000 shipped here, our difference is three square feet – but we moved in 2005,” Using its tools and personnel, Lemiski informs. Fresh Direct keeps all of its tasks days of trucking, so with us you can get in-house, including packaging. From this larger location, Fresh Working with vendors has also been the freshness aspect of it. Being local, Direct is now serving Alberta, an important part of the company’s some people will support a Canadian Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The stability. Fresh Direct’s vendors are company’s annual revenue is about all carefully selected. “We have to company versus an American company, $9 million. “Our sales traditionally be comfortable they can supply us grow about a million dollars each with all our needs and understand so that’s how it started off," says year,” indicates Lemiski. that if we receive an order today, it is cut and processed today and arrives President Ron Lemiski Despite this steady growth, Fresh at the store tomorrow. It could be Direct has had several recent an order of 43 or 143 trays per day,

Alberta so we need suppliers who can meet our demands,” Lemiski clarifies. “We do not make a single item that isn’t already sold. What is ordered this morning is delivered tomorrow, and nothing is cut beforehand.” To ensure efficient and timely deliveries, Fresh Direct maintains its own vehicle fleet in addition to utilizing external trucking services. These trucking services will be handy as Fresh Direct unleashes its new product. “We’re working on something right now – a fresh salad program – as an area to expand. Instead of a bagged salad, ours will be in bowl where you take it home and all the ingredients will be there and you can make a great Caesar salad every time. We will have a number of new product lines in the future,” Lemiski explains.

Still, Lemiski has the ambition to grow the company even in a challenging economic climate. With the company’s largescale offerings, its loyal customers and Lemiski’s ability to innovate product lines, Fresh Direct Foods Ltd. is poised to continue expanding its market share throughout Canada. 

These new salad lines grow Fresh Direct’s history of innovative introductions. Lemiski’s favorite product was known as Applelicious. “It’s sliced apples with a caramel dip launched in 2002. It was one of the company’s key products that kick-started things into retail. We still provide it today in a to-go cup,” he recounts. Beyond the salad products, Fresh Direct is also introducing easily microwavable potatoes and other corn snack product. Thinking up these new products still keeps Lemiski awake at night. “I only sleep in stages. I’m always thinking, ‘What is the next niche, next thing to do that someone else isn’t doing?’ We have to be innovative and come up with the next great thing,” he emphasizes. Creating new products in a weakened economy is not easy, especially since Lemiski does not expect the economy to get much better. “The government says things are getting better, but as a businessman I see stability, just not growth. Being a small business you look at the smaller details and things are tough for everybody – whether it’s the guy who picks up your garbage or the guy at the bank. And the government doesn’t help us – they’re always giving handouts and grants to people who don’t need them, but they’re not supporting the industry,” states Lemiski. Lemiski adds, “I notice our newspaper gets thinner all the time and the classifieds have nothing. It’s an indicator things aren’t improving as well as they say we are.” Trying to grow in this economic state is an ambitious goal. “You want positive growth all the time, but it can be frustrating if you don’t get help,” says Lemiski.

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Permolex

Creating Profit from Grain Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Molly Cohen

At the end of the production process Permolex has created numerous products including bakery flour, vital wheat gluten, fuel grade ethanol and livestock feed. The process can also make higher protein vital wheat gluten and varying grades of ethanol. Any leftover byproducts can be used for additional purposes. Subhed- Products

In 2002, a group of individuals, including Doug Mackenzie, saw an opportunity to purchase a grain procession plant from the courts. “We repositioned the whole marketing plan, quality control, expansion, risk assessment and environmental focus,” Mackenzie says. The goal of this project was to create a Red Deer, Alberta, plant called Permolex Ltd. This plant uses grains in innovative ways. “Grain can be turned into anything. Use high protein grains for breads, fuel and animal feeds. We are actually creating a value added return,” Mackenzie says. Subhed Permolex Ltd. is a division of Permolex International L.P. At the international level, Permolex is acknowledged as a

bio-fuel producer, with an emphasis on ethanol. The Alberta location, where Mackenzie is president and CEO, has a diverse grain fractionation facility, the largest of its kind on the continent. Starting with feed grade wheat, Permolex’s 55 employees use cutting-edge technologies to make the most of integrating three usually independent processes. These processes mimic those of a flour mill, gluten plant and ethanol facility. Permolex’s system uses the by-products of one process as feedstock for another process.

The company’s first ethanol plant was completed in 1998. At that point Permolex began using the wet mill process to create its high quality fuel grade ethanol. Ethanol is an important product in today’s industry because of its ability to reduce green house gas emissions when added to gasoline. Thus, Permolex’s ethanol is used as a gasoline additive.

To make the overall system successful, Permolex uses only the best, top-notch milling and processing equipment. It combines technology in use in the United States and throughout Europe. To assist the process, Permolex incorporated another plant to create the electricity and steam necessary for the multiple processes.

The ethanol process leaves behind a by-product, stillage. Stillage comes from the fermentation process in which wheat starch is a raw material. Since it is high in protein, stillage is used as a source of livestock feed. Stillage is made of protein, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sodium. Permolex’s stillage is often sold to local feed lots and hog farms. Another by-product from the ethanol production process is wet distiller’s grain. It originates the same way stillage doesfrom the wheat starch in the fermentation process. However, wet distiller’s grain is used mostly in the beef industry as a feed additive thanks to its high energy and medium protein levels. Millfeed is another useful Permolex product. Millfeed is technically a byproduct from flour mills. But, it is a great supplement in animal feed. To make millfeed, bran is removed from the wheat kernel. Permolex’s millfeed is sold in bulk to local feed mills. Its millfeed contains proteins, fats, fiber and digestible energy. These ingredients are essential for animal maintenance and growth. 

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Stawnichy’s Holdings Ltd.

Creating Community through Quality Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Molly Cohen Stawnichy’s Holdings Ltd. is the parent company for Stawnichy’s Meat Processing, Mundare Sausage House and Uncle Ed’s Restaurant, and the group where Justin Barbour was an advisor for founder Edward “Ed” Stawnichy. Barbour was also Stawnichy’s personal friend, so when Stawnichy was having trouble finding a general manager for his company “he asked me to come in and help him out in the interim, and that was several years ago,” Barbour says. Barbour took this position on, in addition to his accounting firm located in Edmonton, Alberta. But working for Stawnichy’s Holdings is an honor for Barbour; the company’s processing plant and deli counter are a staple of the town of Mundare, Alberta, and the brand has a long history there. The company dates back to about 1959 when Stawnichy’s parents, Woytko and Ann, started a small grocery and confectionary store that included a small sausage smoker. Stawnichy joined the business in 1965 and took it over completely in 1971.

Then, in 1979, Stawnichy sold the grocery store and built a plant dedicated to meat processing. The company has gone through a number of expansions and changes over the years, including the 1986 opening of the Mundare Sausage House and Uncle Ed’s Restaurant in Edmonton. In 1988 Stawnichy’s daughters, Cheryl Zeleny and Colette Hennig, became shareholders of the company. In 2006 the deli/restaurant moved to a new building in Edmonton, and Stawnichy’s Holdings now employs about 60 people among its locations. That number includes Zeleny, who is now the manager in Mundare; Hennig, who manages the deli and restaurant in Edmonton; and Jeanette, Stawnichy’s wife, who is an active figure at the company and continues to work there every day.

In addition to these personnel losses, the company dealt with minor economic challenges. The company has had to respond to fluctuations in the price of pork for the last few years, but has not felt a great impact from that, Barbour reports, “We’re impacted by the economy a little bit like everyone else is, but we’ve never had excessive pricing or done price adjustments every year. Customers are dedicated to our product, and I think we treat them fairly. They’re getting a quality product with good ingredients. There have been challenges with the market, but nothing we can’t overcome.” Because of the consistency of ingredients, the company’s products do not change from year to year. To maintain this consistency, Stawnichy’s relies on several vendors for its products. “We buy raw meat from Maple Leaf Foods and from Sturgeon Valley Pork, a consortium of Alberta producers,” says Barbour. “Our relationship with Sturgeon Valley is one of our newest ones, and it was formed in the interest of supporting local producers. Sturgeon provides topquality meats, and the money stays local.” As for packaging materials and casings, “We’ve dealt with the same suppliers for 20, 30, 40 years. You build a relationship and know what they want and treat them fairly,” Barbour says.

Alberta’s Best Kept Secret This family dedication is part of the company’s niche. The recipe for the sausage was created by Woytko and Ann and has since been passed through family members; currently only one person knows the recipe. In addition to its sausages, which began with traditional Ukrainian styles, the company makes pepperoni, luncheon meats, sausage patties, homemade-style perogies, cabbage rolls, perishke, crepes and soups. In addition to its retail locations, Stawnichy’s Meat Processing sells to retailers and can ship anywhere in Alberta. Despite its long history and dedicated customers, the company has faced several major challenges in the past year. Barbour reports that, sadly, Edward passed away in 2009. Stawnichy had been an important figure in the community, having even served as mayor of Mundare for several years. Compounding the loss, the company’s plant manager died about three weeks after Stawnichy’s passing. Losing two leaders within one year was a major personal and professional difficulty for the Stawnichy’s Holdings family.

