SmartCity Blog

Visiting the European Union

By Nancy Phillips 

People will pay attention to you and come to your party if you can offer 115 billion reasons why they should. That was pretty much how it unfolded for the Halifax Gateway Council during its first European Union Mission the week of November 4^th. Cities visited included Brussels, Antwerp, Amsterdam and Dusseldorf-Neuss. Organizations that took part in the mission included:  Halifax Port Authority, Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Nova Scotia Business Inc., APEC and the Greater Halifax Partnership.

The objective of the mission was to promote the $115 billion in mega project activity underway or slated to get underway in Atlantic Canada (see map below). These projects are making companies from all over the world want to find out how to be part of the supply chain in our region. European companies are playing and will continue to play an important role in these projects. When the logistics team look for suppliers they will look at Europe because of obvious geographical advantages, for instance, the Port of Halifax is two days closer to Europe than any other Port in North America. 

The Halifax Gateway Council with its partners the Port of Halifax, the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, CN Rail and the Province of Nova Scotia want companies to know that the gateway is ready to grow along with the projects. Our state-of-the-art infrastructure has the existing capacity to triple throughput – whether its people or goods. For example, the runway extension project at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport means our community can now accommodate the largest cargo freighters, and also to add more cargo to the larger passenger aircraft.

Early in our planning of the mission, we engaged the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council (APEC) to look at the top projects and at some of the early supplies that will be needed. For instance, the APEC research showed that the $6.2 billion Muskrat Falls hydro project will require large turbines, mechanical and electrical components, plus steel and rebar.  Many components will be shipped through Halifax and trucked to the site.  The transmission lines will require steel towers, insulators and wires. The converter stations require steel for the structures along with electronics and equipment for the stations. Halifax is better positioned geographically and from a cost perspective to move many of these components. With many of these suppliers expected to be located in Europe – Halifax has a natural advantage.

The Gateway Mission to Europe was very well-timed as it also coincided with the announcement of the Agreement in Principle of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). This provided us an opportunity to highlight the benefits to both Nova Scotia and Europe as a result of the trade negotiations. Europe is Canada’s 2^nd largest trading partner, providing Canadian companies with access to over 500 million people, making business between the two countries easier is sure to have an impact on the flow of goods into and out of our Gateway.  

The top Nova Scotia benefits of CETA include:

• Positive impact on fish and seafood exports, including lobster
• Duty-free access for forestry and wood products
• New markets for agricultural and agri-food products
• More buyers for chemical and plastic products

Although CETA is still 18-24 months from being finalized, we see this as an opportune time to put our strategy in place and to ensure our key markets know we are open and ready for business. 

For more information please contact, Nancy Phillips, Executive Director, Halifax Gateway Council at nphillips@greaterhalifax.com. 

Author:

Nancy provides strategic management to the Halifax Gateway Council, as the Executive Director to the public/private group formed to pursue multi-modal transportation opportunities in the Halifax Regional Municipality.

Also, in her role as Director, Business Development, Nancy brings considerable experience to the Partnership’s strategic activities as they relate to business attraction, trade development and international markets.

 

Success Story: Armour Transport targets growth

By Nancy Phillips 

When U.S. retail giant Target announced its major expansion into Canada, it chose Armour Transportation Systems as its distribution partner for Atlantic Canada. The contract with Target, along with an expanding roster of clients, is driving Armour’s growth.

“We are extremely pleased to be enjoying this new business with Target and a number of new accounts,” said Wes Armour, president and CEO of Armour Transportation Systems.

The contract with Target, along with an expanding roster of clients including Home Depot, Electrolux, Atlantic Liquor Board, Mondelez and Vale, just to name a few, is driving Armour’s growth.

The company is adding 100,000 sq. ft. to its 150,000 sq. ft. warehouse in the Halifax Logistics Park.“The Halifax Logistics Park is the perfect location to meet our new and existing business growth,” said Mr. Armour.

Armour’s logistics and transloading operation sits on 40 acres in a prime location. It is close to the bridge for servicing freight arriving through the Port of Halifax and it offers easy access to the highway routes in all directions outside the city.

Armour Transportation System’s core service is connecting Atlantic Canada with key trading partners in Ontario, Quebec, Western Canada, the United States and Mexico. This expansion allows Armour to service domestic customers such as Target, Halifax Port customers, and meet the logistics demands of the mining industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The company has recently purchased Way’s Transport and RJS Terminal Limited to expand its services across Newfoundland. Through multiple acquisitions Armour has grown its family of companies and built an extensive network of terminals and equipment. This enables Armour Transportation Systems to offer both truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) service.

“By acting on behalf of our customers and partner carriers, our combined relationships give us added volume, creating higher efficiencies. It also extends our reach throughout North America and everyone benefits as a result,” explained Mr. Armour.

Today, Armour Transportation Systems has over 4,000 pieces of equipment and 1,900 employees and is recognized as one of the top transportation and logistics companies in the country. Armour also provides several specialized services including temperature controlled trucking, intermodal rail, container drayage, logistics, courier, warehousing, and cross-docking.

