Strategy, partnership win Toyota plant

It's not often that a cohesive strategy and a desire to form a long term partnership will win the day over the tried-and-true combination of tax breaks, ready available cash and free land but that was the case when Toyota Motor Corp. recently announced its decision to invest $800 million to build an auto assembly plant in Woodstock, ON.

During the past decade Canada, and in particular, Ontario, has watched helplessly while a flood of new investment in auto assembly plants has gone to the U.S. south lured by a combination of low taxes, subsidies, and other financial inducements.

In fact, Toyota's decision to build its new assembly plant in Woodstock marks the first auto assembly facility to be constructed on a greenfield site in Canada in almost two decades.

It has only been in recent years that the Ontario and federal governments along with the Canadian automotive sector including labour and the academic community came to the realization that attracting new investment in automotive assembly plants was too big and too important a job to leave to any one stakeholder.

The various groups have come together during the past few years to develop a common strategy to attract these crucial investments that will be critical to ensure the long term financial health of the sector.

In particular, it was the Ontario government's decision to aggressively pursue new auto assembly plant investment that ultimately proved to be critical in securing Toyota's new auto assembly plant. Ontario's announcement last year that it was introducing a $500 million, five-year fund to help win new automotive plant investment and retain existing plants didn't hurt either.

In fact, Ontario is contributing $70 million while Ottawa is contributing $55 million to the Toyota project. Toyota's new assembly plant will employ 1,300 workers. The plant will build Toyota's RAV4 SUV.

At the press conference to announce the Toyota project, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty emphasized the importance of Toyota's decision.

"Make no mistake about it, Ontario is in the auto sector race and we are in it to win. I believe that Toyota's choice today sends a message to the world: Ontario's the place to be," said McGuinty.

A carefully conceived strategy working in combination with strategic partnerships amongst the key Canadian automotive stakeholders will continue to ensure that Ontario will be the place to be for the global auto industry in the future.

Jerry Cook
Editor, MPP
jcook@clbmedia.ca 

Renishaw opens Canadian facility

The importance of the Canadian market and a desire to enhance its service to Canadian manufacturers recently prompted Renishaw (Canada) Limited to open a new facility in Mississauga, ON.

"The decision was taken by Renishaw to invest quite heavily in this facility because in order to grow the market and support the customers here, we needed to have local knowledge and local representation of Renishaw here in Canada," says Dafydd Williams, general manager of Renishaw (Canada).

"The Canadian market is very important to Renishaw. We wouldn't be spending the money that we have (if it wasn't)," states Philip Smith, technical sales manager with Renishaw (Canada).

Establishing the new facility will provide Renishaw with new opportunities in the Canadian market, adds Williams. "For example, in the area of new technologies, we will be able to deliver new technology to the Canadian marketplace with the technical backup that is required and much, much faster. We will also be able to do a better job of supporting our distribution channels here in Canada." The new facility, which has seven employees, is 12,000 sq. ft.

September 30-October 2, 2005 - Canadian Machine, Tool & Mould Federation Conference and Annual General Meeting, Hilton Hotel, Windsor, ON. For further information contact the CAMM office at (519) 255-7863.

October 4-5, 2005 - Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing Certificate Program-Associate and Professional, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA. For futher information contact the Society of Manufacturing Engineers at (313) 271-1500 or visit www.sme.org

October 17-20, 2005 - Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show, National Trade Centre, Toronto, ON. For further information contact Reed Exhibitions at (416) 491-7565 or visit www.reedexpo.ca

October 31-November 3, 2005 - ICALEO 2005: International Congress on Applications of Lasers and Electro-Optics, Hyatt Regency Miami, Miami, FL. For futher information contact the Society of Manufacturing Engineers at (313) 271-1500 or visit www.sme.org

November 17-20, 2005 - METALEX 2005-19th International Machine Tools and Metalworking Machinery Trade Exhibition and Conference, Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, Bangkok, Thailand. For further information contact metalex@reedtradex.co.th

November 13-16, 2005 - FABTECH International and The AWS Welding Show, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. For further information telephone 1 (800) 432-2832 or visit www.fmafabtech.com

December 6-8, 2005 - FabForm 2005, NürnbergMesse, Nuremberg, Germany. For information contact Mack Brooks Exhibitions at +44 (0) 1707 278 200 or visit www.fabform.de

January 23-25, 2006 - Manufacturing for Performance Conference and Exhibition 2006, Indiana Convention Centre, Indianapolis, IN. For information contact the Society of Manufacturing Engineers at (313) 271-1500.

March 27-30, 2006 - WESTEC 2006 Exposition and Conference, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA. For futher information contact the Society of Manufacturing Engineers at (313) 271-1500 or visit www.sme.org

Coming in the September issue of MP&P

• Preview Issue:

Canadian Manufacturing Technology / Canadian Machine Tool Show
Toronto Oct 17-20

Fabtech Preview
Chicago Nov 13 - 16

• Robotics/Automation
• EDM
• Cutting Tools

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