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Nouvelles brèves
Une alliance pour créer le plus important concessionnaire John Deere au Québec : Le Groupe JLD Laguë Le président du Groupe JLD Laguë, Frédéric Latreille (anciennement le président du Groupe JLD), a tenu à souligner : «Nous sommes très heureux d’annoncer cette alliance qui nous permet de continuer notre évolution en tant que ‘‘Concessionnaire du futur’’ au sein de John Deere. Cette alliance permet au nouveau groupe de devenir le plus important concessionnaire John Deere au Québec et dans l’est de l’Ontario. Il permet d’assurer la pérennité de l’entreprise et d’augmenter les opportunités et les perspectives pour nos employés.» Cette alliance renforce la position du groupe sur le marché et va lui permettre d’être encore plus performant, toujours dans le but d’offrir un meilleur service à ses clients au Québec et dans l’est de l’Ontario. «Pour nos clients, elle permet l’accès à un meilleur inventaire de machineries neuves et usagées, de pièces et plus de polyvalence dans l’expertise pour mieux répondre aux demandes de plusieurs types de clients à travers nos différents marchés», a poursuivi le représentant des investisseurs Laguë et actionnaire du nouveau groupe, André Laguë. Les deux entreprises partagent des objectifs et des valeurs communs, avec la même vision et la même préoccupation pour la qualité. Elles n’ont qu’un seul engagement : fournir à leurs clients des produits et des services de qualité supérieure. Ainsi, l’union de leurs forces permettra de créer une nouvelle entreprise encore plus compétitive pour relever les défis d’un marché qui évolue très rapidement. Le regroupement permettra également un meilleur accès à certaines lignes de produits, d’investir davantage dans la formation des employés ainsi que d’offrir des prix encore plus compétitifs pour la clientèle.
Une nouvelle image pour un leader en mécanique diesel et usinage! «La nouvelle image nous permet de communiquer plus efficacement notre gamme étendue de solutions économiques à tous nos secteurs d’activités tels que routier, marin, minier, construction et industriel», affirme Philippe Cusson, directeur d’UPC. Cette clientèle diversifiée ainsi que les différents types d’applications ont notamment permis à l’entreprise de développer une expertise impressionnante dans l’usinage et la remanufacturation de moteurs et de transmissions. Le nouveau site internet permet de consulter le portfolio impressionnant des réalisations dans chacun de ces marchés. En affaires depuis 32 ans et propriété de la corporation Wajax depuis 1995, Usinage Premier Choix est l’un des plus importants ateliers spécialisés dans les moteurs diesel et la maintenance d’équipements motorisés. Aujourd’hui, UPC compte sur des équipements hautement performants capables de tester des moteurs allant jusqu’à 2500 hp et des génératrices allant jusqu’à 2 MW de puissance. L’entreprise offre également un service d’usinage mobile en mesure d’usiner, de surfacer, de souder et de découper sur place. Depuis les années 1990, l’entreprise est dotée d’un système de gestion de la qualité certifié ISO 9001.
Une plus grande participation des Autochtones dans le développement des ressources naturelles repose sur les partenariats Telles sont les conclusions d’un nouveau rapport publié par le Forum des politiques publiques, Forger des partenariats authentiques : la participation Autochtone dans les grands projets de développement des ressources. Le rapport représente une synthèse des résultats des 6 tables rondes réunissant des leaders des Premières nations, des Inuits et des Métis avec des cadres du secteur des ressources et des milieux juridiques et financiers, des dirigeants d’universités et de collèges et des hauts fonctionnaires des gouvernements au Canada. Il fournit également des recommandations spécifiques pour chaque secteur, reflétant leur responsabilité partagée pour l’action. Au cours des prochaines années, plus de 500 collectivités autochtones d’un bout à l’autre du Canada se trouveront au cœur même des plus grands projets pétroliers, gaziers, forestiers et miniers qu’aurait vu ce pays depuis des décennies. Les débats sur les pipelines, l’accélération des investissements étrangers et les pressions pour une stratégie nationale sur l’énergie ont attiré l’attention sur le rôle central que peuvent jouer les collectivités autochtones dans ces projets. «Des partenariats authentiques avec les Premières nations, les Inuits et les Métis feront en sorte que les retombées positives provenant du développement des ressources soient partagées équitablement et que les projets avancent tout en respectant les principes de durabilité», a déclaré David Mitchell, président directeur-général du Forum. «Cette initiative constitue une première étape cruciale dans la création d’un espace de dialogue pour les leaders de tous les secteurs sur cette question importante de politique publique.» Le Forum a présenté récemment le rapport à la Conférence et foire commerciale des entrepreneurs autochtones à Ottawa. Pour consulter le rapport intégral, ainsi que les résumés de chacune des six tables rondes, visitez www.ppforum.ca/publications (veuillez noter que la version française du rapport sera disponible sous peu.) Le Forum des politiques publiques est un organisme indépendant, sans but lucratif, voué à l’amélioration de la qualité du gouvernement au Canada par le biais d’un meilleur dialogue entre les secteurs public, privé et bénévole.
