La Pocatière, Quebec, December 16, 2009 – Acting on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, Bernard Généreux, Member of Parliament for Montmagny–l’Islet–Kamouraska–Rivière-du-Loup, today announced that the firm Graphie 222 Inc. of La Pocatière has been awarded $150,000 in repayable funding through the Business and Regional Growth program to improve its productivity and manufacturing capabilities. Necessitating an overall investment of $450,000, this project will help consolidate the firm’s 19 existing jobs.
Graphie 222 Inc. is an industry leader specializing in the design and manufacture of industrial display, identification and signage products for the public transit (metro and bus) sector. The firm will use this contribution from Canada Economic Development to purchase high-performance equipment that will enable it to boost productivity, expand its product line and add the air and rail transport sectors to its client base. This equipment will include high-precision technological machinery such as a cutting table for polymers, machining centre, hydraulic folder, rolling mill and paint treatment system.
“Graphie 222 contributes to the economic diversification and vitality of the Kamouraska region. This highly-innovative firm manufactures products for major contractors in the public transit sector all over the world. This contribution from the Agency is intended to support the enterprise in its growth efforts so that it may remain competitive and grab hold of market opportunities for transport-related signage and identification,” explained Bernard Généreux.
Across North America, increased traffic congestion have led to an ever-rising demand for public transit equipment. This situation creates promising prospects for the La Pocatière firm, which expects to export as much as 70% of its production to U.S. and Mexican markets over the next few years.
The activities of Graphie 222 Inc. are in entirely line with the priority sectors identified for Bas-Saint-Laurent by Canada Economic Development, which hopes to foster the emergence of a transport equipment and advanced metal manufacturing competitiveness pole in the region.
Last January, the Government of Canada adopted its Economic Action Plan to provide economic stimulus in the face of the recession. A series of measures have thus been put in place to foster business growth, bolster employment and generate major spinoffs across the country.
For more on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
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Sources:
Claudie Lamontagne
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 418-722-3280 or 1-800-463-9073
E-mail: claudie.lamontagne@dec-ced.gc.ca
Simon Bachand
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 613-996-6236
E-mail: simon.bachand@dec-ced.gc.ca
