Business in Winnipeg

[metonymy]

The cynical might chuckle at the irony in seeing the NDP supporting the "military industrial complex" with this grant... I guess the local jobs angle trumps larger policy issues. I don't think you'd see Layton stumping for money or government support to help build the new US fighter jet.

[jmt18325]

Doer most certainly isn't Layton....thank God.

[Pegger5]

Originally Posted by metonymy

The cynical might chuckle at the irony in seeing the NDP supporting the "military industrial complex" with this grant... I guess the local jobs angle trumps larger policy issues. I don't think you'd see Layton stumping for money or government support to help build the new US fighter jet.

Isn't Canada going to be buying some of these Jets as well to replace their CF-18's? I thought the CDN Federal Government has contributed millions into the research of these Jets. Lockheed Martin is the main developer of this JSFJ

[jmt18325]

Yes, in 2017 - 2020, the F/A - 18 will be replaced by by something, probably the F - 35.

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by The Jabroni

Now, if we can increase that momentum just a little bit, I'm sure we can do just fine. CentrePort is already on it's way, manufacturing is generally expanding, high-tech industries are expanding... if we can get more businesses into this city, then great!

We also know that these are interesting times. We know that we are no longer in a local market, but rather a global one. If and/or when we play our cards right, Winnipeg will definitely make an impact on a global scale.

Now, it's only a matter time.

I agree with you completely ....

Winnipeg is really taking its place on the global economy.

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Doer most certainly isn't Layton....thank God.

Jack Layton is a boob .. with a capital BOO.

[jmt18325]

Now see, that is one subject related to government that we can agree on.

[ILYR]

Winnipeg company signs $850M deal to service WestJet engines
Last Updated: Thursday, June 18, 2009 | 12:05 PM ET

CBC News
Winnipeg-based Standard Aero has signed a 12-year, $850-million deal with WestJet Airlines to maintain and repair aircraft engines.

The agreement, signed Wednesday in Paris, puts Winnipeg on the map for commercial airline engine maintenance, said WestJet spokesperson Mike Turner. The company is one of the world's largest gas turbine repair facilities.

"It will open up the world to us," he said. "So our ability to be able and go out and pursue work around the world — Europe, Canada, the U.S., whatever the case might be — is an excellent opportunity because it will ease that entree into that market."

The company will be responsible for the maintenance of WestJet's fleet of 737s, which is about 79 aircraft, added Turner.

Work on engines this size will be new for the company, said Rob Mionis, president and CEO of Standard Aero.

"Entry into the large-engine MRO (maintenance repair and overhaul) market has long been a goal for Standard Aero," he said.

"With contracts like this, built around the reputation and the work ethic of our employees in Winnipeg, we've been able to garner this kind of work that could have gone elsewhere in either Canada or in the world," said Turner, who expects the Winnipeg plant could become home to additional commercial-aircraft engine maintenance in the future.

Turner said by 2012 Standard Aero will have hired an additional 250 employees to service the engines.

[ILYR]

Not really Winnipeg, but related.

One industry on the up, the other on the down.

HudBay Minerals to close Flin Flon copper smelter by mid-2010
Last Updated: Thursday, June 18, 2009 | 10:53 AM ET
CBC News
HudBay Minerals Inc. said Thursday it expects to shut down its copper smelter in Flin Flon, Man., before July 1, 2010, costing 225 jobs.

"The Flin Flon copper smelter has been a great asset and one of the centrepieces of our operations for over 80 years," said Peter Jones, HudBay's chief executive officer.

"Today's business realities, combined with the age of the plant and regulatory changes, make continued operation of this plant impractical and uneconomic," he said in a release.

The smelter has a capacity of 90,000 tonnes of copper anode.

The Flin Flon location also includes a zinc plant, and a copper and zinc concentrator.

HudBay said the closure will have minimal financial impact on the company.

The company also said its copper refinery in White Pine, Mich., will close shortly after the shutdown of the Flin Flon smelter. Roughly 65 jobs will be affected at the Michigan location.