There are over $100 billion in mega projects underway in Atlantic Canada and the Halifax Gateway is a key piece of the region’s economic infrastructure. The collaborative approach of its partners, like Armour Transportation Systems, facilitates the Halifax Gateway’s ability to offer a one-stop-shop for companies to reach international markets.

Author:

In her role as Director, Business Development, Nancy brings considerable experience to the Partnership’s strategic activities as they relate to business attraction, trade development and international markets.

Nancy also provides strategic management to the Halifax Gateway Council, acting as Executive Director to the public/private group formed to pursue multi-modal transportation opportunities in the Halifax Regional Municipality.

 

Autoport Halifax: A Key Connection in Automobile Distribution

Everyone has a dream car. The one you always envision yourself taking the driver’s seat. But I ask myself how do I get my dream car; my bright green, shiny MINI Cooper? Well besides the obvious financial boundaries I have as a student, I would go to a local car dealership to find my prized wheels. However, this stylish compact car from Britain has to make its way to Halifax somehow, right?

Mystery solved! Last week’s episode of SmartCity introduces you to the Autoport Halifax Terminal and its general manager, Emery Robidoux.

One of the largest of its kind, the Autoport in Halifax handles more than 190,000 vehicles a year. While they are not all MINI Coupes, or Aston Martin’s like SmartCity host, Craig Layton searches for, they do handle a wide range of car types and models.

The organization has about 600 employees with a range of skills to offer. Handling vehicles from North America, Europe, Japan and Korea means the Autoport has to have a wide variety of skilled workers to be able to service whatever automobile may enter its terminal.

Factor in the large shipments they handle at a time (some 7000 vehicles in the lot when Craig visited) with the 60,000 square feet service bay, and it’s obvious that the Autoport has to be able to keep track of the entire fleet somehow.

Emery explains the system the Autoport uses in “The Automobile Supply Chain Story” video posted on Autoport’s website.

“We have a system called ATS and it’s an inventory system. Some of our guys like to think of us as an IT company because the system is leading edge. If there’s an event or move to a vehicle, it’s updated real time in our system so we know exactly where that vehicle is at any point in time during its life cycle while it’s in our possession.”

With over 100 acres, the Autoport includes the CN railhead where the serviced and checked vehicles are loaded up to reach their destination city. CN Rail is the only transcontinental railway system in North America and a key part of the Halifax Gateway. Its presence in Halifax makes it possible for the Autoport to operate and provides them an efficient way to transport automobiles.

The Autoport uses Halifax’s diversely skilled workers and top of the line technology to service and transport new automobiles across the country. At the end of the day Halifax has helped bring that smile to your face as you sit behind the wheel of your new, shiny car.

 You Might Also Like

• SmartCity E1: Leveraging diversity is smart business
• SmartCity E2: Networking and Collaboration Helps Halifax Grow
• SmartCity E3: Augmenting Reality in Halifax
• SmartCity E4: Entrepreneur find success in Halifax

 

Author: Samantha Lodge

Samantha is the Communications and Marketing Assistant at the Greater Halifax Partnership. She moved from Newfoundland to Halifax to attend university, and ended up rekindling her love of the east coast. She feels that being close to the ocean in a city with so much excitement is the ideal situation – Halifax’s talented music scene is an added bonus!

Halifax delivers for UPS Canada

Author: Mike MacKenzie

For UPS Canada, the decision to expand east was an easy one.

Encouraged by Atlantic Canada’s positive growth outlook and booming economic prospects, the international shipping giant knew the time was right to make a forward thinking move. In early 2012 they made it official, with the announcement of six new locations across the Atlantic Provinces resulting in the creation of 250 new jobs.

“Atlantic Canada is one of the only areas predicting double-digit growth in the export market,” says Shelley Gares, Atlantic Director of Operations for UPS Canada. “It’s a very, very lucrative and attractive market for us to be in.”

As Atlantic Canada’s regional hub city, Halifax is playing a prominent role in the company’s plans for expansion. The city will be an important centre for UPS Canada’s Atlantic operations.

The Greater Halifax Partnership took an active role in helping the company establish themselves in the city, providing an array of services and leveraging important connections to ensure that UPS Canada was in touch with all of the right people.

“We were thrilled that UPS Canada recognized Halifax as an international gateway for shipping and transportation,” says Robyn Webb, Director of Business Retention and Expansion and Labour Market Development at the Greater Halifax Partnership. “We are happy to help ease the transition as they establish their operations.”

Through the SmartBusiness Program, the Partnership was active in helping UPS Canada recruit the right talent for their team. They facilitated important connections with Halifax Regional Municipality, various universities and colleges in Halifax, Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services (ISIS), the 3rd annual International Careers Fair and the HRM Job Development Group. These connections resulted in invitations for UPS Canada to attend three different job fairs, an important factor for a company looking to hire for over 100 positions in Halifax alone.

