LAVAL TECHNOPOLE International Business Center Newsletter - Spring 2014 issue with Show Canada, Fourgons Transit , BONE Structure, Devrun and Sotech Nitram

1. V O L U M E 2 3, No. 01
S P R I N G 2 0 1 4
INTERNATIONAL
N E W S L E T T E R
LAVAL TECHNOPOLE
International 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 INFORMATION
Please contact Show Canada Industries
at 450-664-5155 or at info@show-canada.ca.
www.show-canada.com

2. 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 PROULX
EMBA
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

3. INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER SPRING 2014– 03 –
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 INFORMATION
Please contact Louis Leclair, President,
at 514-382-0104 or at lleclair@transit.ca.
www.transit.ca
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please contact Marc-André Bovet, President,
at 450-978-0602 or at bovet@BONEstructure.ca.
www.bonestructure.ca
FOURGONS TRANSIT
BONE STRUCTURE
BUILDING A SOLID REPUTATION
IN HOUSING TECHNOLOGY
CANADIAN LEADER
IN TRUCK BODY MANUFACTURING

4. INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER SPRING 2014– 04 –
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 INFORMATION
Please contact Jonathan Roy, President,
at 514-323-2992, extension 100,
or at jonathan.roy@devrun.com.
www.devrun.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please contact Jacinthe Martin, President,
at 514-975-2100, extension 530,
or at j.martin@sotechnitram.com.
www.sotechnitram.com
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 info@lavaltechnopole.com 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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