[1ajs]

thats not new news they had mentioned a couple years back they were going to be closing that smelter in flin flon by 2010

[jmt18325]

I thought that a couple of years back they had said 2013? I think they moved the date up now.

[1ajs]

they said between x years they were going to be closing it down probly find the artical buried in this thread somewhere even

[wags_in_the_peg]

Bristol (Magellan) got another big contract to build components for new fighter jet! MB Aerospace is doing awesome!!!

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

Bristol (Magellan) got another big contract to build components for new fighter jet! MB Aerospace is doing awesome!!!

exilent news
gues its good news for the aerospace program they run outa the machean shop outa tech voc then to

[newflyer]

Survey sees hot biz prospects for city
Drive to gauge relocation has first results
By: Martin Cash

A Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce initiative beating the bushes for prospective businesses that might move to Winnipeg has uncovered 12 hot leads.

The private-sector initiative, called Selling Winnipeg to the World, is trying to focus on firms that might find Winnipeg an attractive site and then highlight the city's positive business attributes to get it on more radar screens.

The first batch of data from interviews with about 200 CEOs and business leaders was unveiled yesterday.

It's still early in the process, but organizers said they were encouraged by the number of potential prospects that have emerged.

Among other things, the business leaders were asked if there were players and suppliers in their industry not operating in the city who ought to be.

Selling Winnipeg will then take those leads and mount a targeted, direct sales effort to try to bring those prospects to the city.

Bill Morrissey, the vice-president of the chamber who is championing the process, said it was an important day for the chamber yesterday.

"We wanted to tap into the intelligence that resides in the Winnipeg business community and most importantly, we were looking for leads," he said. "We have flushed out some great leads and the show of support has been fantastic."

He said it was unlikely the city would land all 12 prospects, but if that did happen it would mean an additional 550 jobs in Winnipeg.

At least one of those leads is a European company looking to set up a North American presence whose site-selector consultant has placed Winnipeg near the top of the list.

Morrissey presented some of the findings Thursday to a group of about 100 stakeholders, volunteers and survey participants.

In addition to searching for leads, the purpose of interviewing Winnipeg business people was to take a reading on what they think works best in the city and to focus on sectors that hold the most promise for growth.

Morrissey said the results were not surprising -- the highest positive attribute was the reliable workforce and the most prominent negative one was the tax base.

Eventually the chamber group wants to create a model that will allow them to do corporate analysis to better target prospects.

The next stage in the process will be to convene stakeholders to determine which industry sectors should be targeted. Then an "economic partnership" will be formed to chase the leads.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca


Why Winnipeg?

The results of an unscripted survey of more than 200 Winnipeg business leaders who were asked why they chose to do business in Winnipeg.

67 per cent -- because of the people and the workforce:

62 per cent -- quality of life

44 per cent -- legacy connection in Winnipeg to employees and customers

43 per cent -- diversified, stable and strong economy

24 per cent -- competitive operating costs

15 per cent -- location



What sectors should the Selling Winnipeg to the World team focus on?

23 per cent -- transportation and related services

13 per cent -- agriculture-related

13 per cent -- manufacturing

12 per cent -- high technology and science

8 per cent -- energy-related and life science

5 per cent -- aerospace

4 per cent -- call centre and back office services

3 per cent -- financial services

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 26, 2009 B4

[1ajs]

