ACOA’s Art of Success III

Video script for a video featuring the companies from the Art of Success and remarks from the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency):

(Words appear on screen stating: “Behind every success story…” followed by different moving images in gold frames: 1) welder welding something with sparks flying, 2) office worker typing on a computer, 3) worker with hardhat and harness working 30 feet in the air on part of an oil rig system, 4) worker cleaning metal component. Words appear on screen stating: “… there is a human story.”

Words appear on screen in gold frame stating: The Art of Success.

The Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) appears standing in a workshop with machinery behind him.)

As Minister of State for ACOA, I am lucky to have the chance to travel throughout Atlantic Canada, visiting communities large and small.  I am always struck by the stories of perseverance and success in this region.

Atlantic Canadians are known for being hardworking and passionate and I have had the pleasure of meeting many of these dedicated people in my job.

These are the people who have taken the future into their own hands.  They’re determined to realize their dreams... And in the process, they are helping move our region forward.

I want to invite you to hear directly from some of those people -
…to hear what it means to them to live and work in their communities;
…to hear why their companies are succeeding.

(Darlene Labonville introduces herself standing outside factory facility.)

My name is Darleen Labonville. I’m from the Bathurst area.

(Burt Sonier introduces himself standing in front of large lathe.)

I’m Burt Sonier.  I’m the Vice-President of Manufacturing.  I’ve been here 20 years.
(Germain LeBlanc introduces himself standing in front factory equipment.)

I’m  Germain LeBlanc. I’m a foreman... I inspect the shingles.

(Nancy Butler introduces herself, sitting in front of brick wall in office with “Frostt – powered by Mariner” sign behind her.)

I’m Nancy Butler.  I’m the Director of Program Delivery here at Mariner.

(Words appear on screen in gold frame stating: “Many Paths to Success” Close up of Mike MacNeil speaking. While Mr. MacNeil speaks: Image of Mariner Partners’ office corridor and Mr. MacNeil walking down it. Image of Mr. MacNeil speaking with Nancy Butler in a boardroom at Mariner Partners. Back to image of Mr. MacNeil speaking.)

I think what buys you the credibility is your knowledge in your industry.  It is a global industry and I’m finding the culture is less of an issue.  I mean, obviously, you have to speak the language, or have people with you that do.  What opens the doors and what keeps you in the room is your knowledge of your industry and knowledge of your business.  So it’s one thing to be a small, cool, local company – and there’s a lot of cool, local companies – but to be all of that, but also to be playing on a world stage.  We have a very niche product, in terms of IPTV or TV on the internet, and to get at those markets you’ve got to play in Europe and in the US in a very big way.  So that combination of the culture, and being local – so, not having to move – but being a very leading-edge, globally competitive company, it was kind of cool.
(Close up of Germain LeBlanc speaking. Panning shot of the inside of the Cedres Balmoral facility with workers operating machinery and logs being turned into shingles. Clip of outside of facility with bulldozer scooping up sawdust from a big pile resulting from the cutting of the shingles.)

I was in the US. And I saw our product – it’s nice to see it marked Cedres Balmoral. You know it’s your product. I was proud.

(Video pan of large drill at Discovery Drill Manufacturers. Close-up of Darlene Labonville speaking at facility.)

In the drilling market, there was a huge demand for turnkey drills. We took the first drill we built to market to Toronto in 2004. We sold it immediately, the first time we showed it.

(Close up of Burt Sonier speaking. Panning shot of Maritime Hydraulic company name emblazoned on bucket truck. Footage of worker doing work on top of a 30 foot oil rig tensioner system at the company’s facility. Close up of Burt Sonier speaking.)

We start from nothing and we’ll build it to finished product.  We don’t just make one piece, we do it all.  To be part of the job market now you have to expand, reach on new horizons and stuff.  That’s why we branched out in this off-shore industry.  We used to just be doing small repairs and stuff, now we’re into all sorts of different things.

(Shot of Mike MacNeil and Nancy Butler sitting casually on company’s lunch room talking. Close up of Nancy Butler speaking.)

They’re always asking for us to give input and to provide new ideas, and they welcome innovation.  It’s not necessarily even about product innovation, but it’s about innovating in how we do business.

