January 19, 2005 Edmundston, New Brunswick Jean-Claude D'Amours, MP for Madawaska-Restigouche, today visited the Edmundston-based company Fraser Cedar, which recently expanded its facility and added a new product to its production line. The company specializes in stained cedar shingles and other premium-quality wood products. Established in 1990 by Don Fraser, Fraser Cedar purchases products from several small- to medium-sized Canadian forest product manufacturers, all generally within 120 kilometres of Edmundston, to stain and resell the product to larger American wholesale distributors, warehouse lumber buying groups, and single unit retail businesses. In 2003, Fraser Cedar received a $465,000 repayable loan from the Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency's (ACOA's) Business Development Program to double the size of the existing building, purchase staining equipment and modify the existing staining and drying line for its cedar shingles. This project has allowed the company to launch a new product on the market, which is stained wooden siding. "The Governement of Canada, through ACOA, is proud to have supported Fraser Cedar to establish and grow over the last 15 years," said MP D'Amours, on behalf of the Honourable Joseph McGuire, Minister of ACOA, during his visit on site. "Small and medium enterprises are the cornerstone of our economy in Atlantic Canada. Fraser Cedar takes the necessary means to innovate, and remain competitive in the export market in Canada and the United States. This is a success story and an excellent example to follow." "We are very happy that ACOA has believed in us and has invested in our projects over the years, » said Don Fraser, president of Fraser Cedar. « Thanks to the improvements we've made year after year, we continue to offer a quality product to our customers." Fraser Cedar started with the production of cedar shingles. In 1997, they established a cedar staining operation that included a dehumidification dry-kiln and a custom-built water-based factory staining machine. Two years later, an oil-based staining machine was added to serve its customers. In 2001 a second water based staining machine was added to the production line. Today, the company offers its customers color-coated shingles in more than 70 colours. Fraser Cedar employs 25 full-time individuals in the Edmundston region. ACOA's Business Development Program provides repayable financial assistance to companies looking to establish operations, expand or modernize. For further information on ACOA programs, visit the Agency's Website at www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca. - 30 - Valérie Poulin Director of Communications Office of the Honourable Joseph McGuire Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (613) 941-7241 Stéphanie Bilodeau Senior Communications Officer ACOA NB (506) 452-3304 M. Don Fraser President Fraser Cedar (514) 630-2495