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When picking suppliers and vendors, Stawnichy’s Holdings looks for more than fair pricing. “The biggest thing is quality of the meat cuts we get. We want it to be top notch. Other ingredients are added to it, but if it’s not good, the finished product won’t be good. One of the best things about Sturgeon Valley is that it’s only an hour north from here, so the meat they supply us with is very fresh,” Barbour shares.

hospitals and senior centers to use,” Barbour says. “Now we hold an annual golf tournament and raise money and give scholarships to surrounding high schools. That was one of the things Ed has done over the years that will carry on in his absence.”

Given what the company has done for the community, and with so many previous years of business, there are few worries that keep Barbour awake at night. He notes, “Most of the staff has been here a long time, and people know their jobs.” Even the economic situation does not give Barbour much concern. “Overall it’s not really that bad. If you went industry-by-industry you can pick out pockets that aren’t great, such as the oil and gas industry. Overall, I wouldn’t think Canada is in a bad place. People here are fairly responsible with their consumerism compared to neighbors in the south. Most people are doing OK and just working, working, working,” he says.

Managing the company’s supply chain is a relatively easy process, since the company has been around for so long. “We don’t actually have to make a lot of demands of our suppliers. We’re probably one of the biggest consumers of raw pork in western Canada, so we don’t have to micromanage suppliers. They know what our expectations are and the level of quality that we expect, and they’re good at maintaining that standard,” says Barbour.

Continuing the Heritage With its supplies in place, Stawnichy’s Holdings is focusing on some new projects. Currently the company is celebrating its 50th anniversary. In anticipation of this great event, the company spent the spring and winter of 2009 undergoing a makeover of Stawnichy’s meat processing plant. “We did an overhaul of the front end. We updated the floor, walls and lighting and painted the retail front of the plant,” Barbour explains.

Due to the company’s longstanding success, the leadership of Stawnichy’s Holdings is contemplating possible future growth plans. “We may at some point address another facility to sell to other provinces. The topic has certainly been discussed, though there are no definite plans,” Barbour says. “It’s a family-run business and has been for a long time, so there’s not that driving need to expand and make life more complicated.” With its family support, perfected recipes and loyal customers, Stawnichy’s Holdings will be a muchloved company for many more years, continuing and strengthening the legacy expanded from Woytko, Ann and Ed’s entrepreneurial beginnings. 

This upgrade has been one of Barbour’s most interesting projects at the company. “It was a challenge to do that remodeling when we were still open, working around construction all the time,” he says. Another memorable project for Stawnichy’s Holdings was in 2001 when Stawnichy began the Edward E. Stawnichy Charitable Foundation. “The foundation was originally started to fund a 42-foot steel replica of a sausage in a local park. From there, Ed went on to supply a bus for

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Alberta Planning for Future Opportunities

Dimax Developments Inc.

Not all of the company’s clients are willing to get involved with the green trend. “But if they’re of the mindset they want to help the environment anyway, those are the ones that are purchasing in the current development,” Diane states. “And it will save money in the long run and return the money back when you sell it, because I think eventually people will be going more and more to that.”

Combining Industry Expertise for Building Options Produced by Mike Armstrong & Written by Molly Cohen In 2000 Diane Alstad-Garrison ended her career as a probation officer to begin working in the home building industry with her husband, Terry Garrison. “We initially had two companies, one each, and amalgamated them into one this past year. We combined the land development and building companies, because it was easier to manage it all together,” she shares.

Some buyers may have heard about green project tax credit programs, though these specific buildings don’t meet those criteria. Still, the lack of tax incentive has not proven to be a business-slowing issue. Dimax did face other concerns in the past year, however. “We did have a big challenge when the economy turned, because we were doing a project in Grand Prairie and ended up keeping the properties ourselves. We’re hoping when the economy comes back we’ll be able to sell them,” Diane explains “When we started up there people were crying for places to live. They were actually camping in tents. We started building just at the top of the market.”

Terry had owned and operated Nova Homes for 10 years before joining his company with his wife’s. Now operating under the title Dimax Developments Inc. (Dimax), Diane adds her sales abilities and experience as a Remax Agent with her husband’s background in mortgage financing. Together they work mostly on condominium projects. “We’ll buy land, develop it and build the units,” states Diane. “We’ll do an occasional house for a friend, but we haven’t done one for about five years.” Building a Niche Dimax, headquartered in Lethbridge, Alberta, is known to specialize in alternate living choices. Dimax’s joint owners produce annual revenue of about $10 million. Much of the income is a direct result of the company’s eye-catching high-quality extras. “We finish our units very nicely. We use large baseboards, crown molding around doors and upgraded doors. There is no up-charge, what you see is what you get,” Diane explains. Dimax use a select group of subcontracts for projects. The company always compares cost, keeping watch for a better deal. “Our foreman is constantly getting quotes, because even if we don’t change suppliers or contractors we can say, ‘Well, I can get it so much cheaper over here,’ and usually people are willing to negotiate,” Diane explains. When choosing a subcontractor, Dimax focuses on choosing both the best price and the best service. “We like flexible trades, because we’ll give them leeway if we’re not pushed and they need to go back and forth to another job, and then if we’re pushed to get a unit done we expect them to help us out with extra effort,” Diane shares. In this way the benefit is to both the owners and subcontractors, who always have an extra level of commitment to their respective needs.

Lethbridge neighbourhood. “This is a Built Green Canada condominium project within that subdivision,” explains Diane, who is proud to support the industry-driven green building program. For Lethbridge Dimax is participating in Built Green Canada at the highest green level, the Gold standard, which pays buyers the highest return for the purchase. “The city has really maximized parks, streams, ponds and watershed just to make it pleasing. Using the resources available, they have added solar lighting around the lake. It’s unique for southern Alberta for sure,” Diane shares. “We’re about halfway built on it. The sales are good. And I think it’s our location, the layout, site plans and functionality of the units that have been beneficial.”

Lethbridge is a competitive area; “there are a good number of builders here,” Diane says. “I don’t worry too much about the business, though; it’s going to come or it won’t.” And Dimax’s future investments are looking up, as Diane believes the economy is improving. “I see things getting better; even in the last month the market has picked up a lot.” With that hope, Dimax’s owners are making plans for the future. “We’ll just do a couple more projects and then we’ll probably be retiring or passing it on to our child,” Diane forecasts. The economic up-turn paired with Dimax Developments Inc.’s participation in Built Green Canada projects paint a bright picture for future business. When Diane and Terry decide to retire, it will be with a legacy firmly established for the next generation. 

The level of green a project can reach is measured by the Built Green Canada’s guidelines and criteria regarding where products come from, what type of products are used and energy efficiency. Incorporating these aspects into the project has made it one of the most interesting ones Diane remembers. “It is a little bit of a challenge, trying to keep up with the times, but it’s been worth it,” she admits.

Dimax has completed several projects in Lethbridge and one in Grand Prairie, Alberta. The company is currently working on a 75-unit project in a

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Vic Van Isle Construction Ltd. Creatively Designed Construction Solutions Produced by Victor Martins & Written by Molly Cohen British Columbia’s Vic Van Isle Group was founded in 1983 (from former employees of Revelstoke Construction) and is now owned by five shareholders. The group’s president, Lewis Hendrickson, learned the construction business from the ground up, starting as a laborer and holding almost every job in the industry. He oversees the group’s components: Glacier Building Supplies Ltd. and that company’s subsidiary, plus Vic Van Isle Construction Ltd. (VVIC) and Lortap Inc., a high-end millwork manufacturer. VVIC, a general contractor, builder and manufacturing company, works throughout British Columbia out of its main branch in Revelstoke, plus additional offices in Kelowna,

Vernon, Salmon Arm, Invermere and Tofino. The company has annual revenue of $40 million. Bruce Walker, one of VVIC’s engineers and its vice president, is the manager of the Kelowna branch. He also leads the company’s design-build operation. “We specialize in different types of construction in remote locations,” he explains. VVIC focuses on institutional buildings and high-end ski resorts, many of which are located on snowy mountaintops and difficult-to-access locations. Thus, VVIC developed “different types of construction practices for remote locations,” Walker says.

using local materials, including stones quarried on-site and timber from surrounding forests. Much of the lodge’s metal décor, like the chandelier and bar front, come from salvaged metal found at nearby Kinbasket Lake. The lodge’s amenities include a rooftop whirlpool, sauna, steam and massage facilities, business centre, ski shop, drying room and guide centre. The structure itself is an environmentally friendly building. The lodge’s design includes energy-efficient heating and ventilating, enhanced insulation and sewage handling with low-water consumption fixtures.

relying on external utilities, even during Canadian winter weather.