Composants Industriels Wajax acquiert Ace Hydraulic Ace Hydraulic a été fondée en 1987 et a connu une évolution constante pour devenir une entreprise entièrement intégrée, réparant des pompes, des valves ainsi que des moteurs hydrauliques, en plus de faire la remise à neuf et la fabrication de cylindres d’un alésage de 25 à 600 mm. Des unités motrices hydrauliques de toutes tailles sont également fabriquées sur demande. Ace Hydraulic dessert une clientèle régionale diversifiée, incluant des mines de fer, des fabricants d’équipement d’origine et des entreprises forestières. «Notre objectif est d’être un fournisseur de solutions globales en termes d’offre de produits, de capacités d’ingénierie et de services de réparation», a déclaré Marc Joanis, directeur du développement des affaires et du marketing chez Composants Industriels Wajax. «Là où nous ne disposons pas de ces capacités, nous envisageons des acquisitions stratégiques. Nous avons été attirés par Ace Hydraulic parce qu’elle a très bonne réputation sur le marché en matière de réparations hydrauliques.» Le site d’Ace Hydraulic à Bathurst compte 16 employés, incluant des techniciens certifiés NFPA, des machinistes, des soudeurs et des monteurs de machinerie qui font l’entretien et la réparation de tout type d’équipement hydraulique et pneumatique. Pierre Duguay a été nommé directeur de succursale, Charles Guerette a été nommé directeur du service. «J’ai été extrêmement impressionné par leur attitude, leur entrain et leur enthousiasme», a dit Barry Sutherby, vice-président – systèmes et services hydrauliques, chez Composants Industriels Wajax, au sujet de l’équipe d’Ace Hydraulic. «Ils sont passionnés par ce qu’ils font et ont l’esprit de ceux pour qui aucune tâche n’est impossible.» «Tout comme Composants Industriels Wajax, nous appliquons des standards élevés pour nous-mêmes et nos clients. Maintenant que nous faisons partie d’une grande entreprise nationale, solide et bien gérée comme Composants Industriels Wajax, nous pourrons encore mieux répondre aux besoins de notre clientèle», renchérit Pierre Duguay. Le site de Bathurst, au Nouveau-Brunswick, a doublé de taille en novembre 2011, se dotant de 550 m2 d’espace additionnel. On y retrouve une panoplie d’équipement moderne, incluant une fraiseuse horizontale-verticale Lagun 1600, plusieurs tours Tos de haute production et un tour 34x160 Mazak capable de mener à bien les plus imposantes tâches d’usinage de l’industrie. De plus, l’atelier dispose d’une déboulonneuse permettant l’assemblage et le démantèlement aisés de gros cylindres hydrauliques. Un banc d’essai permet de reproduire les conditions d’opérations les plus exigeantes. «L’offre de produits hydrauliques sera bientôt élargie, afin d’y inclure des marques telles que Eaton, Hawe, Schroeder, Magnetek et High Country Tek. Les compétences actuelles de l’équipe en place seront relevées d’un cran, grâce à de la formation technique relative à une plus vaste gamme de produits», ajoute monsieur Sutherby. «Je tiens à remercier les employés, les clients ainsi que les fournisseurs pour avoir contribué à faire d’Ace Hydraulic ce qu’elle est aujourd’hui», a ajouté le président sortant Léon Thériault. «Je crois qu’il s’agit d’une solution gagnante pour tous.»
Soprema renforce sa position avec l’acquisition de Convoy Supply Depuis 2001, Soprema détenait 50% des actions de Convoy. Par cette acquisition, Soprema, dont le siège social nord-américain est situé à Drummondville, ajoute un volet à sa stratégie commerciale. Fidèle à ses habitudes, Soprema laissera Convoy évoluer en tant qu’entité indépendante. Créée en 1972, l’entreprise Convoy a tout d’abord développé ses activités en Colombie-Britannique, pour ensuite les étendre au Canada et aux États-Unis. Elle possède à ce jour 39 sites de ventes et compte 735 employés. En 2011, son chiffre d’affaires était de 550 millions $. Cette acquisition permettra à Soprema de renforcer ses compétences en matière d’offre de produits, de complémentarité de savoir-faire, de développement commercial et de capital humain. Soprema a confié la direction de Convoy à Alma Garnett qui compte 25 années d’expérience dans le domaine des matériaux de construction. Madame Garnett travaillait auparavant pour la filiale de Carlisle, Hunter, spécialisée dans l’isolation thermique.
