New Business Development

[markbarbera]

JNE Consulting's office is on Shaw Street. The release reads that the new jobs would be at a new plant in Stoney Creek. Be it in a brownfield or a greenfield it's still a 5mil facility being added to Hamilton's commercial industry, bringing 300 decent jobs in an emerging field with high growth potential. I say bring it on.

[Jon Dalton]

Where does it say that? Stoney Creek is useless to me but still, good news.

[emge]

depends where in Stoney Creek, but i hope it is somewhat bike or transit accessible.

[mattgrande]

CHML didn't say anything more specific than East Hamilton.

Furthermore, why the hell do I keep listening to CHML? It just angers up the blood.

[Jon Dalton]

If it was somewhere near the new GO station that might be sort of okay.

[markbarbera]

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

Where does it say that? Stoney Creek is useless to me but still, good news.

http://www.hamiltonmountainnews.com/news/article/223526

The project, forged by JNE Consulting in a trade mission to China four years ago, could include manufacturing jobs in Stoney Creek.

...

[Jon Dalton]

could. So there's hope, I'll keep my fingers crossed!

[SteelTown]

Bus builder New Flyer to open parts distribution centre in southern Ontario

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bus...119692904.html

WINNIPEG - Bus builder New Flyer Industries Inc. (TSX:NFI.UN) announced Tuesday that it plans to open a parts distribution centre in southern Ontario later this year.

No details were immediately available on the number of people who will be employed at the distribution centre, which the company said would be established in the "Greater Toronto and Hamilton area."

"We have been expanding our aftermarket service model and with a number of customers in this region asking us to provide local support, opening an Ontario PDC is the next logical step in executing our strategy," president and CEO Paul Soubry said in a release.

There are currently more than 9,300 transit buses operated by over 65 transit agencies within a 300-kilometre radius of the two cities, of which nearly a third were manufactured by New Flyer, added Hans Peper, the executive vice-president, customer services.

"Establishing a PDC in the region is expected to improve New Flyer's response time for service parts, enhance parts availability and fill rates, and to enable the company to better support its customers in the areas of supply and inventory services."

The decision to establish the Ontario parts centre follows on the successful launch a customer service and overhaul centre in Arnprior, Ont., last year, the company said.

Some inventory from Winnipeg will be redistributed to the Ontario PDC to be closer to New Flyer's customer base in the region.

It currently has parts centres in Winnipeg, Erlanger, Ky. and Fresno, Calif..

With more than 2,000 employees, the company manufactures heavy-duty transit buses in Canada and the United States, with manufacturing facilities in Winnipeg and St. Cloud and Crookston, Min..

Its units were down 11 cents at $10.34 Tuesday morning on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

[thistleclub]

CBoC: Canada’s Economic Growth Weakens As Attractiveness To Foreign Investment Drops

Ottawa, April 14, 2011 – Canada is still attracting slightly more than its “fair” share of global foreign direct investment (FDI), but its share has dropped significantly in recent decades. Poor results in attracting inward FDI is one of the reasons for Canada’s weak labour productivity growth and its slipping economic performance, according to the Conference Board’s latest release of its How Canada Performs series.

“For some time now, the Conference Board has argued that one of the causes of Canada’s slipping economic performance relative to both peers and emerging economies is insufficient inward FDI,” said Louis Theriault, Director, International Trade and Investment Centre. “Canada is caught in a paradox. It needs to attract more FDI as a means of improving labour productivity. Yet, the evidence suggests Canada’s low labour productivity lessens its attractiveness as an FDI destination.

“The low Canadian dollar helped to maintain our international competitiveness, in spite of weak productivity growth. Now that the loonie is at par with the U.S. dollar, Canada needs investment to make its firms more productive. FDI benefits Canada by bringing investment, technology and innovative practices into the country.”

The Conference Board’s How Canada Performs benchmarking analysis assesses whether Canada is attracting its “fair” share of inward FDI. Canada’s inward FDI performance index – which compares Canada’s share of global FDI relative to its share of global GDP – is still greater than one. This means that the country is still attracting more inward FDI than its economic size would warrant.

Canada’s share of global inward FDI flows, however, dropped to three per cent in 2009, from 16 per cent in 1970. In comparison, the U.S. share rose from eight per cent in 1970 to 29 per cent in 1986, before falling to 12 per cent in 2009. China’s share of global inward FDI flows grew from almost zero in 1970 to 11 per cent in 2009. India’s share increased as well, but not nearly as spectacularly as did that of China.

The Conference Board’s How Canada Performs analysis found a positive relationship between inward FDI stock as a share of GDP and labour productivity among 17 countries assessed. In 1980, Canada had the second-highest share of inward FDI stock relative to GDP. In 2009, however, Canada ranked 10th among the 17 countries on inward FDI stock as a share of GDP.

[SteelTown]

Two new animation companies are relocating to Hamilton, Pipeline Studios (222 Main St West) and Chuck Gammage Animation (James St N).

http://www.pipelinestudios.com/PSi_REEL.html

[LikeHamilton]

This was announced at the Hamilton Economic Summit today. Pipeline Studios @ 222 Main St West is the building on the corner of Queen and Main that was newly renovated. They are bringing about 100 animators to Hamilton. Both they and Chuck Gammage Animation moving into 118-124 James Street North are coming here because of the new art scene on James and Hess Village. They apparently love the atmosphere and the vibe of the two neighbourhoods.

[LikeHamilton]

On CHCH tonight, a Toronto company has bought the Crazy Horse Salon building on John Street South behind the Connaught Hotel. They are going to renovated it into an office building called the “Royal Court Offices”. They stated that they could not believe how cheap buildings in Hamilton where.

[mattgrande]

Originally Posted by LikeHamilton

On CHCH tonight, a Toronto company has bought the Crazy Horse Salon building on John Street South behind the Connaught Hotel. They are going to renovated it into an office building called the “Royal Court Offices”. They stated that they could not believe how cheap buildings in Hamilton where.

Thank god! That block of John between King & Main may be the saddest block in Hamilton.

[thistleclub]

Canada Bread, reportedly the largest bakery in Canada, has its ribbon-cutting on the morning of Sept 28. Nebo/20.

[realcity]

That's good. it gives EcDev another two year expansion on their PR. They've been milking the Canada Bread story for two years now, so why not use it for another 2 in promotional materials.

[Skully2001]

Originally Posted by LikeHamilton

On CHCH tonight, a Toronto company has bought the Crazy Horse Salon building on John Street South behind the Connaught Hotel. They are going to renovated it into an office building called the “Royal Court Offices”. They stated that they could not believe how cheap buildings in Hamilton where.

Have they started site preparation on this project yet?? Or anything at all that might indicate that this is actually going to get built? lol...

[realcity]

How about that block of John between King William and Wilson?

[matt602]

Originally Posted by Skully2001

Have they started site preparation on this project yet?? Or anything at all that might indicate that this is actually going to get built? lol...

They tore up a few walls on the inside and locked the place up good, that's about it. There hasn't been any obvious activity on the building in at least the past one or two months.

Originally Posted by realcity

How about that block of John between King William and Wilson?

I think the East side of that block is to be made into that "urban park" thing. Not much room for development on the West side as it is already Fire Hall/Horizon Utilities. I would like to see that abandoned corner building renovated though.

[SteelTown]

http://www.thespec.com/news/business...-business-park

[markbarbera]

Not to mention there will soon be one at Upper Sherman and Mohawk too. Apparently Walmart feels there's lots of room for expansion in the Hamilton market.