The Partnership also gave UPS Canada advice on the right location for their own job fair, and helped promote the event both on their website and through their social media channels.  It’s been this support that UPS Canada says has made the difference.

“Greater Halifax Partnership has been instrumental in supporting our recruitment efforts,” says Michelle Riffin, Employer Services Manager for the East Canada division of UPS. “Through their support we’ve been able to make extremely important contacts and get off the ground in Halifax.”

With at least 100 new jobs and significant investments made to establish the company here, UPS Canada’s expansion is proof that Halifax is a great place to do business. 

Author: Mike MacKenzie 

Mike is the former Communications and Marketing Assistant with the Greater Halifax Partnership. 

Cruising into Halifax

By Mike MacKenzie

If you take a walk on the Halifax waterfront at any point from April to October, there’s a good chance you’ll have some company.

Spring marks the launch of cruise season in Halifax, with large ‘floating cities’ docking at our Seaport to let passengers explore local businesses and activities that line the water’s edge.

In 2012 it’s expected that 130 ships will arrive in Halifax, bringing between 235,000 and 245,000 visitors. According to the Halifax Gateway, this huge influx of tourists contribute approximately $50-million in direct expenditures to Halifax's local economy each year.

This year two Titanic-themed commemoration cruises will visit the city to mark the centennial anniversary of the ship’s sinking, and both Disney Cruise Lines and Saga Cruises have added Halifax to their list of destinations.

And as episode 6 of Downtown Halifax Business Commission’s Big Day Downtown – The Series explored this week, when these ships arrive there will be no shortage of things to do on land.

 

Host Kristen Pickett visited Kristine Kovacevie at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, and explored the permanent exhibits that highlight its long-standing history as the first point of entry for many new Canadian immigrants. From 1928 to 1971, over one million people entered Pier 21 on their way to new lives throughout the country. Visitors can stop by the museum’s genealogy research centre to see if their ancestors were among those whose journey passed through Halifax.

Next, Kristen stopped for a chat with Colin MacLean, president and CEO of the Waterfront Development Corporation. Colin spoke of the important linkages that exist between our waterfront and Halifax’s history, and mentioned some of the events that help make the Halifax waterfront one of Nova Scotia’s top tourist destinations. With events like the 2012 Tall Ships Festival, the Halifax Jazz Festival, the Halifax International Buskers Festival and last year’s Junior World Beach Volleyball Championships, the waterfront is a regular hotspot for happening and fun activities.

Of course, you don’t have to be a cruise ship passenger to enjoy Halifax. What are your favourite things to do on the waterfront?

 

Author: Mike MacKenzie

Mike is the Communications and Marketing Assistant with Greater Halifax Partnership, currently working as a Bachelor of Public Relations co-op student. A lover of all things communications and strategy related, Mike is often known to spend his free time analyzing the latest-and-greatest PR/advertising campaigns. As a relative newbie to the Halifax scene, he can also be seen strolling the streets of downtown looking for the next cool thing that the city has to offer.

Big Ships & Faster Travel via Halifax

By Mike MacKenzie

This past week was a promising one for the Halifax Gateway, with good news that will benefit business and industry looking to capitalize on Halifax’s strategic location as a shipping and transportation hub.

In case you missed it, here are two stories from this past week that show how the Halifax Gateway makes the connection.

Port of Halifax Expansion

The Port of Halifax is gearing up to receive some of the world’s largest container vessels. A $35-million expansion of the Port’s South End Container Terminal is approaching the finish line, with only one-third of the project yet to be completed. The depth of the port’s berth has been extended from 14.5 to 16 metres and its pier extended to 80 metres, which will further open the port to some of the biggest vessels in the world.

The big ships, known as post-Panamax vessels, are much wider than traditional transport boats with many holding a capacity of over 15,000 containers. With 142 visits in 2011, post-Panamax vessels already have a history of calling in Halifax, but Michele Peveril of the Halifax Port Authority says the new extension will allow greater flexibility in scheduling additional calls with the large ships.

NEXUS fast-tracks U.S.-bound screening

Many passengers flying to the U.S. through Halifax’s Stanfield International Airport will soon have shorter wait times for screening. This past week the Canadian Government announced the extension of the NEXUS program to include trans-border travel into America. Under the program, passengers holding a NEXUS card will be fast-tracked at security screening and customs checkpoints.

While the NEXUS program is already in use for domestic and some international flights, this announcement marks the first time NEXUS passengers will be able to fast-track screening for U.S. bound travel.

That’s what happened this past week. So in case you missed it, you’re now in the know.

Author: Mike MacKenzie

Mike is the Communications and Marketing Assistant with Greater Halifax Partnership, currently working as a Bachelor of Public Relations co-op student. A lover of all things communications and strategy related, Mike is often known to spend his free time analyzing the latest-and-greatest PR/advertising campaigns. As a relative newbie to the Halifax scene, he can also be seen strolling the streets of downtown looking for the next cool thing that the city has to offer.