Startup delays become a blessing

Couple had time to get enough working capital

By: Murray McNeill
6/07/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

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It's usually the bane of small businesses, but red tape has proven to be a boon for two budding entrepreneurs as they strive to launch their new enterprise.Nigel Burns and Shelly Busch have been trying since early February to get their new venture -- Open Mesh Screen Printing and Design (www.openmesh.ca)-- up and running.
What the young couple thought would take two months has taken five. And it will likely be at least another two weeks before they are ready to start working on their first order -- imposing screen prints on T-shirts for a local retailer.
They blame the slow going on a string of unexpected delays, some due to bureaucratic red tape, some to other factors.
For example, they had no trouble finding a suitable location for their new venture -- the basement level of 264 McDermot Ave. But it took four weeks to complete a leasing agreement.
And the new equipment they ordered took 10 weeks to arrive instead of the four they anticipated.
Then there were delays in getting occupancy and building permits from the City of Winnipeg. In fact, they likely won't have their occupancy permit until next week, and they can't start work until they have it, Burns said.
So how have all of these delays been a boon to their business? Well, because it also took longer than expected to get all their financing in place, they likely wouldn't have had enough working capital to get them through those critical first few months if they'd opened at the start of April.
"So all of these delays were actually a blessing," Busch said.
If it's any consolation to them, Busch and Burns aren't the first entrepreneurs to underestimate how long it would take to get their new venture up and running, according to the executive director of the Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre (CMBSC).
Shannon Coughlin said it happens all the time, partly because people underestimate how many government permits they'll need to obtain. That's why the Business Service Centre has a free service that tells entrepreneurs what permits and licences they'll need for their type of business.
Another common mistake is underestimating how much operating capital they'll need to carry them through until they develop a steady income stream, Coughlin said.
"I've seen fabulous businesses close down that had a great business idea, but not enough working capital. Cash flow is serious."
Burns and Busch said they have enough working capital now, thanks to a provincial youth entrepreneurship grant and low-interest startup loan they obtained with the help of the CMBSC.
Both had high praise for the CMBSC and the services it offers. Burns said he attended a variety of free seminars there, including a three-day business startup seminar.
The centre also has a software program than helps entrepreneurs put together a proper business plan for their new venture -- something Coughlin said is a must for any new business. Not only do most lenders require one, but it also serves as a blueprint the business owners can follow as they develop their enterprise.
Coughlin said launching a new venture without a proper business plan would be like a cook setting out to bake a cake for the first time without a recipe.
"It forces you to think about all the key ingredients you'll need," she said. "A business plan also forces you to do your homework and to know your business, your industry and your sector."
Burns, who worked in the screen printing industry for five years before deciding to strike out on his own, admits it's a fairly competitive business. He estimated there are at least 10 firms in the city offering screen printing services, including at least four in the Exchange District alone.
But he said their company is the only one he knows of that uses water-based inks rather than the traditional polyvinyl-chloride-based ones. They're hoping that eco-friendly approach will strike a chord with prospective clients, which include clothing retailers, skateboard shops, charitable organizations, sports teams and musical bands.
Until business volumes pick up, Burns will handle all the screen printing work himself, while Busch will keep track of the orders and handle some of the office-type duties.
Because they weren't able to buy all the equipment they ideally would have liked right off the hop, Burns said he's had to design some himself. But that, too, may prove to be a blessing in disguise.
"It keeps our costs and overhead down," Busch said.
murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca
Before you open up the shop...
HERE are a few tips to keep in mind when launching a new business venture:
Take the time to write a formal business plan. The Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre (www.CanadaBusiness.ca/manitoba) has a software program that will walk you through the process and tell you what to include.
Conduct some market research to determine if there's a demand for your product or service, and what the competition is like in your market.
If possible, work out of your home for the first while to keep costs down and give you time to see if your business is likely to succeed.
Make sure you have enough operating capital to cover your costs during the startup period, when income is likely to be limited.
Take advantage of the hundreds of free seminars the CMBSC offers on everything from how to start up a business to things like taxation and how to read a financial statement.
-- Source: Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre

[newflyer]

Manitoba job market improves
By: Staff Writer

Six months of declining rates of job postings ended in June with significant gains according to the June Canadian Job Market Report.


Canadian job postings rose by 8.7 percent, up from 187,900 in May to 204,200 in June.


Manitoba’s job postings were up 10.7 per cent from 6,135 in May to 6,790 in June.


The report is published by CareerAIM, an aggregator of job market data.


The year-over-year rate of job postings rebounded significantly in June, racking up a 15 percent improvement over May. Prior to this, the year-over-year rate of job postings had been declining steeply, from a peak in October 2008, reaching its lowest point in May 2009, 35 percent below May 2008.

source: Winnipeg FreePress

[newflyer]

Dreaming in techie-colour
Provencher Boulevard transformed
By: Murray McNeill
6/07/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 1


It's a humble beginning, but Provencher Boulevard has started to attract some high-tech businesses to go with the trendy restaurants and retail boutiques that have been springing up along the strip.
There are at least five computer software or design companies on the boulevard, and the chairman of the Provencher Boulevard Business Improvement Zone is hoping to attract a few more.