(Close up of Dale Richards of Tire Recycling Atlantic Canada Corporation (TRACC) speaking. Video panning shot of inside of facility. Close-of hand dipping into container full of recycled rubber pellets. Shot of conveyor belt taking rubber pieces into be crushed and recycled. Image of two workers manipulating a sheet of rubber.)

We’ve actually looked ahead.  The general manager and I constantly look ahead, along with the owner’s permission, and we’ve looked at: “Okay, if this starts to fail, where can we go now?” So we’re always looking for new avenues, and that is something that makes TRACC unique.  We don’t stick to the medium, we actually follow the medium, and we follow the curve.
(Words appear on screen in gold frame stating “In our community.”

Raymond Comeau of Discovery Drill Manufacturing, in blue workshop overalls speaks while standing in front of piece of machinery in the company’s workshop. Video shots of Mr. Comeau operating machinery. More footage of Mr. Comeau speaking.)

…the economic crisis affected everything. It gave me the chance to come back home and I’m very pleased. It’s nice to be closer to family, to work for a local company, to help it succeed. People say – who’s making that product? For me, it’s a huge plus.

(Close-up of Mike MacNeil speaking. Video pan of Mr. MacNeil and Ms. Butler speaking in staff lunch room at Mariner Partners. Shot of Mr. MacNeil working at a computer. Close-up of Mr. MacNeil speaking.)

I’m an Atlantic Canadian, I’ve wanted to spend my career here.  We’ve all had numerous opportunities to move to Toronto, etc.  You make your decision to stay here; this has allowed me to continue to stay here.  So you stay local, you work with a cool, innovative company with a great culture, with a global kind of product.  I mean, that’s pretty cool.  So I’m looking, hopefully, to ride this wave for awhile myself.
(Clip of Minister Ashfield speaking in a workshop.)

Our communities are where our jobs, our families and our friends are.  We want them to thrive and grow.

For more than two decades, ACOA has been making an important difference in the lives of Atlantic Canadians.

And because of the commitment and drive of Atlantic Canadians to succeed, we’ve made tremendous strides in building our economy and strengthening our communities.

(Words appear on screen in gold frame stating: “Here for Growth.” Worker welding piece of machinery in shop with sparks flying at Discovery Drill Manufacturers. Another worker operating another piece of machinery. Shot of two workers operating a machine. Close-up of Darlene Labonville.)

ACOA gave us access to funding that we otherwise would not have had as a new business start‑up. Without these resources, we could not have gone on. They have helped us along. We are always treated well at ACOA. If we have questions, need help, or there are problems of any kind, ACOA is always there to help.

(Close-up of Burt Sonier.)

We would never have been able to grow without the help of ACOA and such people – such organizations.
(Close-up of Dale Richards. Shot of water jet in TRACC facility. Shot of another piece of machinery producing sparks. Shot of worker driving a forklift. Close-up of Dale Richards speaking.)

Realize that TRACC was once a small company too.  As we moved on, and we brought on new employees, and new equipment, and new ideas, well we’ve seen that, you know what? We can’t go it alone; we need someone to work side-by-side with.  So, ACOA’s actually not like an entity off to the side, it’s like part of our family.  Where we are, ACOA is.

(Words appear on screen in gold frame stating: “Into the Future.” Lyndy Doiron speaking at TRACC with conveyor belt transporting rubber in distance behind him.)

As long as everybody stays together, works together, it’s going to be a pretty good future, I think.
(Close-up of Burt Sonier.)

I’m thinking more growth, expansion, more projects.  It all seems to be, hopefully, pointing in that direction.
(Darlene Labonville speaks)

The future for DDM? If the economy takes off tomorrow morning, we’re ready to take off with it.

(Close-up of Minister Ashfield speaking in a facility with machinery behind him.)

The Government of Canada, through ACOA, is working together with you, the people of New Brunswick, to make a real and meaningful difference in all of our lives.

Thanks for taking the time to hear from just a few of the many hard working people from successful companies located across New Brunswick.

There are thousands more like them who have made that commitment to succeed no matter what the challenge – I encourage you to spread the word about these success stories and be proud of the contributions these businesses are making to our region.

Thank you.

(Words appear on screen in gold frame stating: The Art of Success.)