Both of these CMH locales were built under the typical difficult conditions in those areas. To battle weather conditions and obstructed access issues, VVIC adhered to a specific schedule and unmatched design and construction approaches to allow these lodges the luxury of operating for long periods of time without

These practices pair well with VVIC’s in-house capabilities and engineers. VVIC is experienced in development coordination, design-build, turnkey, civil construction and logistics management. VVIC has used these practices on schools, hospitals, colleges and private sector work. It is well known for its resort development and sports facilities. Due to its sought-after specialties, VVIC is usually awarded work through established relationships with clients, consultants and developers. Building Luxury in Remote Locations In the last couple of years, VVIC has completed several notable mountain hotels, resorts and lodges. For repeat customer Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH), VVIC built two different guest locations. One, the Columbia Mountain Facilities, serves the heli-ski industry from its 11 reserved ski areas, resulting in 22,000 square kilometers of skiing space on British Columbia’s Columbia Mountains. At this location VVIC built traditional alpine lodges in addition to modern hotels; both choices offer easy access to the surrounding areas. Another guest location VVIC built for CMH is the Monashee Lodge, completed in 2003. The Monashee Lodge, located on Mica Creek 150 kilometers north of Revelstoke, is geared toward tree-skiing enthusiasts. Thus, the lodge is in a remote, forested area and is designed to mesh with the environment

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British Columbia In addition to its CMH projects, VVIC has worked on numerous other lodges. At Kelowna’s Big White Ski Resort, VVIC built Black Bear, a set of accommodations for the

British Columbia second largest ski area in British Columbia. These 14 highend townhomes are the second of five phases for this development. The townhomes are all built with timber frames using Douglas firs in construction, and they incorporate natural wood into trims and cabinetry. This design scheme gives the townhomes a rustic and traditional look to match the area’s landscape. Similarly, VVIC built Albreda Lodge in Gosnell, British Columbia, with cozy yet sophisticated designs to match the natural environment around the lodge. Surrounded by the Cariboo and Monashee Mountains, this lodge is reserved for Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing patrons, giving them quick access to the largest mountain in the area, Mt. Albreda. Using recycled and natural materials like hand wrought iron, twig furniture, bone, bark and animal pelts, the lodge is built in a 400-year-old European chalet style and incorporates the use of reclaimed timber. It also uses cutting-edge

technologies for its heating and cooling systems, fire and safety programs, domestic utilities, building management and snow monitoring, making it the first self-sufficient wilderness resort of this operation. The site includes a hot tub, sauna, spa and three-storey climbing wall. VVIC also completed 100 Peaks Summit in 2006 for Intrawest’s resort village, Panorama BC. This newest addition is located within minutes of many of British Columbia’s best outdoor sporting activities, including skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, mountain biking, white water rafting and horseback riding. The building, designed with cedar siding and stone accents, has an on-site outdoor skating rink, hot tub and fire pit for visitors to enjoy. The suites’ internal designs have knotty alder kitchen cabinets matched with Italian tiling, pine furniture and quirky gas fireplaces. In Revelstoke, VVIC completed the Hillcrest Resort Hotel in 1999. Located between the Selkirk and Monashee mountains, this lodge is the base of operations for Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing and offers 75 upscale hotel rooms. VVIC began construction on the resort in September, and although the company faced challenges from typical Revelstoke winters, construction took only nine months thanks to VVIC’s distinctive building approach and cooperation. Once completed, the timber-framed, traditionally designed ski lodge offered its patrons a full-service dining room, fireplace lounge, spa, helipad and equipment and training facilities. In Golden, British Columbia, lies Glacier Lodge, a 2004 addition to the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. This is the first of seven new hotels planned on the Purcell Mountains, near ski lift facilities. The Lodge is part of a master-planned village completed with restaurants, lounges and shops selling local crafts, gear and adventure services. The lodge has 56 suites; the large units measure nearly 1,400 square feet and are customized by their owners. The timber-framed structures also feature natural granites, river rock and wood shingles. Amenities include underground parking, unit storage, ski and bike lockers, boot and glove dryers, laundry and a spa and fitness centre with an outdoor hot tub. Improving Communities While these projects are useful for visitors to the area, VVIC is also very active designing and building facilities for British Columbia’s communities. For example, VVIC worked on numerous community health projects, including additions and renovations

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in areas like Williams Lake, Kamloops, Salmon Arm, New Denver, Revelstoke, Vernon and Kelowna, and has also created congregate care facilities for Osoyoos, Kelowna,

British Columbia

Moberly Lake and Salmon Arm. VVIC is also dedicated to the design and construction of private clinic facilities and assisted living centers.

lighting control rooms, a video recording and production studio and visual arts studios. Other amenities include space for the culinary arts and a fitness centre.

Additionally, VVIC worked to elevate some of Surrey’s growth demand challenges by participating on the Fleetwood Community Centre. This facility has an entire exercise and weight floor, restaurant and lounge. The centre also has an impressive aquatics center featuring a 50-meter pool for competitive swimming and a community pool for local residents. This facility is fitted with a moveable pool floor and bulkheads that allow several aquatic programs to take place simultaneously. In addition to the aquatics facility, the new centre has twin ice arenas, one for junior programs and the other for adult users.

On the commercial side of the business, VVIC did a renovation of Royal Volkswagen’s existing facility in Vernon. This project included rebuilding all public areas to meet the strict marketplace standards while adhering to a modest budget. The renovation was completed in an unprecedented 58 days of construction during winter months, thanks to cooperation between VVIC and Volkswagen Canada.

VVIC has also completed several projects for Salmon Arm. In 2006 it completed an addition to the Salmon Arm Municipal Hall and Courthouse Facility. The original office, built in 1908, was beginning to get cramped; now each of the building’s functions has separate wings connected by a large public space, central atrium and civic plaza. The facility also has a council chamber for the mayor and council as well as two courtrooms. A roof garden and patio help the building to blend into its neighbourhood, while its energy-efficient lighting and electrical devices and geothermal heating make it an eco-friendly facility. Not too far from this new facility, VVIC built a new Salmon Arm Senior Secondary School, commissioned to replace a previous out-dated facility. When building this new school, VVIC used community consultation to create a space that would meet the community’s needs. It now has a large emphasis on the fine arts and features a theatre, sound and

VVIC also built the Revelstoke Railway Museum, completed in 1993. The museum pays respects to the Canadian Pacific Railway and the influence it had on the Revelstoke/Arrow. VVIC built the museum in the style of a backstop, a facility where trains were repaired. The company also built a reproduction of a 1950s-style waiting room. The museum features a full-sized snow shed and railway tunnel models and houses a rare Midao P-2k Class locomotive and a 29 River Humber business car. From its endless list of interesting completed projects, it is clear that VVIC is an expert at design-build and is well respected in British Columbia’s construction industry. With its ability to build in obscured locations and under harsh conditions, Vic Van Isle Construction Ltd. is the top choice for a tricky or remote construction project, and the company displays the skills and creativity needed to continue as a frontrunner in its industry. 

Thompson Valley Erectors Ltd.

Offering a Multitude of Supportive Skills Produced by TaMeka Marshall & Written by Molly Cohen Thompson Valley Erectors Ltd. (TVE) is a young company, founded in 2005, but it has already diversified its services based on its extensive skills in steel, as well as mechanical work. Focusing on the mining, pulp mill and oil refinery sectors, TVE offers equipment installation, pipe installation, structural steel erection, mill maintenance and the commissioning of industrial processing plants throughout western Canada. Grant Toutant, the company’s founder and president has “… been in the industry for 30 years … too long … but I’m still having fun, so it’s OK,” he jokes. Toutant has two partners: Wayne Welsh, the general manager, and Grant Rerick, the company’s vice president. They have just marked their fifth year of steadily increasing business, which has both given them a reason to celebrate and a reason not to. “We’ve been too busy to celebrate!” Toutant says.

TVE attempts to keep a similarly consistent vendor list for purchasing materials on a regular basis. “Sometimes we will change, based on location, but we try to stay with a larger, local group if we can,” says Toutant. And choosing vendors is not a tough process, as the decision is based on a vendor’s “track record from previous experiences,” according to Toutant. Taking into account all these factors, TVE has annual revenue that is respectable, and see yearly increases for the future, explains Toutant.

Self-Performance Strengths TVE works from Vancouver, British Columbia, all the way to the East Coast. Its main office is in Kamloops, in central British Columbia, but it also has a second office in Prince George in northern British Columbia. Between these two locations TVE can have anywhere from 10 to 300 employees, depending on the job. We have no problem running several projects at one time. But “our average number is about 50,” says Toutant. Regardless of numbers, TVE keeps its tradesmen inhouse. “Sometimes we deal with subcontractors, but this next phase that we’re growing to, we are now able to selfperform everything from low voltage to high voltage to communication, concrete steel, piping and mechanical,” Toutant explains.

