International Newsletter - Spring 2014

V O L U M E 2 3, No. 01S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

INTERNATIONALN E W S L E T T E R

LAVAL TECHNOPOLEInternational Business Centre

OLYMPIC VETERANS

Following its resounding success at the London Olympics, Show Canada won its biggest contract to date, the Sochi Games. With international clients looking to benefit from its expertise and innovative concepts, it’s no wonder the company brings in 80% of its sales from foreign markets.

Show Canada designed most of the set structures used to install the 13,000 m2 floor inside Fisht Olympic Stadium. From floating islands 30 metres long to massive stage lifts and expandable columns, presenting a project of this magnitude proved to be an awesome technical feat for the firm.

Show Canada only had 10 months to meet the challenge, which required staff to make full use of their resourcefulness and creativity. Close to 200 people put their talents to work in Laval, building and testing materials with total attention to detail. Once up to code, set and stage pieces were assembled and tested in the old Dominion Bridge facilities in Lachine under top secret security before being shipped in sealed containers by cargo jet for final assembly in Sochi.

WORKING IN RUSSIA

To ensure smooth running of operations for the Olympics project, Labadie opened a Russian division of Show Canada with offices in Moscow and Sochi. The International Business Centre was a great help to the company, expediting visa requests for employees, with the support of the international mobility service of the Centre local de développement (CLD), and providing sound advice on banking matters and the law. Labadie plans to use Show Canada’s

new business presence in Russia to expand activities there over the next few years.

The weather in Sochi was tough on the 80 Show Canada employees on location. For example, the open roof of the stadium lead to an accumulation of rainwater that resulted in equipment requiring replacement. “I’m so proud of my staff for not giving up, no matter what the working conditions were” says Labadie. Weather issues aside, the president of Show Canada encourages Canadian entrepreneurs to look into the Russian market and the many business opportunities in the manufacturing sector there.

Since delivering an exceptional product seen around the world, Show Canada has been offered a number of other high-profile projects, including the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The Laval company also plans to expand to markets in China where it will open a 13,006 m2 factory in June.

Thanks to its extensive list of amazing technical achievements, Show Canada was given the opportunity of showcasing Quebec expertise in Russia, thrilling audiences around the world with its know-how and creativity in the process. More than just a great success story, Show Canada proves that the show must go on… no matter what!

Since founding Show Canada in 1999, Jean Labadie has been blowing audiences away with a string of world-class projects, including set design pieces for Cirque du Soleil shows and ensuring the optimal performance of technical elements at the Vancouver and London Olympics. This year, Show Canada designed the set elements for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi, an amazing technical achievement that makes the Laval company a recognized global leader in the field of scenography.

LAVAL EXPERTISE WINS GOLD AT SOCHI OLYMPICS

SHOW CANADA

FOR MORE INFORMATIONPlease contact Show Canada Industries at 450-664-5155 or at [email protected]. www.show-canada.com

INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER SPRING 2014– 02 –

I’M LEAVING YOU IN GOOD HANDS WHILE I’M ON LEAVE

I’m pleased to announce that Bruno Séguin, an advisor at the Laval Technopole International Business Centre for the past eight years, will take over as the department interim director while I’m on a one-year maternity leave beginning in April 2014.

I have every confidence Bruno will do a terrific job thanks to his many talents and the support of our team of professionals dedicated to ensuring your success in exporting your products and services. Bruno and his team will continue to uphold the International Business Centre’s mission of supporting Laval entrepreneurs by putting them into contact with the right people and providing them with the tools they need to build and maintain a strong reputation worldwide.

The businesses featured in this newsletter are all exporters we’ve had the pleasure of working with in their quest to conquer new markets around the world.

For 2014-2015, it’s time to develop the International Business Centre’s new three-year strategic plan, so we’ll be consulting with you once again to ensure that we continue to meet your needs and expectations.