ADF construira un nouveau complexe de fabrication de charpentes métalliques aux États-Unis Sous la bannière de sa filiale américaine, ADF International Inc., la Société opérera, d’ici la deuxième moitié de 2013, sa nouvelle usine de fabrication qui sera dotée d’équipements à la fine pointe de la technologie, telle son usine de fabrication de Terrebonne. La capacité de fabrication de cette nouvelle usine est estimée à plus de 25 000 t/an. De plus, ADF y aménagera un vaste chantier de fabrication et de pré-assemblage de charpentes métalliques adjacent à sa nouvelle usine, lui procurant ainsi un atout concurrentiel important pour accéder rapidement et efficacement aux secteurs d’activités et marchés en pleine croissance. Outre l’élargissement de son empreinte géographique vers l’ouest, cet investissement stratégique permettra également à ADF d’avoir accès au marché américain des infrastructures publiques. Les travaux d’aménagement du chantier et les travaux de construction sont prévus débuter au printemps 2013. D’autres phases d’expansion à ce nouveau complexe pourraient être envisagées dans les années à venir, selon la croissance de la demande.
Le C3E investit dans RM2J «L’investissement du C3E dans RM2J permet d’accélérer l’introduction dans le marché d’une technologie favorisant la réduction des GES. Tout en réduisant leurs frais de fonctionnement, les propriétaires de flottes de camions généreront des crédits carbone disponibles pour le marché québécois», mentionne le président-directeur général du C3E, Yvon Brousseau. «Une idée, un concept, un produit que fabriquera une entreprise, voilà un rêve que caressent beaucoup d’entrepreneurs. Que ce rêve contribue à la protection de l’environnement et crée des emplois de haute technologie, cela devient une utopie. C’est pourtant là qu’RM2J est rendu après quelques années d’existence. La reconnaissance du C3E permettra à RM2J d’augmenter sa visibilité hors Québec et ainsi attirer rapidement l’attention des plus grands sur la valeur de ses technologies», ajoute le président de RM2J, Jean Poulin. L’objectif d’affaires de RM2J inc. est d’offrir aux transporteurs une nouvelle solution innovatrice – le FMZ – permettant d’augmenter l’écoresponsabilité des chauffeurs.
Fednav commande un nouveau brise-glace Prenant la parole à la 5e Conférence annuelle nord-américaine sur la navigation dans l’Arctique, le 30 octobre dernier, Thomas Paterson, premier vice-président, Fednav Ltée, a annoncé la commande de la conception et de la construction d’un vraquier brise-glace de 25 000 t auprès de Sumitomo Corporation et Universal Shipbuilding Corporation, au Japon. Ce bâtiment de classe polaire 4, dont la livraison est prévue en décembre 2013, sera construit au chantier Tsu de la société Universal et son attestation sera délivrée par Det Norske Veritas. Fednav est déjà propriétaire et exploitant de deux des brise-glaces commerciaux les plus puissants au monde, le NM Arctic et le NM Umiak I. Établi à Montréal, le Groupe Fednav est le principal armateur international de vrac au Canada; il opère pendant toute l’année dans les eaux couvertes de glace et il possède la plus grande flotte de navires de cote glace au monde.
Nouvelle concession Mercedes-Benz à Saint-Nicolas Située stratégiquement en bordure de l’autoroute Jean-Lesage, la nouvelle concession mettra clairement de l’avant l’identité d’entreprise des marques Mercedes-Benz, AMG et smart. L’établissement de 2000 m2 comprendra une salle d’exposition de 900 m2 et une zone de service à la fine pointe de la technologie, incluant 12 baies et couvrant plus de 1100 m2. En outre, un stationnement climatisé de 90 places situé sous le bâtiment permettra de protéger les clients et leurs véhicules des intempéries. Le design et le plan d’étage du nouvel édifice seront conformes au concept «Autohaus» breveté de Mercedes-Benz, qui fait appel à un usage intensif de verre afin de favoriser la transparence et de créer un environnement ouvert et lumineux dans tout l’établissement. Les travaux devraient se terminer en mai 2013.
Projet pilote de réduction des déchets à Beaconsfield : une première au Québec Le projet pilote, qui s’adressera à 300 résidents dans des quartiers ciblés, fournira aux participants des outils pour réduire et mesurer la quantité de déchets qu’ils déposent au bord de la rue. Les participants auront la possibilité d’adapter leur système de collecte de déchets en fonction de leurs besoins. Pendant les 6 premiers mois du projet d’une durée de 12 mois, les participants pourront mesurer le volume de déchets qu’ils déposent pour la collecte chaque semaine grâce à des repères sur leurs bacs. Au bout de 6 mois, ils pourront choisir le bac de la taille qui convient au volume de déchets qu’ils produisent. Pour les aider à réduire leur quantité de déchets, les participants recevront gratuitement un composteur domestique, de l’information sur ce qu’on peut y déposer, et de l’aide pour l’utiliser. La Ville offrira une formation de maîtres-composteurs pour fournir une aide personnalisée aux résidents qui veulent composter. De plus, les participants seront encouragés à acheter des produits moins emballés et à recycler afin de réduire davantage leur quantité de déchets. Le maire David Pollock signale que le projet s’inscrit dans la continuité des démarches entreprises par la Ville dans une perspective de développement durable axée sur la réduction des déchets, une plus grande participation au compostage, et la réduction de notre impact environnemental en limitant la quantité de déchets transportés vers les sites d’enfouissement. À la fin du projet pilote de 12 mois, après l’analyse des résultats, le projet sera évalué pour voir s’il est possible de l’élargir à l’ensemble du territoire de la ville. Si c’est le cas, la Ville étudiera la possibilité d’utiliser un système de tarification en fonction du volume, où les gens qui produisent moins de déchets paieront moins cher pour le service de collecte et d’élimination.
