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  #241  
Old Posted Aug 15, 2007, 1:34 PM
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Clearline Technology expanding
City company triples its manufacturing space

Wed Aug 15 2007

By Murray McNeill

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Neil Krovats says U.S. sales of the company's rooftop support products have been growing by 75 to 80 per cent a year over each of the past three years.
A three-year-old Winnipeg firm has more than tripled the size of its manufacturing space as it scrambles to keep up with a growing U.S. demand for its recycled-rubber construction products.

Clearline Technologies has spent more than $2 million to acquire the three former Motor Coach Industries buildings in the city's West End and intends to spend another $500,000 renovating them.

The company plans to use the largest of the three buildings -- a 110,000-square-foot facility at the corner of St. Matthews Avenue and Wall Street -- to house its manufacturing operations, as well as its head office and three other related companies.

However, the lion's share of the space -- about 95,000 square feet -- will be used for manufacturing, company founder Neil Krovats said in an interview Tuesday. That will be a huge improvement over the 25,000 square feet of production space Clearline had in another Wall Street building it was leasing before it acquired the Motor Coach buildings late last month.

"We were busting at the seams in the other building," Krovats said, noting U.S. sales of the company's rooftop support products have been growing by 75 t0 80 per cent a year over each of the past three years. He said that growth could have been even greater if there had been room in the old building to expand the company's production operations.

Clearline plans to convert the second largest of the three buildings -- a 60,000-square-foot structure at the corner of Erin Street and St. Matthews Avenue -- into a storage facility where people can rent space to store things like boats, recreational vehicles and household goods.

By the numbers

Here are the three firms within the Clearline group of companies:

Clearline Technologies -- designs and manufactures steel, pre-engineered, rooftop walkways, catwalks and platforms, as well as rooftop support products made from recycled rubber. The recycled-rubber products are used to support heating, plumbing, electrical and air conditioning pipes and equipment found on the rooftops of commercial buildings.

Clearline Construction -- Builds and develops residential and commercial buildings and designs and manufactures wooden wall-frame systems used in the construction of these types of buildings.

Clearline Web Systems -- Designs websites.
The third building, a 15,000-square-foot facility on Erin Street, will be resold. Krovats said negotiations are underway with a prospective buyer.

The company designs and manufactures two main types of rooftop construction products. One is a line of modular-designed, pre-engineered, steel walkways, catwalks and platforms. The other is a line of rooftop support products made from recycled rubber. The products, called C-Port products, are used to support plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical pipes and equipment found on the rooftops of commercial buildings.

Krovats said it's the C-Port products that are in big demand right now in the United States, partly because of the growing popularity of environmentally friendly, recycled building products.

"C-Port is the core of the business," he said. "That is the golden goose that has propelled our company and allowed us to get into these other things."

The "other things" Krovats refers to are two new business ventures Clearline has launched in the past year -- a website development company called Clearline Web Systems, and Clearline Construction, a firm that builds and develops commercial and residential buildings.

Clearline Construction also designs and manufactures wooden wall-frame systems that can be used in the construction of residential and commercial buildings. It currently manufactures the systems at a plant outside the city, but that work will also be shifted to the newly acquired building on St. Matthews.

Krovats said Clearline Web Systems and Krovats Distributing, another family owned business that distributes heating and plumbing supplies, are also moving into the St. Matthews building. He said there's enough room in the building to all for all four companies to expand their operations.

The three Clearline companies currently have a combined staff of about 22 employees, and Krovats said he expects that number to grow to about 40 by the end of this year.
He said the combined revenues of Clearline companies grew five fold in the past year, and he expects them to double again over the next year.

Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner, executive director of the West End Business Improvement Zone, said she's thrilled that Clearline has moved into the former Motor Coach buildings.

"To me it just reaffirms that the West End is undergoing a revitalization," Cardwell-Hoeppner said.

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca
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  #242  
Old Posted Aug 15, 2007, 1:47 PM
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^ now that is a good news story. I drive by there all the time and have often thought to myself about when and if those massive buildings would ever get re-used.

Hopefully now they can get someone in the old bakery buildings near Portage and Arlington...
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  #243  
Old Posted Aug 16, 2007, 12:38 PM
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Provincial economy depends on global markets

ANY discussions about the provincial economy will usually include the word aerospace.
A lot of the aerospace enterprise in Manitoba revolves around maintenance, repair and overhaul, and even though that might not be so sexy it still requires a highly skilled and well-paid workforce.

But when we talk about the Manitoba aerospace industry we're really talking about elements of a global industry that just happened to have touched down in Manitoba.