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Steeling for the Future It is clear from this impressive goal that TVE has been able to overcome the economic challenges facing the construction industry. “We’re very fortunate because we are busy, run a very clean company and don’t owe a bunch of money, so we were able to survive it quite easily,” Toutant explains. One of the company’s current projects is the expansion of the Gibraltar mines for the Taseko Mines Limited. This site includes the installation of new equipment, the erection of

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British Columbia In the meantime, TVE plans to spend the next couple of years “… playing a larger role in the mining industry in British Columbia and throughout North America,” says Toutant, who also shares that the company has an opportunity to go out of the country, assuming the economic situation allows. “I think it’s still relatively volatile, you need to be cautious for sure. For us, fortunately, out of all the nations, Canada seems to be rebounding from this difficult time the best and

a new building and the installation of a cleaner cell system. “We’ve been there for three years,” says Toutant, who explains TVE is responsible for “… the mechanical work in general. There’s a few other smaller contractors that do dirt work and miscellaneous.”

so we see growth here more than we do elsewhere and we’re kind of in a safe place to be growing,” Toutant explains. As the company gears up to reach its goals, Thompson Valley Erectors will make use of Canada’s opportunities for growth, as well as its internal strengths, to continue updating all its projects through safety, precision and technology. 

While the Gibraltar mines have been a great project for TVE, Toutant lists a different project as the most interesting. “We suspended a heritage building in downtown British Columbia two years ago,” he says. For this project TVE had to suspend the structure from a 70-ton overhead truss system, while simultaneously another contractor was digging 75 feet below the building. Once completed the entire building weighed well over 700 tons. To judge how successfully it completes such a project, TVE relies on several key performance indicators. For example, Toutant looks for “return business, our same clients recommending us to other clients, [in addition to] staying focused on our safety, quality of workmanship and service.” Based on these standards, TVE has a plan in place for future growth. “Our plans of growth are to expand to a multimillion dollar company, and we believe it is in our path. There’s another very large, project in central British Columbia that we’re in line to go and be part of, so we might hit our target then,” Toutant shares.

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British Columbia we have a mixed oil product with DHA that comes from higher up the food chain and doesn’t damage the ocean. It’s called Udo’s Oil DHA Blend and is the ultimate oil blend for the human body,” Greither insists.

Flora Manufacturing and Distributing Ltd.

Providing the World with Natural Remedies Produced by Sean Barr & Written by Molly Cohen Thomas Greither is a thirdgeneration health food nutritionist. He is also the president of his company, Flora Manufacturing and Distributing Ltd. (Flora), headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia. “You could say we are the oldest health food company in the world. I’ve been doing this all my life; I grew up in the business. My dad is still working in Germany. In 1979 I emigrated to the U.S., where I got my human nutrition and food sciences degree from the University of Vermont. Then I married a Canadian and moved to Canada in 1986,” Greither recounts. Flora now distributes its products to more than 40 countries, with the United States as the main export company. In the United States Flora is known as Flora Inc. In total, Flora has four different locations and 340 employees. Organic Creations Flora is known for its herbal medicines, “and we do some vegetable oils and flax seed oil,” Greither explains. “I was the first manufacturer; I invented the category. I’m from Germany and I’m a nutritionist by trade, so I spotted that the Omega-3 fatty acids were good for the human body and developed the supplement of flax seed oil. There was good research done in Germany that flax seed was good for everything from cancer to skin, nails, hair and brain activities for better memories and better body functions.” What makes Flora different from other natural supplement companies is a business culture of “treating people well and trying to find the product that no one has, extracting the products and making the products. We also do our own distributing,” Greither shares. While Flora has a strong foothold on the industry, it does face product challenges. “The biggest challenge right now for the natural products industry is the new regulations coming out. They’re trying to set the same standards for us

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as they do for pharmaceutical products,” Greither explains. However, requiring the same legislation may be a bit extreme, in Greither’s opinion. “So far no one has died from natural remedies. If someone died from a natural remedy, it would go through the whole media tomorrow. Nobody writes about how 10,000 people die in North America every year from side effects of drugs. We have to have tough standards for that, but for our industry they are trying to do the same,” he contends.

Beyond this dynamic new product, Flora is also revitalizing its internal structure with a mind toward healthier operations. “We have 40 sales people, and we give them incentives to buy hybrids and think of the environment; we are also converting the company vehicles to electric,” Greither shares. The company’s most interesting initiative, however, is “changing to complete vertical integration from farm to distribution, eliminating the middle man, creating a high-quality product, but keeping prices down,” he says. Flora’s products could do more than just keep its prices down for its customers. According to Greither, a reputable health center discovered that “through using herbal remedies, chemotherapy patients improved their living conditions by 40 percent, bringing down the cost of the industry of conventional medicine,” he shares. “But it is hard trying to convince Health Canada to embrace our industry even though we are the only ones to bring health care costs down. They’ve gone up over the years by five to 10 percent and we can’t afford medicine anymore.”

Whether or not it is saving the country health costs, Greither looks to several items to judge his company’s success. “We’re helping people help themselves, and operating adjacent to traditional medicine,” he says. Aside from these indicators, the only thing Greither focuses on is “being grateful for everything I have every day. Business people do not like to speak about it, but everybody knows that in business you take full responsibility and don’t know what could happen the next day; you have to trust everything and know it is always going to work out,” he believes. And while Greither waits for the economy to turn around, he is focused on internal company improvements. “We have almost 100-percent vertical integration and we’re trying to get 200 percent. A big goal for us is to be completely locally grown and made, as we currently have a limited amount of growth, because we have to grow the materials. We can grow by 25- to 30-percent per year, but that’s about it,” he shares. Overall, Greither has a vision for Flora’s future: “Helping keep more people get healthy by switching to alternative medicine,” he avows. With this altruistic goal in mind and a lifetime of experience behind him, Greither will continue to guide Flora Manufacturing and Distributing Ltd. as an innovator in the world’s health market. 

Flora has its own set of stringent internal quality standards. To maintain its quality control, Flora has two established farms from which it gets its raw materials. Flora has several qualifications when selecting farm suppliers. “They have to be organic and use a sustainable means to grow their herbs. They don’t use chemicals and pesticides or deplete the topsoil,” asserts Greither. Managing its relationships with these farms is a very important part of Flora’s success. “Raw material takes two years to grow, so we have to always depend on nature for our supply.. Everything is quite fragile and could change tomorrow. Think of the Incas, who disappeared in two years because there was no water or rain. We have no control over that,” Greither states. Once the raw materials are delivered, the product ingredients are extracted from the fresh produce and encapsulated. “We make tinctures, tonics or liquids, and bottle it. They are then safety-sealed, boxed and distributed from our own warehouse directly to the health food stores,” Greither shares. Relying on Sunshine Flora introduced its newest product in the summer of 2010. “We have a very nice oil now with DHA. We skipped extracting it from fish and went straight to the algae. Now

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Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership

Innovation in British Columbia’s Architecture Produced by Hanim Samara & Written by Molly Cohen For more than 40 years the Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership (MCM) has been a premier architecture firm in the Vancouver, British Columbia, area. The company’s 65 employees include architects, planners, interior designers, LEED Accredited Professionals, graphic specialists, 3-D artists and technical specialists. This professional team is headed by four partners: architects Bill Reid, Mark Whitehead, Jacques Beaudreault and Mark Thompson.

MCM has designed structures for the commercial, retail, resort, institutional, health care and hospitality industries, contributing significantly to Vancouver’s skyline. It offers its professional design and consulting services for each project from the initial concept and financial feasibility stages through project completion. The company’s full line of services includes planning, certified professional services, property rezoning, sustainable building design and expert opinions. Additionally, MCM offers services through its

affiliated companies: MCM Interiors Ltd. is an affiliated interior design firm; MCM Health is a studio specifically designated for health-related building designs; and FOLIO focuses entirely on resort architecture. These integrated divisions allow MCM to support a philosophy of Whole Building Design, taking into consideration past, present and future cultural aspects in aesthetics and building materials, finding creative ways to maximize functionality and security, while minimizing environmental impact throughout the structure’s life cycle.