Itron progresse dans le mesurage intelligent du gaz en Europe avec un nouveau compteur à gaz modulaire «Itron est leader en technologies du gaz à travers le monde, nous avons donc profité de notre expertise pour mettre au point un compteur à gaz intelligent de pointe, pour les services publics en Europe», a déclaré Remy Brill, vice-président et directeur général d’Itron, chargé de l’énergie dans la zone EMOA. «Le compteur à gaz intelligent perfectionné d’Itron prend en charge plusieurs options de communications, offrant aux services publics la souplesse dont ils ont besoin à l’heure où ils sont en train de déployer les compteurs intelligents.» Au fur et à mesure que le mesurage du gaz évolue au-delà des compteurs avancés, les services publics ont besoin d’un produit fiable capable de répondre à leurs futurs besoins. Le nouveau compteur à gaz intelligent d’Itron est la nouvelle génération de la ligne de produits éprouvée Gallus, équipé d’un indice modulaire électronique de pointe. Le micrologiciel évolutif à distance, les modules communication et les batteries remplaçables sur le terrain répondent à la demande de produits à l’abri du vieillissement qui minimisent le risque d’actifs délaissés. Ce compteur comprend par ailleurs d’autres fonctions clés comme la compensation électronique de la température, l’enregistrement des données, des alarmes sophistiquées, une vanne actionnée à distance d’arrêt du service et une interface utilisateur perfectionnée avec un affichage numérique qui prend en charge une navigation facile dans le menu du compteur, en en simplifiant le fonctionnement et la maintenance. Ce nouveau produit est initialement destiné au Royaume-Uni et à l’Italie et sera introduit dans d’autres pays européens à l’avenir.
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Industry News
Wallace Chooses Leica Geosystems as Machine Control Solution With 5 branches covering New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, the firm is famous for customer support, and responds to service requests 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Wallace Equipment has been selling heavy equipment solutions for more than 30 years, but only added a machine control solution in October, 2012. “It was time,” says Wallace Equipment COO and general manager Daryl Lisson, “Like contractors everywhere, our customers have been struggling in recent years and we believe that the competitive advantages of machine control have become too great to ignore. And from the response we’re getting as we demonstrate Leica’s state-of-the-art systems, our customers agree.” Mr. Lisson says that several suppliers were considered, but Leica Geosystems was clearly the superior choice. “We appreciated Gérard’s enthusiasm and expertise, and as we looked closer we realized that Leica’s emphasis on technological excellence and customer support was aligned with our values as a John Deere dealer, and we also feel that this is the best overall solution. Really, after we’d done the research, it was an easy choice and we’re looking forward to installing these systems throughout the Maritimes.” Gérard Lamarre is the Leica Geosystems Machine Control product manager for the region, and was instrumental in bringing Wallace and Leica together. “Wallace Equipment is clearly one of Canada’s top heavy equipment dealers, with unrivaled customer loyalty based on excellent support,” he said, “We are extremely pleased that this excellent dealership is now representing and installing our automatic guidance systems, which we believe are the best in the world. This is the kind of strategic alliance that makes life better for customers.” As part of the evaluation process, Wallace Equipment and Leica Geosystems collaborated in a demonstration of the equipment for Canada’s military. “We outfitted a small dozer with a Leica system and showed them what a huge difference it can make, even on medium-sized road building projects. They were impressed, and are working on procuring a system of their own,” Mr. Lisson explains. Similar demos for multiple customers have a had a good response, and the alliance with Leica is off to a good start. “It’s important that we’re able to outfit our customers with progressive solutions. We’re starting to see tenders and RFPs call for machine control, and we want our customers to work with the best technology available. In the machine control arena, we’re convinced that the best combination of technology and support comes from Leica Geosystems,” he concluded.