Four aerospace companies in Winnipeg represent the lion's share of the work force and the value of work done.

Two of them -- Air Canada Technical Services (ACTS) and Standard Aero -- are in the process of being sold to non-Canadian buyers.

One of the others, Bristol Aerospace, is owned by an Ontario-based public corporation and the other, Boeing Canada Technology, is wholly owned by the U.S. aircraft manufacturer.
The point is that a major pillar of the provincial economy -- along with bragging rights that allows us to say we have the third largest aerospace sector in the country -- is entirely dependent on the global market and in almost all cases by non-Canadian owners.

A local product designer recently said that when it comes to designing any kind of product in Manitoba -- consumer or industrial -- the global market has to be considered the target audience because there aren't any products exclusive to the Manitoba marketplace except maybe a Salisbury House Nip.

The sale of the ACTS to a couple of U.S. private equity firms also underlines the folly in assuming there is any long term guarantee that a company will remain operating in one place or another. It was not long ago that ACTS was owned by a federal Crown corporation and its presence in Winnipeg had a measure of political imperative as well as any operational or strategic value in being located here.

Now there are concerns, not entirely unfounded, that work that had been done in Winnipeg might move to a lower cost centre in El Salvador.

The other side of the coin is the way Standard Aero has evolved. It is now on its fourth owner in a little more than 10 years -- two were British-based, and two were international private equity firms. But rather than become compromised, its power base in Winnipeg has been enhanced. Standard's CEO, Paul Soubry, Jr. is now also head of a Tempe, Ariz. company that was also purchased by the new owners, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise. It has proven to be a valuable investment for two previous owners whose interest were purely financial. Now it is owned by a company whose executives are veteran operators of high- tech aerospace firms. There is justified expectations that it could mean greater market leverage for Standard Aero.

But that is not to say that's the way these things will always work. Agricore United was recently acquired by Regina-based Saskatchewan Wheat Pool in a deal that was meant to create a large Prairie agriculture company that would be able to compete globally. That might be achieved, but it is likely to come at the cost of perhaps as many as 500 jobs from Portage and Main.

Buhler Industries is currently considering an offer to sell to a Russian company, Rostelmash Ltd., a virtual unknown in North America.

Like just about any manufacturing company that has grown over the past decade, Buhler Industries worked hard expanding its market reach. In Buhler's case the introduction of its large tractors into the Russian and eastern European market brought it to the attention of Rostelmash, a combine maker, giving it the idea to try to acquire the whole company. Officials from the Russian company have said their intention is to keep the Manitoba company operating here, but there is no guarantee that will happen.

A think tank report this week rated corporate Canada poorly when it comes to international mergers and acquisitions.

There has been much press over the past couple of years about international take-overs of Canadian companies. While there would be an obvious downside were that trend to continue unabated, it might be even more important for the sustained prosperity of a regional economy like Manitoba to ensure greater levels of operational efficiency and excellence regardless of who owns the enterprise.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
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  #244  
Old Posted Aug 16, 2007, 5:11 PM
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S.I.R. sold to Cabela's




A 83-year-old hunting and fishing retail institution in Winnipeg has been bought by one of the industry's giants.
S.I.R. Mail Order and Warehouse Sports Store has been acquired by Cabela's, Inc., a Nebraska-based outfit with 26 locations and a massive mail-order business across the U.S., for an undisclosed sum.

The closest Cabela's store to Winnipeg is located in East Grand Forks, Minn.

Earl Robinson, 77, president of the family-run enterprise on Ellice Avenue, said the capital investment to keep growing the business required a deep-pocketed owner and Cabela's fit the bill.

"S.I.R. needed the expertise of an organization that handles similar merchandise," he said.

Dennis Highby, president and CEO of Cabela's, said the company will use S.I.R.'s location near Polo Park Shopping Centre as its headquarters north of the border and its spring board into the Canadian market.

He said the Winnipeg store will feature both the S.I.R. and Cabela's brand
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  #245  
Old Posted Aug 16, 2007, 9:58 PM
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I drive by the ex-MCI buildings 6 days a week enroute to work. It is fantastic to hear that someone is moving in.

Since the Agricore deal, most of the business news in Winnipeg has been positive.
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  #246  
Old Posted Aug 19, 2007, 2:13 PM
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going threw yesterdays paper (saturday paper) i see wce had another offer made for it Friday

also artisreit is a partner in the winnipeg square deal who ever that is

and it also mentions canwest has gotten the go ahead to own an Australian tv network
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  #247  
Old Posted Aug 23, 2007, 9:34 PM
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From the Chamber website:
Another sign that the Biomed industry in Winnipeg is gaining greater attention by the scientific sector.
------------------------------------------------------------

Chamber to Host Launch of National Biotechnology Week

The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce has partnered with BIOTECanada and the Life Science Association of Manitoba to launch National Biotechnology Week (Sept. 22-29, 2007).

