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2007 Winners
The 24th annual Nova Scotia Export Achievement Awards recognized some of the top exporters in the province at last year’s ceremony. The seven companies showcased exemplified innovation, success and contributed to Nova Scotia’s exporting industry.
Last year’s Export Achievement Awards were held at the World Trade & Convention Centre on Thursday, May 10th. Dr. Ivar Mendez, Professor & Head Division of Neurosurgery Dalhousie University, and QEII Health Science Centre Chairman & Co-founder, Brain Repair Centre was the keynote speaker. Dr. Mendez spoke about his experience as a one of Canada's leading innovators in science, through his innovative presentation New Horizons in Brain Repair… Technologies of the Future.
To all of the 2007 Export Achievement Award winners, on behalf of Nova Scotia Business Inc., Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency, and our sponsors and partners, we extend our congratulations and thank you for contributing to the success of the province’s exporting industry.
New Exporter of the Year
Presented by EastLink
From a 22-acre dockside facility at Cape Breton’s Sydport Marine Industrial Park, Laurentian Steel Fabricators has driven its export market sales from zero in 2005 to more than 20 per cent of total sales in 2006. Using the skills gained from building skids for offshore oil and gas producers, Laurentian was able to compete successfully for the manufacture of antenna towers and mechanical dampers for the US market.
Laurentian is a growing force in the custom steel industry, conducting sales in New England, Oregon and Alaska. Laurentian, in partnership with RKO Steel of Dartmouth, recently made a successful bid to manufacture oil rig components for Nabors Canada, one of the world’s largest oil and gas drilling contractors. The company is also targeting work in the thermal power generating industry and has partnered with a company in Maine to make parts for generating stations. By fabricating a wide range of credible and high quality products for industries at home and abroad, and reaching out to develop industry partnerships, the future of Laurentian Steel Fabricators is an exciting one.
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Laurentian Steel Fabricators New Exporter of the Year Award |
Long Term Exporter
Presented by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Neenah Paper Company has been an important part of the industrial life of Pictou County for a very long time. The traditional approach of providing total mill production to a single parent company is gone for good. Now, the mill operates in a commodity market and sells to a variety of customers for a market-driven price. The product is kraft pulp and it is sold to customers in the US and Europe where it is turned into some of the world’s finest consumer products such as paper towel, facial tissues, writing and printing papers. Neenah Paper kraft is desired by its customers because of its strength and overall quality.
Neenah’s 40-year success story is a result of its highly skilled workforce and environmentally responsible forestry practices. Neenah Paper’s combination of quality products and creative cost management has led to another successful year. Export sales, which represent 95 per cent of its business, are once again on the rise. Neenah Paper continues to find a place near the top in a highly competitive global market.
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Neenah Paper Company Long Term Exporter Award |
Export Growth Through New Markets
Presented by Port of Halifax
At its modern manufacturing site in Dartmouth, Neocon International has planned very carefully to accommodate product design, pattern design, prototypes and manufactured products. Automobile makers in Canada, the US and around the world use the company’s new concepts in plastic cargo management systems.
The company celebrated an exciting year in 2006. Toyota USA, Daimler-Chrysler and Nissan China all took notice of Neocom’s creativity, innovation and unique product offerings. With one-of-a-kind designers, engineers and the local manufacturing team, Dartmouth-based Neocon continues to shape new ideas on a truly global scale.
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Neocon International Export Growth Through New Markets Award |
Export Growth Through Product Development
Presented by Michelin North America (Canada) Ltd.
For more than twenty years, Focal Technologies Corporation has kept pace with the growth and expansion of sub sea exploration from its design and manufacturing base in Dartmouth. Look to the fields of resource exploration defence and security and you’ll find Focal Technologies at the forefront, producing high performance technology for deep sea environments.
Nowhere is the innovation of Focal Technologies more clear than in deep diving, remotely operated vehicles. Focal engineers created a rotary joint which bends the flow of fibre optic information. This joint allows undersea vehicles to move about freely and dive to depths exceeding 300 meters, linked by lightweight cables to ships on the surface. As the search for more energy continues into deeper and deeper waters, Focal Technologies stays up-to-date with constant research and product development. The company continues to improve its high quality manufacturing systems and explore new markets world-wide.
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Focal Technologies Corporation Export Growth Through Product Development Award |
Export Growth Through Partnership
Presented by Greater Halifax Partnership
From its Nova Scotia headquarters, AG Research Inc. competes with the best software companies in the world. In one year, AG increased its export sales by 60 per cent. The key to AG’s competitive advantage is strong partnerships and high quality business software solutions produced at home that lower the cost for prospective offshore buyers. In Trinidad, AG works with two partners to aggressively pursue business opportunities in the Caribbean region.
Outstanding client service that exceeds expectations is AG’s chief operating principle and that’s why AG is a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider, an Oracle Partner and an Autodesk Development Network Partner. Matching the best technologies and skills to client business needs has ensured that customers continue to return as AG develops more and more business partnerships all over the world.
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AG Research Inc. Export Growth Through Partnership Award |
Export Growth through Sales
Presented by Export Development Canada
Secunda International was created in 1983 to serve the needs of Canada’s East Coast offshore oil and gas industries. In recent years, operations have moved away from exploration and development into production. Secunda responded to this shift by offering a greater variety of vessels to more international companies, while still keeping a fleet of five vessels at work in Nova Scotia.
Today, with a fleet of 16 specialized vessels, Secunda provides offshore supply, anchor handling, flexible pipelay, cable lay, sub sea construction and dive support vessels. It only goes to prove that providing a best-value solution to customers using a highly experienced team is a sure fire recipe for international success.
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Secunda International Ltd. Export Growth Through Sales Award |
Canadian Market Development
Presented by Grant Thornton
Bulldog Interactive Fitness is a kids-only gym that combines fitness, self-esteem building and nutrition advice all in one. The unique video interactive youth-only fitness center program is making its mark by helping to combat the alarming rate of childhood obesity and inactivity in North America. With a proven product and 10 franchises across Canada, Bulldog has created a brand new market-niche all on its own.
Features of Bulldog include old-fashioned games like tag and dodge ball, and a climbing wall on a rotating belt. A video dance program and Nintendo Wii gaming consoles also prompt a child to use real arm movements to swat a digital tennis ball. Bulldog’s creator Holly Bond knew that a video interactive fitness center was something that kids and parents would enjoy. She was right.
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Bulldog Interactive Fitness Canadian Market Development Award |
Exporter of the Year
Presented by Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