A New Image for the Diesel Engine Services and Machining Leader! The recent changes provided an excellent opportunity to highlight the significant capabilities of our UPC operations. Among other things, UPC is recognized for its extensive experience in the renovation of cylinder heads, engine blocks and other components of diesel engines. "The new image allows us to effectively communicate our wide variety of economical solutions to all our activity markets, such as trucking, marine, power generation, mining, construction and industrial sectors", says Philippe Cusson, UPC Regional Director. This diversified clientele, in addition to the numerous application types, led the company to develop considerable expertise in machining and remanufacturing of engines and transmissions. The new website presents the impressive portfolio of achievements in each of these markets. In business for 32 years and owned by the Wajax Corporation since 1995, Usinage Premier Choix has established a strong reputation as skilled provider of diesel engine and machining services in Quebec. Today, UPC relies on highly-efficient equipment that can test engines of up to 2,500 hp and generators of up to 2 MW. The company also offers a mobile service for machining, surfacing, welding and cutting on site. Since the 1990s, UPC has benefited from an ISO 9001 certified quality-management system.
Linde Acquires London Gases and Welding Distributor “The acquisition of Contact Welding strengthens Linde Canada’s market position in the southwestern Ontario corridor, which is a key part of our overall Canadian growth strategy. In addition, we are pleased to welcome the Contact Welding employees, who have a reputation for extensive product knowledge and exemplary customer service, to the Linde Canada team,” said Chris Ebeling, vice president and general manager for Linde Canada.
Report Says Partnerships Key to Fuller Aboriginal Participation in Natural Resource Development These are the findings of a new Public Policy Forum report, Building Authentic Partnerships: Aboriginal Participation in Major Resource Development Opportunities. The report synthesizes the results of six recent roundtable discussions with leaders from First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities along with executives from the Canadian resources, legal and financial sectors, university and college executives and senior government officials. It also provides specific recommendations for each sector, reflecting shared responsibility for action. Over the next several years, more than 500 Aboriginal communities across Canada will find themselves living in the heart of some of the biggest oil, gas, forestry and mining projects the country has seen in decades. Debates over pipelines, accelerated foreign investment, and the push for a national energy strategy have turned a spotlight on the central role that Aboriginal communities can play in these projects. "Authentic partnerships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities will ensure the benefits of resource development are shared fairly and that projects move forward sustainably," said David Mitchell, president and CEO of the Public Policy Forum. "This initiative represents a crucial first step in creating a space for dialogue among leaders from all sectors on this important public policy issue." The Forum released the final report today at the Aboriginal Entrepreneurs Conference and Tradeshow in Ottawa. Read the full report, as well as summaries of each of the six roundtables, at www.ppforum.ca/publications
Wajax Industrial Components Acquires Ace Hydraulic Ace Hydraulic was founded in 1987 and has steadily evolved into a fully integrated hydraulic facility, repairing hydraulic pumps, valves and motors, as well as rebuilding and fabricating cylinders with 25 to 600 mm bores. Hydraulic power units of all sizes are also built on demand. Ace Hydraulic supports a diverse list of regional clients including iron ore mines, original equipment manufacturers and forestry operations. “Our objective is to be a total solutions provider in terms of product offerings, engineering capabilities and repair services,” said Marc Joanis, Director of Business Development and Marketing for Wajax Industrial Components. “Where we don’t have those capabilities, we are pursuing strategic acquisitions. We were attracted to Ace Hydraulic because it has a very good reputation in the marketplace for hydraulic repairs.” Ace Hydraulic’s Bathurst location has 16 staff members, including NFPA-certified technicians, machinists, welders and millwrights who service all types of hydraulic and pneumatic equipment. Pierre Duguay has been appointed Branch Manager and Charles Guerette has been named Service Manager. “I was extremely impressed with their attitude, drive and enthusiasm,” said Barry Sutherby, Vice-President - Hydraulic Systems and Services for Wajax Industrial Components, referring to the Ace Hydraulic team. “They are very passionate about what they do, and they have that ‘can-do’ spirit.” As for Pierre Duguay, he goes on to add “Just like Wajax Industrial Components, we set high standards for ourselves and our customers. Now that we’re part of a sound and strongly managed national company The Bathurst, New Brunswick facility has doubled in size as recently as November 2011, adding 550 m2 of space. It features an array of modern equipment, including a Lagun 1600 horizontal-vertical milling machine, several Tos high production lathes and a 34 x 160 Mazak lathe capable of handling some of the biggest machining jobs in the industry. In addition, the facility has a nut buster that will deliver 150,000 in-lb of torque, allowing large hydraulic cylinders to be disassembled and assembled with ease. "A 230-hp test bench delivers 5,000 psi at 60 gpm, making it possible to replicate the most demanding operating conditions. Available hydraulic offerings will soon be expanded to include brands such as Eaton, Hawe, Schroeder, Magnetek and High Country Tek. The team’s existing skills will be enhanced with training in a broader range of products," adds Mr. Sutherby. “I want to thank our employees, customers and suppliers for building Ace Hydraulic into what it is today,” added retiring president Leon Thériault. “I think this is a perfect fit for everybody.”