To kick off the week The Chamber is hosting a Membership luncheon on Thursday, September 20th at the Convention Centre where emcee David Asper will be joined by our feature speaker, Dr. Moira Gunn.
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  #248  
Old Posted Aug 27, 2007, 1:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg View Post
S.I.R. sold to Cabela's




A 83-year-old hunting and fishing retail institution in Winnipeg has been bought by one of the industry's giants.
S.I.R. Mail Order and Warehouse Sports Store has been acquired by Cabela's, Inc., a Nebraska-based outfit with 26 locations and a massive mail-order business across the U.S., for an undisclosed sum.

The closest Cabela's store to Winnipeg is located in East Grand Forks, Minn.

Earl Robinson, 77, president of the family-run enterprise on Ellice Avenue, said the capital investment to keep growing the business required a deep-pocketed owner and Cabela's fit the bill.

"S.I.R. needed the expertise of an organization that handles similar merchandise," he said.

Dennis Highby, president and CEO of Cabela's, said the company will use S.I.R.'s location near Polo Park Shopping Centre as its headquarters north of the border and its spring board into the Canadian market.

He said the Winnipeg store will feature both the S.I.R. and Cabela's brand
Hopefully Cabela's opens a new store in Winnipeg. I cant see the old SIR location as being big enough.

I was at the location in East Grand Forks and it was HUGE! WAY better than SIR ever was.
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  #249  
Old Posted Aug 27, 2007, 2:04 PM
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^ SIR recently expanded to a much larger stand-alone building.
That being said - it probably still isn't quite big enough or nice enough for Cabela's.
I hope they put a cool aquarium in the one here...
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  #250  
Old Posted Aug 28, 2007, 4:58 PM
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Winnipeg based The North West Company Fund has entered into an agreement to buy Cost-U-Less Inc. an operator of mid-sized warehouse stores in remote island communities in Hawaii, the South Pacific and the Caribbean for $52.2 million.
North West Company operates 206 stores in remote northern Canada and Alaska and Cost-U-Less has 11 stores. North West Company officials say that even though the operations are in different parts of the world, "there is an exceptional strategic fit with our capabilities in serving unique, physically distant markets."

North West Company will pay a 13 per cent premium to acquire all the shares of Bellevue, Wash.-based Cost-U-less which trade on the Nasdaq exchange.

The North West Company is about four times as large as Cost-U-Less.
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  #251  
Old Posted Sep 5, 2007, 4:33 AM
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Growth Works Buys Ensis
SEP 04 2007 02:10 PM
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A retail venture capital manager has finally entered the Manitoba market. BC fund manager Growth Works was denied by a court when it tried to buy the remains of Crocus two years ago, in an attempt to expand to the province.
Now Growth Works has made its way to Manitoba by purchasing the lone Manitoba labour sponsored fund, Ensis. Growth Works CEO David Levi feels the move will help increase price shares while adding value to the companies in the Ensis portfolio.
(play audio)

Financial details of the transaction, expected to be finalized in November, were not made public.
CJOB's Jeff Keele reporting.
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  #252  
Old Posted Sep 5, 2007, 2:38 PM
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Franklin Electric Co. Inc. Announces the Acquisition of the Pump Division of Monarch Industries Limited
PR Newswire
September 05, 2007: 07:55 AM EST

BLUFFTON, Ind., Sept. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Franklin Electric Co., Inc. , the world's largest manufacturer of submersible electric motors and a leading supplier of water pumping and fuel pumping systems, announced today that it has completed, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Franklin Electric Canada, Inc., the acquisition of the pump division of Monarch Industries Limited, Winnipeg, Canada ("Monarch") in an asset transaction. Franklin Electric expects the transaction to be accretive to its earnings per share in the first year of ownership. Monarch's pump division revenues for 2006 were approximately $30 million.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000223/FRANKLOGO )

R. Scott Trumbull, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Franklin Electric, stated, "The Monarch acquisition is an excellent strategic fit for Franklin. It will incrementally expand both our product line and distribution coverage in the North American market."

Gene Dunn, President and Chief Executive Officer of Monarch stated, "This transaction represents an exciting opportunity for our Pump Division and its employees. Equally as important, this step will provide the resources and focus necessary for us to accelerate the expansion and modernization of our Hydraulics and Custom Casting & Machining Divisions."