I look forward to seeing all of you again in a year’s time. Happy reading!

VÉRONIQUE PROULXEMBA

Colombia offers great business opportunities for Quebec SMEs in a host of sectors. On January 24, Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, tweeted an announcement during the Davos Forum stating his country’s economy now ranks third in Latin America, just behind Brazil and Mexico.

A MARKET MADE FOR QUEBEC SME

Colombia is among the most promising emerging countries thanks to a combination of favourable factors, including economic and political stability, a growing middle class, a successful government-backed security strategy, and a modern, diversified economy with a large domestic market. Quebec SMEs also have easier access for exports there thanks to the preferential trade agreement between Canada and Colombia that came into effect on August 15, 2011.

According to Export Development Canada (EDC), these are the key sectors for Quebec companies:

• Construction and infrastructure• Electricity• Environmental infrastructure and wastewater• Machinery – Packaging, industrial

and analytical instruments • Oil and natural gas• Telecom

From a demographic standpoint, the average Colombian is 30 years old. There are also 9.5 million people over 50, a number that is expected to reach 11.8 million in 2020. Colombia is a relatively untapped market for businesses with products and services for seniors, specifically in the housing, healthcare, tourism and financial services sectors. Of course older consumers are more inclined to be loyal to a brand, and to purchase traditional products that are easy to handle.

On my last trip to Colombia, as part of a trade mission organized by the International Business Centre, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Colombian entrepreneurs have a very high opinion of their Laval counterparts.

Colombians tend to favour northern countries over European or Asian ones when doing business. The similarities between our two cultures greatly facilitate business exchanges as well.

CHALLENGES WITH OPPORTUNITIES

As you can see, the Colombian market is very buoyant, but ensuring sustained growth could be tricky because of existing infrastructures. For example, according to the EDC’s chief economist, inland transport costs within the country are five times higher than freight charges between Asia and Colombia. In order to address this issue, the government has launched an ambitious $27 billion infrastructure improvement program. Another area that remains of concern despite government initiatives is public institutions, especially the regulatory process and ongoing security and corruption issues. Fortunately, a number of solutions have been designed to mitigate the risks for SMEs.

In view of Colombia’s immense potential and benefits for our businesses, the EDC officially inaugurated a new representation in Bogotá (its 16th representation abroad) in February 2014 to help meet the current and future needs of Canadian stakeholders in this thriving market.

Will you be taking advantage of the Colombian boom? If you’re interested in this market, please contact me.

WHY NOT COLOMBIA?BLOGGER’S CORNER

COUNTRY’S ECONOMY NOW RANKS THIRD IN LATIN AMERICA, JUST BEHIND BRAZIL AND MEXICO.

A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR

Caroline Bouchard Visit our blog at www.lavaltechnopole.org/cailt


Louis Leclair is the driving force behind Fourgons Transit, the company his mother founded in Laval in 1978.

The family business has 200 employees. In its 11,613 m2 factory, they build a wide range of truck bodies for use in various industries. The company currently delivers 2,000 units annually and continues to expand to markets across Canada.

Fourgons Transit has been exporting truck bodies to our Ontario neighbours since the fall of 2013. With the Laval company hoping to generate 5% of sales outside Quebec by the end of this year, joining the “Internationalizing your SME” program developed by the International Business Centre in collaboration with Mercadex was a very smart move.

The International Business Centre’s personalized coaching is helping Leclair and his team develop a winning internationalization strategy through a

Marc-André Bovet founded BONE Structure® in Laval in 2005 with the goal of transforming the housing and construction industries. The idea behind the company is simple: use steel structures that can be assembled easily to create energy-efficient contemporary living spaces. Inspired by automotive and aerospace engineering, BONE Structure technology is on its way to giving the worldwide housing industry a well-deserved makeover.