All of MCM’s projects are organized through New Forma, which is the web-based project management and document control system used by the company to keep each project on-schedule. The First of Its Kind Keeping projects on schedule, especially large projects, is inherent to MCM’s success. The firm’s recent project, Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre, was an important large-scale project that was finished right on schedule. To complete this project, two design firms came together: MCM and equally renowned Australian health care facility designer Silver Thomas Hanley. The Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre is one of British Columbia’s most recognized public-private partnerships, or P3s. It is also the first P3 Canadian hospital. The partners of the P3 include the Ministry of Health Services, Fraser Health, the Provincial Health Services Authority, the British Columbia Cancer Agency, the Fraser Valley Regional Hospital District, Partnerships BC and Access Health Abbotsford (AHA). The construction team for the project included John Laing Infrastructure and PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc. Work on the new hospital began in 2004, and it opened in August of 2008 as a 65,000-square metre facility that was

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British Columbia recognized by the Award of Excellence in the Masonry Design division from the Masonry Institute of British Columbia. In total, the innovative project cost $350 million. It has 300 beds and nine operating theatres. This is also the first facility that combines a cancer treatment centre with a hospital offering four Linear Accelerators and a 16-place Day Chemo Centre. These combined facilities offer local residents a large variety of services. And, although it was designed to be LEED Silvercertified, the building reached the LEED Gold level. The hospital is also a place that university students can use as a learning centre, as the program at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre focuses on research, training and retaining health professionals, and the facility’s design supports all these activities.

British Columbia Enhancing a Respected Building MCM has completed many other well-known projects, including the Vancouver Convention Centre expansion that was finished in 2009. Once the expansion was completed, the building comprised 1 million square feet of LEED Platinum-certified space. With the expansion, the Vancouver Convention Centre can now hold a multitude of simultaneous events in their own separate spaces. The Vancouver Convention Centre is constructed partly on land and partly over water. It features a structural glass curtain wall system that spans from the floor to the ceiling, providing guests with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and harbor. The new West Building, the focus of the expansion, meets the centre’s established dedication to sustainability. The building features a six-acre green roof, which is composed of plant life natural to the area. The building uses heating and cooling from the harbour’s seawater and features a black water treatment facility. The design incorporates a marine habitat for local vegetation and sea life that otherwise might have been displaced by the building. Each year the convention centre recycles on average 180,000 kilograms of leftover materials. The facility’s kitchen uses only produce from local growers, donates leftovers to charities, and prefers non-disposable silverware. Because of its green initiatives, the convention centre received a Power Smart standing from BC Hydro, was awarded a “Go Green” certification from the Building Owners and Managers Association, and is the first convention centre in the world to receive the highest LEED certification level. With the Vancouver Convention Centre and the Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre as examples of the firm’s ability to understand clients’ goals and make them reality, it is easy to see why MCM has been a long-favored architecture firm in the area. As it continues working on projects both large and small, the Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership will have opportunities to continue displaying its endless design ideas, while enhancing and promoting British Columbia’s beautiful cities and natural elements. 

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ARAL Construction Ltd.

Building with Canada’s Natural Aesthetics in Mind Produced by Hanim Samara & Written by Molly Cohen ARAL Construction Ltd. (ARAL) of Victoria, British Columbia, is favored in the industry for its approach to construction projects. Instead of merely handling the physical part of the process, ARAL also includes site selection, budget preparation, financing, accounting and related project management issues in its service offerings. Incorporated in 1975, ARAL has two partners: Garry R. Gilchrist and Adrianus (Art) B. Kool. Under their leadership, ARAL has assumed multiple project positions, including construction manager, project manager and developer of turnkey buildings. One of ARAL’s stand-out qualities is its ability to assist project owners with financing. If a client is interested, ARAL will coordinate a process to obtain short-term financing to cover construction costs. Additionally, ARAL can extend its financing abilities to help provide long-term financing. These financing options, as well as all of the company’s

other services, are available for commercial and residential projects, industrial parks, municipal buildings, large-scale land developments and mixed-use facilities. Rebuilding Community Areas An example of ARAL’s recent work is the Burnside Gorge Community Centre, located in Victoria. This 12,000-square foot building was built on a former industrial landfill and converted into a community building and park with native plants. It features numerous rooms suited for a multitude of activities. The project began in the spring of 2006 and opened in September of 2007, according to Philip Selbee, the construction manager from ARAL who oversaw the construction process. “ARAL worked with Garyali Architect Inc. to successfully reach the goal of constructing a LEED Gold facility,” Selbee says. This was the first public building in Victoria to reach that certification. The community centre is made of concrete, a material known for its durability and sustainability, and the concrete was left untouched to avoid incorporating unneeded, uncertified building materials. Natural light fills the interior spaces as much as possible, with artificial lighting kept to a minimum and oriented to bounce off concrete walls to light a larger area. This lighting system contributes to the building’s energy efficiency. Additionally, acoustical panels were included in the building’s designs to reduce sound pollution. Lastly, lowVOC products were used for carpeting and other flooring areas.

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British Columbia “One particularly outstanding quality of the centre is how it is carved into a ravine and situated almost underground,” Selbee says. This design was an effort to pay tribute to the area’s original prairie-like environment. A green roof on the building helps to make that vision more realistic. Sharp & Diamond, a landscape architecture company, created the green roof and surrounding flora. The roof was designed for water efficiency, allowing storm water runoff to filter into a ground infiltration system to water the roof. The roof blends the building perfectly into its blooming and growing surroundings. Sharp & Diamond planted sedums, cacti, wheat grass, fescue and wildflowers around the centre in addition to wild strawberry plants, onion plants, sunflowers and Heuchera. This growing greenery will contribute to the building’s overall naturalistic style. But the centre does much more than offer a place for plant growth. The building also provides housing support, recreation, childcare and family services – services that are much appreciated by those living in the neighbourhoods of Burnside. With its connection to the Cecelia Ravine Park and the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, the centre also contributes to an area of exercise for its users. Once completed, the Burnside Gorge Community Centre won the 2009 Award of Excellence from Green Roofs for

British Columbia Healthy Cities. It also received recognition for its water preservation system, focus on community support and natural aesthetics. Private Access to Natural Beauty

Mack Kirk Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd.

ARAL is dedicated to observing environmental guidelines. According to Selbee, “We do a lot of work for the provincial government, and all of our waste streams follow the LEED renovation guidelines for waste removal.”

Continuing a Long History of Roofing Expertise

This dedication to preserving Canada’s natural beauty is apparent in all of ARAL’s projects. The company is currently working on a project called Canyon Ridge, located in Westbank near Kelowna, British Columbia. This community is a five-year project that, once finished, will be comprised of 133 custom homes. The community is designed for adults above the age of 55. The homes are standalone and range from 1,300 square feet to more than 1,800 square feet. Homes with a walk-out basement can also include amenities like a home theater, flex room, wine cellar or recreational room, plus additional features.

Produced by Mike Armstrong & Written by Molly Cohen

While the basement can be swapped out for a crawl space, each home has a two-car, attached garage, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and combinations of a great room, living room, dining room, flex room and den. Taking stock of the area’s natural surroundings – the community is surrounded by mountains and is near Lake Okanagan – the buildings will be situated for the best views of natural beauties. The property will also include areas for hiking trails and is close to West Kelowna’s shopping areas. Canyon Ridge and Burnside Gorge Community Centre are two shining examples of ARAL’s signature work, showcasing the company’s skills in environmentally conscious siting and its ongoing commitment to quality. ARAL Construction Ltd. continues to add to a long history of beautifully completed projects that enhance British Columbia and the lives of its citizens. 

Gino Laplante “has been a roofer his whole life, ever since he could swing a hammer,” jokes his wife Christina. While Gino was perfecting his hammer swing, Christina was in law school. Together, the Laplantes have been active in the roofing industry for about 25 years, and in 2003 they bought their own custom roofing company: Mack Kirk Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd., located in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia. “The company has been in existence since 1908, so we just celebrated our 100th anniversary in 2008, which was wonderful,” Christina remembers. Now Gino is the president and production manager of Mack Kirk, and Christina serves as its director and office manager. Together with their family of three children (two boys and one girl), they keep busy and manage to find time to balance hard work and family time. Currently, Mack Kirk is a member of the Canadian Roofing Contractors Association and the Roofing Contractors Association of British Columbia. Since 1954 the company has been accredited and held an AAA rating with the Better Business Bureau. “We have fantastic credentials and are well-known throughout Lower Mainland and British Columbia,” Christina touts. Supportive Infrastructure Before purchasing Mack Kirk, the Laplantes had been working with the company through their own roofing ventures for about 10 years. “We’ve been part of Mack Kirk in some way for a long time,” Christina states. “The previous owner is still with us today. He is one of our estimators and enjoys being part of the team.” In addition to its core management, Mack Kirk has 50 employees who do most of the company’s trades in-house. “Our ticketed roofing technicians are our top guys. We