Franklin Electric is a global leader in the production and marketing of systems and components for the movement of water and automotive fuels. Recognized as a technical leader in its specialties, Franklin serves customers around the world in residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, municipal, and fueling applications.

About Monarch Industries Limited: Established in 1935, Monarch currently operates plants in Winnipeg and Winkler, Manitoba. The Company will continue to manufacture and market hydraulic cylinders; raw and machined iron castings and residential cement mixers across North American under the trade names, "Monarch"; "Lion Hydraulics"; "Big Cat"; and "Black Lynx".

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, general economic and currency conditions, various conditions specific to the Company's business and industry, market demand, competitive factors, changes in distribution channels, supply constraints, technology factors, litigation, government and regulatory actions, the Company's accounting policies, future trends, and other risks which are detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements.
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  #253  
Old Posted Sep 5, 2007, 2:39 PM
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Double post, stupid forum
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  #254  
Old Posted Sep 12, 2007, 9:08 PM
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YIKES!!!!!

Winnipeg's attractiveness as a place to do business slips: survey

Wed Sep 12 13:11:00 CDT 2007 - By Geoff Kirbyson

A decline in building permit growth and an increase in the unemployment rate has reduced Winnipeg’s attractiveness as a place to do business, according to an annual survey by Canadian Business magazine.
The Manitoba capital ranked 23rd in this year’s Top Places to do Business in Canada poll, down from 13th last year. Winnipeg has also fallen compared to other cities in Western Canada, placing fourth this year, down from second a year ago.

Canadian Business uses five criteria in compiling its list — annual operating costs, cost of living index, building permit growth, change in unemployment rate and crime rate.

Sherbrooke, Que. was the top-ranked city for business while Abbotsford, B.C., was the best city in Western Canada (14th overall).
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  #255  
Old Posted Sep 12, 2007, 9:39 PM
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That sounds dumb. How can more people looking for work be less attractive? I would think it would be hard to conduct business in a city with 0% unemployment.
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  #256  
Old Posted Sep 13, 2007, 12:43 AM
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Originally Posted by flatlander View Post
That sounds dumb. How can more people looking for work be less attractive? I would think it would be hard to conduct business in a city with 0% unemployment.
An increase in unemployment is a sign that the economy is slowing down realitive to its capacity. It is also reflective of consumer capacity and job growth, which is a partial indicator of the current economy. ie: more jobs, more demand for people... more consumption of goods and services.

This line of thought works as long as local inflation is kept in check... or a heavy shortage of workers can hurt an economies ability to grow. Its a fine line, but one which is the goal of nearly every progressive economy (ie: not socialist)
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  #257  
Old Posted Sep 14, 2007, 12:44 AM
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Buhler Deal Still In The Works
SEP 13 2007 03:40 PM
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Winnipeg-based Buhler Industries says it has negotiated an improved offer from a Russian Combine Factory Rostselmash Ltd. with a five-year time element eliminated, in a 145-million dollar deal to acquire 80 per cent of the farm equipment firm. Trading in Buhler stock was temporarily halted this afternoon on the TSE pending dissemination of the news.
The closing date has been set for Oct. 31st, subject to completion of procedural requirements. Buhler's Board of Directors is scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss the revised offer, and to issue a recommendation to shareholders.
CJOB News
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  #258  
Old Posted Sep 14, 2007, 12:45 AM
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Flight Training Complex Officially Opens
SEP 13 2007 02:50 PM
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The Southport Aerospace Centre is officially welcoming its new flight training complex.It's a multi-million dollar facility, that Allied Wings site manager Ken Carr tells CJOB, has a lot to offer.
[CLIP]
The multi-plex and grand theatre are dedicated to two World War Two heroes from the Portage la Prairie area.
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  #259  
Old Posted Sep 14, 2007, 3:01 AM
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CJOB News


Manitoba 3rd in Economic Growth
SEP 13 2007 02:40 PM

The Conference Board of Canada is bullish on the west.
In it's report released Thursday, spokesman Mario Lefebvre tells CJOB, the Western provinces including Manitoba are firing on all cylinders:

(play audio)

Lefebvre says Saskatoon is now outpacing Calgary in economic growth. Winnipeg is 3rd. He says for the first time in the report's history, the top 7 spots belong to Western Canadian cities. The bottom 6 positions are in Eastern Canada.


-------------------------------------------------------------------

Winnipeg is really picking up steam!!
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  #260  
Old Posted Sep 14, 2007, 3:25 AM
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yes it has

also somthing funny i have noticed is all the trades plp from alberta are coming here yo work and the people from here are going there to work wtf?
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