Toronto’s Waterfront Named as One of the 21 Smart Communities of the Year Presented by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), the Smart21 Community recognition is the first step in the international 2013 Intelligent Community of the Year award process honoring communities or regions with a documented strategy for creating a local prosperity and inclusion using broadband and information technology to attract leading-edge businesses, build skills, generate economic growth, and improve the delivery of government services. This year the ICF is focusing on the relationship between employment and innovation. “We are honored that Toronto’s new waterfront community has been recognized as a Smart21 Community and pleased to make it onto the next stage of this important international competition,” said John Campbell, president and CEO of Waterfront Toronto. Toronto’s designated waterfront was selected largely as the result of the leadership demonstrated by Waterfront Toronto’s intelligent community initiative. This program will transform new waterfront neighbourhoods into intelligent communities that revolutionize how residents receive services, promote economic growth and development, and enable innovation through an advanced telecommunications network. Other aspects of the community that were highlighted include the robust post-secondary cluster, the Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network and Evergreen. As part of the Intelligent Community strategy for the area, Waterfront Toronto has partnered with Beanfield Metroconnect to create Canada’s first open-access ultra-high speed broadband community network. East Bayfront and West Don Lands, Toronto’s new waterfront communities currently under construction, will feature one of the most advanced fiber-optic networks in the world, delivering internet connection speeds up to 500 times faster than typical North American networks. “The ultra-high speed broadband community network will help establish Toronto’s waterfront as the new center of innovation and stimulate economic growth by helping the city remain competitive,” said John Campbell. The Intelligent Community Forum is a think tank that studies the economic and social development of the 21st Century community. ICF seeks to share the best practices of the world’s Intelligent Communities in adapting to the demands of the Broadband Economy, in order to help communities everywhere find sustainable renewal and growth.
LED Roadway Lighting Announces Five-year contract with NB Power The new light fixtures will replace existing 100 W to 400 W high-pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures. The installation of the new energy efficient fixtures will provide energy savings of approximately 60% (or a total of 27,000,000 kWh/y. The LRL fixtures, which have a design life that is significantly longer than conventional HPS technology, will also provide significant savings in maintenance costs. In addition to the economic benefits and improved lighting conditions, the retrofit will yield greenhouse gas reductions of approximately 324,000 t over 20 years, an amount equivalent to removing approximately 3,000 cars from the road. This release is the latest in a series of project awards announced by the company. Last month, two other major contract awards were announced; one in Salford, UK consisting of 24,000 fixtures, and one in the Dominican Republic consisting of 8,000 fixtures. “We are very excited to be working with NB Power on this project, which we believe is the world’s largest single order for LED street lighting. We began working with NB Power in 2010 on a number of pilot installations. After an exhaustive product and technical evaluation, and a competitive bidding process, LRL’s technology was selected by the client. A contract of this magnitude by an end-user such as NB Power is a major validation of our technology,” commented Charles Cartmill, LRL president/CEO.
Energy company to develop Eastern Canadian LNG export facility “We have the experience, expertise, financial resources, and access to supply and markets required for developing Eastern Canada’s first LNG export facility,” said Alfred Sorensen, president, Pieridae Energy Canada. “Goldboro LNG will connect the expanding supply of natural gas in both Canada and the United States with the increasing global demand,” he added. “With our location and proximity to existing gas pipeline infrastructure, Goldboro LNG is well positioned as the gateway to the global markets for North American LNG.” The facility is located adjacent to the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, a 1,400 km transmission pipeline system built to transport natural gas between developments in Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States. The location of Goldboro LNG also provides substantial advantages for transporting LNG to key markets. Pieridae is in advanced negotiations with international energy utilities for the natural gas processed at Goldboro LNG and expects to conclude negotiations in 2013. The company also announced that it is negotiating with Contact Exploration Inc. respecting Contact’s New Brunswick natural gas assets. Goldboro is also the landfall for the Sable and Deep Panuke offshore natural gas sub-sea pipelines and the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline. Preliminary environmental, engineering and stakeholder engagement work is underway and pending regulatory approvals, construction is expected to begin in 2014 and Goldboro LNG will be operational in late 2018.
C&T Rentals Opens New HQ and Facility at CentrePort Canada C&T rents and sells light and heavy construction equipment to contractors, industrial companies and homeowners. About 85% of business comes from the construction industry. C&T’s CentrePort site is its third Winnipeg location. C&T Rentals is one of more than 23 companies that have set up new or expanded operations within CentrePort’s Brookside-area industrial parks, which will have direct access to CentrePort Canada Way, currently under construction. C&T is located in Brookside Business Park, which is being joint-marketed by the Winnipeg office of the global real estate firm, CB Richard Ellis, and CentrePort Canada.