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send all of our roofers that want training to the Roofing Contractors Association of British Columbia, it’s a fantastic training facility,” Christina contends. “We have carpenters that work in-house, plumbers and electricians that have been working with us for years, a full-time mechanic and a

state-of-the-art sheet metal fabrication shop with installers and technicians. Everyone is well-trained and skilled. “On top of that, we have strong ties with our accountants, legal advisors, bank managers, business associates, consultants, and the RCABC staff that guide us and help us accomplish our goals,” Christina continues. “Our administration and management team are always on top of things and our friendly staff is ready to assist with any call that comes through. Gino strongly believes that you are only as good as your employees. Mack Kirk Roofing is based on trust, hard work ethics, and the ability to hire and work with the highest skilled employees in a team environment.” Mack Kirk also has its own fleet of trucks, service trucks, dump trucks, disposal bins, cranes, and additional

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British Columbia machinery to complete every project efficiently. We provide our customers with a detailed roofing spec and we give them all the information they need. “The sheet metal shop helps as well, because we can customize a lot of projects,” Gino asserts. With these in-house capabilities, Mack Kirk can cover a broad spectrum of roofing projects. It is well known for its flat roofing techniques, mostly the torched-on membranes and sloped roofs using asphalt shingles, cedar shakes and metal sheeting. “We have a great relationship with all our suppliers. We mainly deal with Convoy Supply for all of our roofing materials. They have been part of our company’s growth and are a great asset. The staff is knowledgeable and courteous and they have been really good to us,” Christina says. Staying Busy The company’s well-established relationships with suppliers are part of what makes Mack Kirk stand out from its competition. Key personnel both in-house and able to be called upon help make an efficient, effective combination. Christina attributes the company’s success to “providing

outstanding service with well-managed leadership. Our team is incredible … keeping us on top of the game all the time.” It seems these points are holding strong for Mack Kirk, as Christina reports that “2010 is going to be a fantastic year. We’re already approaching $10 million in sales. We are receiving our COR (Certificate of Recognition) certification, which allows us to comply with RCABC accreditation while maintaining the highest level of workmanship and safety standards possible.” Although Mack Kirk faced challenges during the recession, they were not a result of the economy. “We really surfed through the economic challenges; we had a lot of work during the recession due to our reputation and how our company stands. When [the economy] turned, it actually opened up a lot of doors and we hired some skilled people that had lost their jobs,” Christina says. “One remarkable obstacle we did overcome was when my husband was diagnosed with cancer. Doctors initially gave him three months, but in 2007 he underwent intense chemotherapy for five months, then the cancer came back a month-and-a-half later. But he was lucky to be one of seven people in British Columbia to have a double autologous bone marrow stem cell transplant at Vancouver General Hospital.”

Thanks to the support of family and friends and medical professionals, “he’s still alive today and going strong – and between the rough economic patches and Gino battling cancer for one year, the company held together and everything came through beautifully,” says Christina thankfully. “We take pride in giving back and helping organizations that have a valuable cause. This year, with Gino as their team captain, Team Mack Kirk Roofing has raised just over $72,000 for the Ride To Conquer Cancer supporting cancer research. We also support the Children’s Hospital and did a roofing project for Habitat for Humanity out of goodwill. It’s impossible to support all the

organizations out there, but everybody deserves a good roof over their heads and everybody deserves to be healthy!” In 2010 Mack Kirk already completed a number of housing co-ops schools, institutional buildings, and governmentfunded projects throughout the lower mainland, Gino states. Christina lists the Pacific Coliseum as another of Mack Kirk’s most interesting projects. The company reroofed the Coliseum in time for the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, when the facility was used for figure skating and short speed skating events. “It’s a nice honor to have participated in that,” Christina says. Beyond these projects Mack Kirk has a long history of building roofs for various commercial buildings, shopping malls, hotels, airport terminals, and restaurants. “Some of them have a very unique architecture,” Gino shares. “It’s nice to drive around town and look at the buildings and the roofs and think, ‘We did that roof.’” On the residential side, Christina is proud of Mack Kirk’s long roofing history. “Since the company has been around over a century we still get the odd call of a third generation needing work on a roof that Mack Kirk put on. We have backup information and documentation that shows the roof was done by us in 1958 and put on again in 1980 and now it’s time for a new one,” Christina explains. With projects like these added to the portfolio, the Laplantes foresee that Mack Kirk will “just keep going. We passed that small family company stage and for right now we’re proud to be part of the economical growth of this province and our commitment to providing the highest quality roofing services is our number one priority,” Christina says. “As long as we keep learning, we will keep growing.” With the company’s supportive skilled employees, solid work flow and extensive experience, Mack Kirk Roofing & Sheet Metal is fully equipped to stand between the world and the weather for many more years to come. 

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Nufloors

Treading on Solid Ground Produced by Mike Armstrong & Written by Sheryvonn Burrell Peter Denroche has been a leader in Vancouver’s top-quality commercial and residential flooring market for almost 40 years. He started working for a carpet manufacturer before starting his own endeavor. Now Denroche is the proud owner of Nufloors locations in Coquitlam and North Vancouver. Thanks to an expert staff and an extensive inventory to meet its clients’ diverse needs – from warm hardwood and natural cork to easy laminate and sophisticated leather – there is no job Nufloors cannot handle. “We’re an A+ Better Business Bureau rated [company],” Denroche boasts. “In fact, in Greater Coquitlam, we’re only one of two A+ ratings.” But this is just one of many things that set Nufloors apart from its competitors. “We’re a very different company because, number one, we’re a Stainmaster Flooring Center,” explains Denroche. With only 260 Stainmaster flooring centers in the whole of North America, Nufloors can proudly say it is the only of its kind in Greater Vancouver. No other flooring retailers in Vancouver can offer Stainmaster Ultra Life – the brand’s thickest, most luxurious, super-performing carpet, with a superior 15-year warranty against stain and wear. That, along with Nufloors’ lifetime guarantee on products, has resulted in a loyal clientele and annual revenue of $12 million.

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“We guarantee everything for as long as the customer owns it,” says Denroche. “Whether it’s commercial work or whether it’s not, if we do the work, we guarantee it. We give great service to everyone, not matter how big or how small the project is.” Flooring from the Ground Up Operating a Nufloor since 1986, Denroche now has three locations, including the one in Coquitlam. Known to some as the Lougheed Flooring Centre, it is the company’s largest and one of the larger retail stores in the Greater Vancouver area at 10,000 square feet. Denroche also operates a flooring centre located in Southern California, where the company has done extensive work for nearly a decade and in 2009 accrued revenue of $3 million. Southern California is also the site of Denroche’s most interesting project to date: Astoria, a residential commercial project in Irvine, Calif., constructed by Intergulf Development Corporation, a company Denroche has worked alongside for over 15 years. “It is the best residential commercial project we’ve ever seen [Intergulf ] do,” says Denroche. “They took six of their penthouse units and gave them to the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). They hired an interior designer for each room and we installed things like leather on the floors and on the walls. It was great.

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British Columbia They did an amazing job.” But with the market slowing considerably in Southern California, Denroche believes Astoria to be the company’s last project of this scale in the area for some time. Even so, he remains optimistic about the future of his U.S. operations. “In a couple of years, we’ll be back,” Denroche says confidently. “We don’t have any big overhead down there [in Southern California]. And we’ve got a very good installation company down there.”

British Columbia The Nufloors in Canada continue to work heavily, however, offsetting any slowdown in the U.S. “We’ve just grown our business in the last year, and substantially,” Denroche says proudly. “We do every type of business we can, including insurance restoration and commercial contract. Residential contract is a bit slow right now, but it’s picking up. A year from now, it’ll be very busy. Our retail business was very busy in the last six months because of the tax credit. We’ve got 14 sales people and they go after everything.” And thanks to its voracious sales team, Nufloors has just completed work on two projects: Forever 21 and Aritzia, two ladies clothing outlets in the Greater Vancouver area. Also, in April, the company started work on BC Place with PCL Construction, a frequent collaborator. To facilitate these large-scale projects, Nufloors has maintained an equally strong relationship with its North American suppliers. “We deal with all major floor covering suppliers, whether they’re hardwood, laminate, carpet, whatever,” Denroche explains. “We have a very good relationship with them.” These relationships also benefit Nufloors’ subcontractors, allowing the company to provide them with the best quality materials for each job. “We don’t switch suppliers unless we can save our customers some money,” says Denroche. “If we have a contractor that is doing a big job, and a different supplier could produce exactly the same product and save the contractor money, we will offer them that. We don’t do it just for us. We do it for our contractors, because the contractors we deal with we’ve been dealing with for years.” Looking into the Future With his 25th anniversary as a carpet and flooring installer to take place in 2011, Denroche hopes to continue growing the company’s relationships with its customers and to continue its expansion, increasing the commercial and residential contract business, as well as its retail business. But it is not just the big things that matter to Denroche and his team. For them, Nufloors truly is a labor of love. “Just running the business is fun because … everybody that works for us loves the business.” And Peter Denroche is certainly one of them. With this passion for the industry, plus a portfolio of expertly executed installations and a roster of world-class supplies, Nufloors is positioned to further its stellar reputation in western Canada, standing behind whatever surface clients may want to stand on. 