BONE Structure is already on the road to success in Canada as the first step in introducing its revolutionary concept to the rest of the world. Bovet anticipates generating 80% of 2014 sales outside Quebec while promoting production and job creation right here at home. To meet this objective, BONE Structure took part in the “Internationalizing your SME” program developed by the International Business Centre in collaboration with Mercadex. The International Business Centre’s customized coaching helped the

structured approach based on in-depth market research. The Fourgons Transit president says export procedures can be quite complex and should never be taken lightly. Being prepared for doing business in targeted markets is the only way to go. In the long term, the company plans to export to the Northeastern U.S., another very promising neighbouring market.

company develop an action plan to break into various markets, including Ontario and British Columbia, where BONE Structure started building its first homes earlier this year. Bovet also plans to open sales offices in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and California by 2015. He encourages Laval entrepreneurs to really get to know the ins and outs of targeted markets and to find the right support when it comes to export procedures to ensure they have all the bases covered.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONPlease contact Louis Leclair, President, at 514-382-0104 or at [email protected]. www.transit.ca

FOR MORE INFORMATIONPlease contact Marc-André Bovet, President, at 450-978-0602 or at [email protected]

FOURGONS TRANSIT

BONE STRUCTURE

BUILDING A SOLID REPUTATION IN HOUSING TECHNOLOGY

CANADIAN LEADER IN TRUCK BODY MANUFACTURING


Founded in Laval in 2010, Devrun specializes in web analytics. The company has eight employees to deliver website design and optimization services to small and big businesses in both Quebec and the U.S. At present, 30% of Devrun’s sales are US-based.

The Laval company plans to continue enhancing its reputation as it expands into the U.S. market. In an effort to achieve this goal, Devrun took part, in December 2013, in the International Business Centre’s trade mission in California. The one-of-a-kind experience helped Devrun management score their first contract with solar-energy giant SunPower Corporation and presented the opportunity for both parties to outline the first steps in the project then and there. California is ground zero for innovative companies at the leading edge of technology

Sotech Nitram opened its doors for business in 1981. Jacinthe Martin, the founder’s daughter, is now at the wheel of the transportation brokerage family business. Established in Laval since 2002, the third-party logistics (3PL) provider offers land, air, sea and rail transport services for shipments originating from or destined to anywhere in North America.

Thanks to its variety of Canadian and U.S. partners, the company derives 95% of its sales from cross-border transport. In an effort to increase its U.S. customer base, Sotech Nitram took part in the International Business Centre’s trade mission to California in December 2013. The event gave Martin the perfect opportunity to meet with potential business partners, including several leaders of 3PL firms, with the goal of building strategic

looking for the right service providers to meet their needs. According to Devrun president, Jonathan Roy, making first contact with potential clients is always the hardest part in getting new business. His advice to anyone contemplating exporting is to carry out thorough market research so you really know where you’re going and to spare no effort in making sure you have a clear, well developed service offer before you get there.

alliances. The company president encourages businesses to consult with specialists like those at the International Business Centre when dealing with export procedures to help speed up the process and take advantage of their extensive knowledge of world markets. With over 30 years of solid experience under its belt, Sotech Nitram and its team of professionals provide transportation solutions designed to exceed even the highest customer expectations.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONPlease contact Jonathan Roy, President, at 514-323-2992, extension 100, or at [email protected]. www.devrun.com

FOR MORE INFORMATIONPlease contact Jacinthe Martin, President, at 514-975-2100, extension 530, or at [email protected]

SOTECH NITRAM

DESTINATION: NORTH AMERICA

SPRING 2014 INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY: LAVAL TECHNOPOLE

1555 Chomedey Boulevard, Suite 100, Laval, Quebec, H7V 3Z1

Telephone: 450-978-5959 I Fax: 450-978-5970 I [email protected] I www.lavaltechnopole.com/ltibc

The LAVAL TECHNOPOLE International Business Centre receives financial support from:

DEVRUN

A SMALL COMPANY WITH BIG IDEAS

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