"We could be the next great alternative to the Exchange District," Oai Truong, owner of Bounce Design Inc., said.

"We still have that lifestyle of the Exchange, but without some of the hassles.

"Rents are lower, there's less crime, there's more parking, and we're still close to the downtown."

Truong noted the cluster of high-tech firms includes two fairly large software companies -- Momentum Healthware Inc. and Encore Business Solutions -- and three small- to medium-sized ones -- Bounce, Modern Earth Web Design, and IDFusion Software.

The executive director of the area's economic development agency -- Enterprises Riel -- said he's not sure how the cluster developed.

"It's not something we've done," Normand Gousseau said, adding Enterprises Riel's main focus has been to lure new restaurants and other retail establishments to the strip. "It (the arrival of high-tech firms) seems to have been more by accident than by design," he said. "But sometimes that's how trends start... and I think it's great."

Truong said he didn't realize there were already several other high-tech firms on the street two years ago when he relocated Bounce to Provencher from the Exchange District.

The same goes for Modern Earth's owner, Dan Belhassen, who relocated from south Pembina Highway around the same time.

Both men said they were drawn to the area because they were looking to buy a building and they found the right property at the right price.

"We also wanted to be located in a part of the city there is an energy and something is happening," Truong said, referring to more than 13 new businesses that opened on the street between 2003 and 2006.

And with the new Canadian Museum for Human Rights being built just across the Red River at The Forks, "you feel something special is about to happen (on Provencher)," he said.

He said the Provencher Boulevard BIZ will be contacting the developers of two proposed commercial developments on Provencher -- one on the south side where a Shell gas station used to be and the other directly across the street -- to offer its help in luring some high-tech tenants to their -properties.

"We could put a (promotional) package together and meet with some of these types of firms."

Enterprises Riel is a co-owner of the vacant property on the north side of Provencher that's slated for redevelopment. As previously reported, the owners plan to build a four-storey, 26,000-square-foot commercial condominium complex, to be called Ediface Fontaine, on the site. But they're waiting until they have at least half of the space pre-sold before they start construction.

Gousseau said they're close to hitting their target. They hope to begin construction this fall.

Another group of investors headed by Garage Cafe owner Raymond Beaudry has purchased the former Shell property on the south side of the street, and plans to erect a three-storey, mixed-use building on the site.

Beaudry said they just completed the deal last week, so they're not sure how soon they'll proceed or exactly what form the development will take. But one of the options they're considering is having a restaurant on the main floor, office space on the second level, and maybe some residential condos on the third.

He and Gousseau both said they'd welcome the BIZ's help in trying to lure high-tech tenants to their buildings.

"If you get enough tech companies in one place they can pool their resources and work together..." Belhassen said. "We could make it a sort of technology corridor, and when people are looking for these kinds of services, they'll think of Provencher."


Know of any newsworthy developments in the real estate sector? Let reporter Murray McNeill know at the e-mail address below, or at 697-7254.


murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca


How it computes

HERE is a list of the high-tech firms on Provencher Boulevard:

Momentum Healthware Inc., 308-131 Provencher. Specializes in development, delivery, integration and support of information technology software for the health-care industry.

Encore Business Solutions, 467 Provencher. One of Western Canada's largest resellers of Microsoft Dynamics accounting and business management software.

Bounce Design Inc., 196 Provencher. Offers a full range of corporate website design and maintenance, logo design, and graphic design services.

Modern Earth Web Design, 446 Provencher. Specializes in custom design of commercial websites and e-commerce portals.

IDFusion Software, 116-383 Provencher. A bilingual software development company.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 6, 2009 B4

[newflyer]

I think its great that Provencher is becoming a technology corridore.

As the core critical mass grows it will attract further business interest. This area is really building momentum.

[1ajs]

yea its good to see provonchea has found its niche