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Rambow Mechanical Ltd. Taking a Full-On Approach to Mechanical Contracting Produced by Mike Armstrong & Written by Molly Cohen After a full career in the industrial sector working specifically for oil refineries and pulp mills, Patrick Waunch moved to Kelowna, British Columbia, to retire. However, the itch to work was too much to overcome and Waunch founded a mechanical contracting company, Rambow Mechanical Ltd. “I wasn’t planning to get into business, but I now love what I do. I didn’t expect to get so heavily involved, but I’ve got great staff and great project managers that allow me to remain involved in the industry,” says Waunch, the company’s president and CEO. Besides running his own company, Waunch is a director of the Southern Interior Construction Association, director of the British Columbia Construction Association, director of Canadian Construction Association and a director of the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum. “I am involved very heavily with construction across Canada. That has helped our company a lot … put us in the who’s who,” says Waunch. And this industry involvement has been a source of support for Rambow, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in January 2010. The company specializes in coordinating a project’s total mechanical division and has around 70 employees. “We do a lot of schools, hospitals, water treatment plants and sewage plants, plus wineries – more of the bigger projects – and what separates us from the rest is design-build, which accounts for about 80 percent of our projects,” Waunch shares. While most of the company’s work is done near its Kelowna office, Rambow has no borders when it comes to work. “We’ve tendered in South American in Guyana and up through Dawson City and White Horse in the Yukon area,” says Waunch. “When we tender outside of Canada, we get

competitors out of England and out of the U.S., but we’re pretty competitive. We land about 60 percent of the projects we pursue. We’re pretty aggressive when we want to be.” Quality Management According to Waunch, Rambow has been so successful because of the “quality of design-build work we do; it’s definitely a positive for us and we stand behind our work.” On each jobsite, Rambow handles the mechanical division of labor. This includes all the plumbing, heating, gas fitting, welding and steam fitting. Rambow subcontracts the insulation and sheet metal, sometimes controls and fire

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British Columbia protection. This strategy helps to get the work completed efficiently and also “spreads a little risk, and that’s what it’s all about in this industry,” Waunch explains. Seeing as larger projects require tighter coordination, Rambow tends to use the same group of contractors repeatedly. “Good subs that look after their problems stay on our list, and if not they’re gone. One of the things that have kept us going over the years is quality. Therefore, we’re very motivated to have customers come back to us due to the fact that we give them systems that perform to their requirements,” says Waunch. When choosing subcontractors, Rambow does take price into account, but usually quality and relationships are more important. “Customers want things done on time and don’t want any hassles in the present or in the future. That’s the idea you try to build your teams around. In design-build you can select your own groups, whereas when we do bid spec we can’t always do that because it’s low price to get the project,” Waunch explains. This design-build/selection process is working well for Rambow; the company’s annual revenue is around $12 million to $15 million. This has been aided by an internal apprenticeship structure that promotes workers trained to

British Columbia augment any job, avoiding the need to reach outside for help and therefore add expense. Also indispensible is experience in previous tough times. “When you’ve been through one recession, you keep your feet planted firmly on the ground and have your ears open,” Waunch says. Building the Firsts Some of the recent work that has kept Rambow busy during this recession includes a $90 million project for Sparkling Hill Resort & Wellness Centre in Vernon, British Columbia. The resort has 152 units and world-class therapy facilities. It stands out as a distinctive hotel in Canada because it uses geothermal heating and is the nation’s first six-star hotel. The mechanical part of the project is about $11 million. “The European group Swarovski out of Austria was financing this. We took a two-year contract and crunched it into a year,” Waunch explains. Another recent project was the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton, British Columbia. “This was a designbuild project and it turned out well,” Waunch says modestly. “There’s a couple sheets of hockey ice in there and space for conventions. That was a two-year project all together and it was completed about a year ago.”

Over the years, there have been several projects that stand out in Waunch’s mind as particularly interesting. “Because we’re so versatile, we chase the things that are oddball. The Labatt’s Brewery can-line relocation in Creston, British Columbia, was a particular favourite. Right now we’re in the final stages of the design-build process for the new Clinical Support Building attached to the Kelowna General Hospital,” Waunch shares.

a booming phase Waunch will have the portfolio and experienced personnel to continue meeting his customers’ needs.. 

Staying on the institutional track, Rambow is working on a college in Penticton. “This is government-funded, thus it is required to be LEED Platinum. That’s the type of stuff we work heavily in right now and we are pushing to give customers the most energy-efficient building we can,” says Waunch. Like Sparkling Hill’s geothermal heating and the LEED platinum college, Rambow has been increasing its energyefficient building of late. “All the time we’re involved in new product research. When we do design-build we look for energy efficiency, and we’re trying to use sustainability on all projects because customers are looking for that,” Waunch shares. With all of the positive aspects of his company, Waunch finds only a couple things keeping him awake at night. “Usually it’s trying to collect from customers; it’s always an issue when times get soft. As far as the business, I have great employees and staff who do a great job,” he says. “We’re always looking to succeed; I’m one of the types always looking ahead. I want to become bigger, better, best.” Waunch, however, thinks the company can grow its business without having to expand its size. “Probably we won’t grow much larger, but I’d like to establish $20 million on a regular basis. We have a nice niche and it’s easy to control at this time. I’d be losing more control bringing in more and more people, but we find that what we have is working pretty well,” Waunch says. And that growth is a definite possibility based on the tremendous amount of tendering Rambow is doing. “Right now a lot of the projects that are being awarded are going below expected budgets, but for sure it’s definitely on an upward run. I expect 2011 and 2012 to be booming years,” says Waunch. Rambow Mechanical’s reputation and countless examples of quality work carried it through the recession, and as the construction industry reenters

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Walter Francl Architecture

Helping Design Vancouver’s World-class Community Produced by Eric Gunn & Written by Kelly Matlock When Walter Francl founded his firm in 1988, he just wanted to design buildings on his own. Thirteen design awards later, Francl’s decision has proven fruitful. Definitely no longer a one-man office, the firm now has 22 employees, including nine LEED Accredited Professionals. Francl speculates on the reason the firm has done so well: “I guess our niche is that we don’t have one. Our projects range from mixed-use community developments to hospitals to ice arenas.”

Dual Challenges Met Head On Francl created the LEED Platinum-certified Southeast False Creek Community Centre, which is located on a waterfront lot at Southeast False Creek in collaboration with Nick Milkovich Architects. The building’s duties required that it serve as the headquarters and office space for Olympic and Paralympic mayors, management staff and the Four Host First Nations. Post-Olympics and Paralympics, the building now contains a two-level community centre, child-care facility, non-power boating centre and has space set aside for a for a two-level restaurant. The building’s location on the waterfront provides easy access for cyclists and pedestrians. The other facility Francl designed was the Trout Lake Ice Arena in east Vancouver. The new ice rink replaces an aging community centre facility. The rink served as a practice facility for competitors participating in the Games, and was successfully converted for public use after the Games. Specific Clarity

The 2009 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, held in Vancouver, offered a large number of talented architects across western Canada an opportunity to showcase their approach, Francl included. Based on the reputation of his previous work, Francl was given the privilege of designing two sites. Both sites combined the challenge of providing a world-class facility that could serve the local citizens post-Olympics. Francl not only met the challenge, but far exceeded it with these two projects.

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Building

Details

Provide

The Trout Lake Ice Arena building is located at the foot of an east-facing slope, between the park edge and Trout Lake. This siting – together with the roof profile, a shallow vault springing from low perimeter walls – minimizes the impact of the ice rink’s large volume and establishes a scale in keeping with the surrounding single-family neighbourhood. The west elevation is articulated by a colonnaded exterior gallery that provides views down to the ice surface. The roof structure consists of an arched steel truss spanning the length of the rink, north to south. This primary arch reduces the east–west span, which in turn allows the secondary structure of curved glulam ribs to be reduced, resulting in a simple, appealing, and efficient structure.

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British Columbia wwThe public space (skaters’ lounge), located at the north end of the building, has good visual and physical connection to the future community centre and entrance plaza. The roof structure consists of a single central longitudinal steel arch 210 feet (64 metres) in length that is connected by pin joints to buttress the walls at the north and south ends of the ice rink. The arch is constructed as a curved, wedge-shaped, Vierendeel-type truss using wide-flange steel members with welded joints. The truss divides the roof longitudinally with one half of the roof structure bearing on the lower chord, and the other half on the upper chord, creating a clerestory

British Columbia that allows natural light to penetrate into the space. The arch supports British Columbia Douglas-fir glulam beams that span across the arena from concrete columns at the exterior wall locations. The beams are spaced at 12 feet (3.6 metres) centres and are all 7.75 inches (196-millimetres) wide, but depending on load and span are either 30-in or 36-inches (750-millimetres or 914-millimetres) deep. The glulam beams support structural steel decking. All other structural elements – including the north-, south- and westside low roofs, gable end walls, retaining walls, and interior partitions – are constructed of exposed, cast-in-place, reinforced concrete. Vancouver stepped firmly onto the world stage in the winter of 2009, and the world was duly impressed by her many jewels. Walter Francl Architecture Inc. not only contributed to that dazzling display, but has established a tradition of designing with Vancouver’s future in mind. 