ALE and Roll-Lift Announce Heavy-Lift and Transportation Joint Venture Business in Canada ALE Roll-Lift Canada will offer heavy-lift and transportation solutions primarily within the oil, energy, mining and petrochemical markets. The company intends to invest in a fleet of heavy-lift cranes from 50 t to over 1,000 t capacity, lifting systems and specialized transport with the addition of the parent company’s global resources, and their investments into new equipment. ALE was established in 1983 and has more than 20 offices worldwide. It works within offshore, oil, gas and petrochemicals, civil, nuclear, power generation, renewables, and shipyard industries. Roll-lift was established in 2011 by a team of industry experts and headed up by Frans van Seumeren who has a long term proven track record in the heavy-lift industry. The company has already established itself in Russia and Latin America, and is expanding into new territories offering solutions to the oil, gas, petrochemical, offshore, power and civil markets. Roll-Lift and its sister company RollDock have been operating since 2006 and has developed and invested in heavy-lift vessels for worldwide project cargo. The joining of two companies, such as ALE and Roll-Lift, whom share the same core values in health and safety and innovation will truly bring the Canadian market a first class solution provider. The new venture will combine the expertise and equipment inventory of the separate companies under the new joint venture business. The new business will begin operations in early 2013 and is expected to invest $50 million within the next two years.
Atlas Copco Acquires U.S. Manufacturer of Drill Bits Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, NewTech develops and manufactures drilling products with a focus on rotary PDC (polycrystalline diamond compact) drill bits as well as klaw bits for rotary soft rock mining. These durable tools are designed to be both impact and wear resistant and the PDC bits are particularly suited to shallow, land-based drilling applications. “This acquisition broadens our range of products and extends our expertise for existing customers in the mining, construction and oil and gas industries,” said Bob Fassl, business area president, Atlas Copco Mining and Rock Excavation Technique. “We look forward to combining NewTech’s product development competence with the strength of the Atlas Copco brand and the global reach of our sales force.” NewTech will be part of Atlas Copco’s division Rock Drilling Tools within the Mining and Rock Excavation Technique business area. The acquisition is expected to be closed in the fourth quarter.
Atlas Copco’s New Construction Service Division Now Operational According to the company, the Construction Service Division is a more focused service organization supporting the construction, demolition and road construction industries. It is believed that this focus will allow Atlas Copco’s Construction Service Division to be more responsive, agile and customer-centric. In addition to a 24-hour tech support hotline and the main warehouse in Mississauga, the Construction Service Division maintains service shops in Milton, Ontario; St-Leonard, Quebec; and Edmonton, Alberta. All offer refurbishment, repair service and field service, and are staffed with factory trained technicians. The new division also offers service training to customers and dealers.
Steep Slope Cool Roofing Systems Utilizing Reflective Granules to Increase Energy Efficiency A combination of proven durability, pleasing aesthetics and reasonable cost make asphalt shingles the predominant steep-slope roof covering selected by building and home owners alike. The dominance of asphalt shingles is also prevalent in the cool roof arena through the development and marketing of highly reflective asphalt shingles. These products maintain a varied color palette that allows customers to match shingles to the design and color scheme of their home while offering the benefits associated with high solar reflectance. The Cool Roof Rating Council defines a cool roof as one that uses products with high-solar reflectance, the ability to re-radiate absorbed energy, high thermal emittance, and the ability to reflect the near-infrared wavelengths of the sun’s energy. Asphalt shingles are achieving high marks in all of these metrics through the incorporation of more lightly colored, highly-reflective granules. Solar reflectance values for conventional asphalt shingles range from 0.04 for black to about 0.25 for a white shingle. The use of granules made with special pigments that reflect most of the near-infrared portion of the solar spectrum has allowed the development of aesthetically pleasing colors with solar reflectance values that extend to 0.40, giving the consumer more design flexibility when selecting a roofing system. It is important to note that the mineral granules used on highly reflective shingles are essentially identical to those used on asphalt shingle roofs for decades, except for the development of near-infrared reflective pigments. In addition, both conventional and highly reflective asphalt shingles maintain thermal emittance values that often exceed 0.80.
Accident Reporting to be Mandatory for IPAF UK Member Rental Companies “This is the initiative for IPAF,” said Peter Douglas, chairman of the IPAF UK Country Council, who has been leading the accident reporting campaign. “We need to make the industry safer. Go to the IPAF website and report accidents. The data collected will help indicate the most common high risk behaviors. And if we can reduce those risky behaviors, we will gradually reduce the number of fatal and serious accidents.” “The initial mandate is for UK rental companies to report all lost time incidents for their employees,” explained Mr. Douglas. “But all members are strongly encouraged to get on board and report all accidents, near misses and contractor incidents they are aware of. The more information we have, the better we will be armed to reduce accidents in our industry.” “Companies who commit to report accidents at the IPAF database will be able to confidentially record data and create their own register of accidents,” said IPAF technical officer Chris Wraith. “The system requires companies to ‘sign off’ monthly on their accident records. In return, a dashboard feature analyses the company data in a graphical format, providing a management tool to monitor safety performance. Individual companies will be able to compare their safety performance against aggregated results from across all rental company members and recognised industry benchmarks. IPAF’s accident reporting system gives the industry the means to comprehensively collect and analyse accident data and at the same time provide a valuable management tool to improve safety in the workplace.” All manufacturers, rental companies, contractors and users are encouraged to report any known fatal and serious accidents involving MEWPs worldwide at www.ipaf.org/accident
Xylem at WEFTEC 2012 Xylem introduced its newest products in water and wastewater transport, treatment and analytical instrumentation under its well-known product brands that include Flygt, WEDECO, YSI, Godwin Pumps, Sanitaire and Leopold. It also inaugurated the extension of Xylem’s TotalCare service portfolio to the U.S. market, and for the first time connect with MJK Automation, which Xylem acquired over the summer and incorporated into its analytical instrumentation portfolio. MJK products are used in water, wastewater, environmental and irrigation applications where critical measurements are required in pipes, wells, open channels and canals. In addition, Xylem’s president and CEO Gretchen McClain participated in the “Water Leaders 2012: Rethinking Water Services” panel, keynoted by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lisa Jackson, to discuss smarter ways of managing water to meet the needs of urbanizing populations.