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Urban Woodwaste Recyclers Where the Past Gets a Future Produced by Victor Martins & Written by Shelley Seyler For all those doubters out there who deny the attainability of success without a higher education-supported plan, here is a story that will show the potential in working with little more than a vision. There is certainly something to be said for foresight, and in the early 1990s Sean Mabberley had a healthy dose of it. With a pioneering spirit yet no formal business school training, he saw what was soon to become a booming industry: the recycling of construction, demolition and renovation waste. Mabberley founded Urban Woodwaste Recyclers (UWWR) in 1993 and the company has been soaring ever since. In

fact, UWWR is Canada’s largest recycler of construction and demolition debris. “[Sean Mabberley] was in the tree-planting business and saw an opportunity. He had a real vision for where this would go. He was a true pioneer. He knew recycling was coming, so he just got to work,” says Richard Babcock, president of UWWR. Babcock had extensive experience in the technology business when he was hired by Mabberley as a consultant in 2005. Unfortunately, Mabberley passed away in 2009, but Babcock is proud to have transitioned into a leadership role at Mabberley’s insightful endeavor.

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To Preserve and Serve

TRB Architecture

Today, UWWR employs 90 and averages annual revenue of $10 million to $15 million. The company operates from two main locations – Vancouver and New Westminster – and also has a site where the company partners to take raw fuels and repurpose them. Outside of specialized processing, UWWR does not generally partner with subcontractors, but rather completes most trades in-house. “It’s a variable depending on what we encounter,” says Babcock.

Interpreting a Future for Canada’s Structural History Produced by Eric Gunn & Written by Shelley Seyler

UWWR operates with a “triple bottom line: profit, environment and community. We never compromise one for the other,” explains Babcock. Achieving these goals certainly contributes to the global goal of improving the environment. Operating at job sites of all sizes, the company prevents over 200,000 tonnes from ending up in landfills annually (and there is a goal to achieve 500,000 tonnes annually by 2012). It recycles metals, cardboard, tires, batteries, cans, bottles and concrete, and the company finds uses for between 75 and 90 percent of all materials it receives.

TRB Architecture Inc. (TRB), formally known as Toby Russell Buckwell & Partners Architects, has been delivering the highest quality service to its Canadian market for over five decades through a range of skills that allow the company to complete diverse projects. Currently operating with 30 employees, TRB Architecture works throughout all of British Columbia and the Yukon. The company’s niche is as diverse and impressive as its geographical footprint and includes industrial, commercial, institutional, transportation, recreational, heritage restoration and redevelopment, as well as some multifamily residential. Project scale ranges from small interior renovations to cultural centres to master-planning new communities with budgets upwards of $500 million.

UWWR also works side-by-side with developers and builders to assist them with following greener guidelines such as BuildSmart and with achieving LEED certification. With a broader stroke, UWWR helps raise awareness that there are alternatives to the traditional landfill route. UWWR does more than recycle. The company also converts what many consider to be “waste” into energy. Using a process called Processed Engineered Fuel (PEF), the company grinds film plastic with woodwaste, which enhances the thermal values of the molecules so that, when Biofuel is mixed in and burned, the emittance is not as detrimental to the environment. Waste Not, Want Not UWWR generally completes work for construction and demolition waste and metals. Most recently, however, UWWR has become involved with on-the-go technology companies both to improve that sector’s sustainability and also to develop proprietary techniques to streamline UWWR’s efforts. Babcock sees the company’s relationship with that industry growing. “Innovation and technology are going to play a role in the waste industry,” he predicts. “There’s a real sense that working with the newest technologies will allow us to use conduct every day operations as efficiently as possible.” In its tenure in the industry, the company has seen its challenges, some a reverberation from the recent economic crisis. Between changes in the market, foreign competition, and the economy, Urban has certainly weathered the storms. But it is not slowing down.

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“In the next few years we plan to expand. Our main state of business now is in Biofuel, and we want to get more into land reclamation and compost. We want to extend into the reclamation in the recycling world,” says Babcock. “The economy is picking up and the building will come,” predicts Babcock when asked about the economy. “It was never as bad here as it was in America. The building hasn’t started just yet, but it will come.” And, as structures are built up, Urban Woodwaste Recyclers will make sure construction’s byproducts are broken down, diverted from landfills and made beneficial through innovation. The continued natural beauty of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland stands as the legacy of Sean Mabberley. 

In-house, TRB offers interior design, project management, full architectural services, master-planning, drawings, tendering, construction management, and contract administration. In its projects the firm promotes compelling, locally appropriate aesthetics, responsible land stewardship and the use of progressive methods of project delivery. Recruiting employees to complete this laundry list of services is not a challenge for TRB. New employees seek out the company thanks to its reputation in the industry, and some universities from the eastern part of the country have students spend six months gaining experience with TRB. The company also has a relationship with the University of British Columbia, where two of its partners earned their degrees. Through all of the rigorous workmanship that goes into each project, TRB focuses on a greater mission: inspiring its clients and all passersby to improve their built environment. This process begins with comprehensive pre-feasibility studies and extends to completed projects. The company’s mission statement says it best, stating, “We pay exceptional attention to detail, desires and requirements. We listen closely to our clients – and respond to their aspirations.” Implementing this goal comes with an age-old plan customized to TRB requirements. The company’s Integrated

Design Process (IDP) incorporates all players on the project from the beginning, including the entire design and project team, designated user groups, stakeholders, sub consultants and other necessary contacts who may have jurisdiction with the project. This method allows TRB to identify and resolve any challenges in the beginning and deal with them at the appropriate time as the project unfolds. This also allows TRB to complete green projects more efficiently by having its eyes set on this goal from the beginning, assisted by multiple LEED Accredited Professionals on staff. All systems within TRB work together. From framing to building envelope, mechanical, electrical, information technology, external areas and services, TRB designs each step together to maximize suitability, durability, cost efficiency and building performance. The firm provides details 3-D imagery so that clients have a complete understanding of all considerations that go into a project. Bringing Purpose and Commitment to the Drawing Board It is in part thanks to the company’s meticulous organization that it developed its reputation and built its impressive portfolio of projects, which includes award-winning public works, standout museums, sustainable, multipurpose properties, community-supporting healing centres and much more. Most recently, TRB has been involved with numerous projects for Heritage BC, the conservation group that protects historic buildings and other heritage resources in British Columbia. Heritage had its own initiative to make its sites more environmentally friendly, and TRB helped tackled this from many angles, including energy upgrades, such as installing energy-smart appliances and envelope rehabilitation. One of these green restorations was completed on a house that dates back to the 1920s. Work on a shipyard is also on the company’s list for Heritage. The company also recently completed a redevelopment project for Heritage in downtown Vancouver, as well as a cultural center.

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British Columbia The federal government is also keeping TRB busy. “We have a standing offer with them so they come to us,” says Michael Barnes, a principal at TRB who has been in the industry

since 1966. “We do a lot of work for the feds, feasibility studies, that kind of thing,” he continues. Indeed, TRB has done several projects such as ports-of-entry/border services agencies. For the government, TRB also completed the Surry Tax Centre, which was a multimillion-dollar project. Credit union jobs also keep TRB busy and the company simply relies on word-of-mouth recommendations for these projects. TRB also works continuously with BC Hydro on a lot of industrial projects, such as powerhouse visitors centres, accommodation projects and dam site operations offices. “We also do a lot of planning for redevelopment and adaptive reuse of older buildings. When buildings are no longer able to serve as they did before, we develop them for new activities,” explains Barnes. TRB conducts thorough evaluations of building stock and functionality, finding the most efficient means to adapt and augment materials to deliver projects within time and budget constraints. In the public domain, TRB is also known for its work on courthouses. Active since 1955, TRB has amassed the experience to provide an innovative approach to converting landmark buildings into mixed-use city center destinations, developing arts centres/theatre complexes from the ground up, and renovating other existing structures to make them contemporary, energy-efficient facilities, but always mindful of cultural context. Looking ahead to the future of the company, Barnes doesn’t see a lot of change. “We will work with our repeat clients and our niche will stay the same. Some may get larger and we may get more development projects.” No matter the sector, TRB Architecture has the resources to operate with a strong focus in welcoming visitors to experience local heritage and civic pride, providing long-ranging, flexible plans that equally implement a vision for the future and respect the past. 

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CA Executive Journal

Summer Edition 2010