Xylem acquires Heartland Pump Xylem’s dewatering solutions business is a world leader in the design and manufacture of automatic self-priming pumps and submersible electric pumps, sold under the Godwin and Flygt brand names. The Xylem offering includes pumps, accessories and services to meet customer needs during fast-paced emergencies, rental or permanent installations. Heartland Pump employs approximately 100 people, with branches in Evansville, Indiana, Horn Lake, Mississippi, and Nashville, Tennessee.
Barnhart Agrees to Purchase C&S Crane & Rigging “This is an extremely positive move for both companies,” said Alan Barnhart, CEO of Barnhart. “The acquisition of the C&S Rigging Company gives us greater access to a very important geography: upstate New York State. With this new branch we will be able to better serve our customers in this area, particularly those in renewable and nuclear energy.” Barnhart Crane & Rigging, established in 1969, is a leading national supplier of heavy lifting and transportation solutions. The company has locations across the United States. Services also include logistics, machinery moving, and plant relocations. Barnhart’s Quality Management System is certified to the ISO 9001:2008 international standard and has been registered since 2000.
Terex Announces Takeuchi® Skid Steer Loader Supply Agreement This agreement will provide Takeuchi with a comprehensive range of high specification, high performance, vertical and radial lift skid steers Loaders to complement their existing line of compact equipment. Takeuchi’s current distribution and support channels will handle sales, rental and parts supply and customer support needs for the new skid steer loaders. Clay Eubanks, president of Takeuchi U.S. said: “After an extensive review process, we selected Terex to supply us with these new skid steer loaders ranging in operating weight from 2,950 kg to 3,900 kg, and rated operating capacity ranges from 680 kg to 1,360 kg. We will support our customer’s parts and service needs in the same way as we do our other products today. The addition of the skid steer loader line adds to our full range of compact equipment, which includes compact track loaders, excavators and wheel loaders.” “This is a great opportunity to leverage our manufacturing operations in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and drive additional operational efficiencies through our whole production and supply chain,” said Dean Barley, vice president and general manager, Terex Construction Americas and Global Aftermarket. “We are proud to be recognized for our quality and support, and pleased to assist in meeting the equipment needs of others in our industry,” added Mr. Barley.
Navistar To Close Garland Truck Plant To Improve Capacity Utilization And Drive Cost Improvements "Closing a facility is always difficult because of its impact on the many great people who've been part of our company," said Troy Clarke, Navistar president and Chief Operating Officer. "But the fact is that Navistar has too much manufacturing capacity in North America and we must take quick action to improve our business and position the company for long-term success." "We understand that these decisions affect employees and the community," Mr. Clarke added. "We will treat people with respect and provide support to help them with their transitions." Truck volume now produced at Garland will transition to other North America operations that currently build similar models beginning in January 2013.
Trimble Expands Alignment Planning Product Line with Quantm Enterprise Trimble Quantm Enterprise is designed for government planning agencies and large, multi-disciplinary consultants who perform transportation planning in-house. Quantm Enterprise is a solution that offers all the functionality of the Quantm system, operating on the users’ Intranet and server. With Quantm Enterprise, organizations have the flexibility to apply the Quantm system on multiple road or rail projects within their organization ranging from short bypasses or spur lines to national transportation plans. Trimble Quantm version 7.3 is available now worldwide. For more information, or to download free demonstration software visit: www.trimble.com/alignment. The Trimble Quantm system integrates engineering, environmental, social and economic factors into a simultaneous analysis of alternatives for rail and road planning. The system allows infrastructure planners to thoroughly examine all alternatives and select the most appropriate corridors for roads and railways. The holistic approach to planning new linear infrastructure can result in reduced planning time and cost, faster decision-making and lower construction costs. Projects of all types and sizes—ranging from regional, state and national transportation infrastructure planning to small bypasses and road realignments—can take advantage of the benefits of the Trimble Quantm system. In addition, the system can be used for mining, forestry and utility industry road and rail infrastructure.
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