Exponaval 2008

Close to 20 companies and organizations from across Atlantic Canada will travel to Valparaíso, Chile from December 1 - 5, 2008 to take part in a major naval and maritime defence conference and exhibition.

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Updates from Chile

(Dec. 1, 2008) - First Day of Conference Positive for Atlantic Canadian Exponaval Delegation

Delegates from Atlantic Canada's aerospace and defense industry arrived in Valparaíso this weekend to attend the 6th International Maritime Exhibition and Conference for Latin America (Exponaval 2008). On the threshold of the exposition, which begins Tuesday, delegates were eager to see the array of innovative maritime technologies that the exposition offers and engage in business ventures with the Chilean Navy.

"This is a good business development opportunity for companies in the industry," said W. Eugene Trickett, the Development Officer for the government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Accompanying delegates from 19 companies and associations within the industry, Trickett's goal for this week is to foster relationships between Canada and Chile's growing offshore technology sector, mainly focusing on national defense complexes.

Rutter's Regional Sales Manager Brian Johnston believes the exposition will be a desirable setting to inform Canadian companies what promising projects to focus on. "It will allow us to identify those maybe half-dozen people who we should pursue contact with," he said.

Talk of the similarities between Canada and Chile's navies scattered conversations with delegates, many of whom represent companies that currently have ventures in the commercial sector but aim to migrate towards defense.

Derrick Peyton, the Business Development Director representing ODIM Brooke Ocean, is a veteran in Chile. Having made 12 previous trips to South America's longest stretching country, he hopes to take advantage of Exponaval to reconnect with business partners, especially within Chile's Navy.

Exponaval expects an attendance of 600 guests and estimates that US$500 million will circulate in business deals. Delegates displayed interest in meeting with representatives of the 32 navy delegations from 28 countries who will attend the naval exposition to strengthen international ties. Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and the Netherlands are a few of the countries expected to arouse an appetite for trade.

But the delegate's main focus for Exponaval will be on trade with Chile. Peyton described Chile as a trend setting country. "Chile is an early adapter with a stable economy and offers opportunities for many emerging technologies," he said. Referring to ODIM Brooke Ocean's products, he said, "If Chile buys, other [Latin American] countries will buy too."

(Dec. 2, 2008)

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet inaugurated Exponaval on Tuesday by strolling along the exposition's many booths and making a special visit to the Atlantic Canadian contingent's pavilion, where she briefly met with Canadian Ambassador to Chile Norbert Kalisch.

"Very impressive," President Bachelet told Ambassador Kalisch, who thanked her and explained that the delegation represents nearly 20 different companies promoting defense technology. In English, she thanked Canada for coming to Chile's Exponaval – the first time the Atlantic Canadian contingent has attended – and wished the entire delegation good luck in their business ventures.

President Bachelet has strong ties with Chile's armed forces as the daughter of a former military officer and after serving a term as the country's Defense Minister during Ex-President Ricardo Lagos' administration (2000-2006).

At Tuesday's inauguration, she reiterated that the purpose of Exponaval is to position Chile as one of the leading countries in the region for international maritime organization and to foster trade and investment between visiting countries.

Ambassador Kalisch echoed the latter idea. "I think this week's exhibition will do very well for business," the ambassador said. "ACOA [Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, responsible for organizing the delegation] is to be congratulated for the initiative of bringing the companies, as well as the companies who took their time to exhibit here."

Exponaval's opening day allowed the Atlantic Canadian delegation to personally reconnect with previous relationships as well as meet new contacts. While many delegation members on Tuesday participated in "matchmaking" meetings with the representing international navies and businesses, the delegates were still settling in to their pavilion. Many of the important meetings with prospect buyers will occur Wednesday, they said.

Still, some unexpected new prospects for delegates did arise. Rutter's Radar Products Manager Edward Short met with representatives from the Chilean business C&M World Enterprises Corporation, which primarily deals with air force and army material. "It isn't specifically naval, which is our main reason for coming down here, but they could be a potential new customer," Short said. "It is something that we will pursue."

And this is precisely the attitude the Atlantic Canadian exhibitors arrived in Chile with.

Robin Ayoub, Director of Business Development for leading Canadian translation and linguistic services company Lexi-Tech International, made a valuable connection with a U.S. defense contracting business. "We've been trying to do business with them for a while," Ayoub said. "This is the value of getting together at events like Exponaval. We all have the same objective and the industry is small, so you tend to know a lot of the people here, which facilitates deals."

The Exponaval floor was filled with different displays of naval or defense technology from around the world. One of Ultra Electronics' innovative new products is the "Rock Phone," which uses magnetic fields to send messages through solid matter like rock or water.

"Applicability," is the word Vice-President of Marketing Ken Walker used to describe the Rock Phone. "It can be used in the mining sector but also in marine exploration or naval operations," Walker said. "It is useful for diver communications as well. A diver can be in one bay and talk through land to a diver in a neighboring bay."

Considering the presence of many navies at Exponaval, Walker said his company is marketing the Rock Phone more as a remote firing system. "It is the same technology, just used in a different way," he said, reflecting an angle that many delegates are taking.

(Dec. 3, 2008)

The Atlantic Canadian delegation began its second day at Exponaval with a breakfast reception at the Sheraton Hotel in Viña del Mar. Canada's Ambassador to Chile Norbert Kalisch and Admiral Enrique Merino from the Chilean Navy gave presentations highlighting the benefits of investing in Chile and outlining the trade mission's goals.

Canada's main message was that Exponaval is an occasion to renew contacts and showcase Atlantic Canada's growing aerospace and defense industry on a global stage.

After thanking the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) for organizing the delegation, Ambassador Kalisch spoke about Canada's ties with Chile. "We have a huge economical footprint in this country," Kalisch told the delegation. He praised Canada for being the third largest foreign investor in Chile, mentioning his country's strong influence in the mining sector. Many Canadian businesses have also worked closely with Chile's state-owned copper company Codelco, which is the world's largest copper producer.

Admiral Merino followed the ambassador's speech with a presentation on the Chilean Navy's current operations, specifically explaining search and rescue and coast guard duties. He mentioned Chile's peacekeeping effort in Haiti, expressing desires to increase the efficiency of such programs. "In order to participate in peacekeeping, training is necessary," Admiral Merino said, perking the ears of some delegates who promote simulation technology for soldier or navigation training, such as Xwave and Virtual Marine Technology (VMT).

Tyler D. Brand, from the Competence Assurance Division of VMT was expecting to make his company's most important business relationships with the Chilean Navy, which has a very advanced ships' officers' training program. VMT sought to build upon this asset. The company offers simulation training programs on several levels, which include an online simulation that advances to classroom set ups, and finally to a full mission simulation that represents an exact replica of a vessel's navigation cabin.

Brand spent 20 years in the Canadian Coast Guard and is an expert patrol boat navigator, experience that gives him intimate knowledge of VMT's product line, which he described as "reliable and with guaranteed results."

VMT is interested in providing the Chilean Navy with simulation training programs on several levels, which include an online simulation that advances to classroom set ups, and finally to a full mission simulation that represents an exact replica of a vessel's navigation cabin.

Brand's sales partner is an Argentine-born Canadian, which they said makes dealing with Spanish speaking customers more effective.

Diversity is well represented at Exponaval, with attendees speaking a range of languages throughout the exhibition floor. While English remains the dominant international business language, the Atlantic Canadian delegates did require translation services occasionally.

The innovative item that IRC offered this company is a rubber sheeting product. In layman's terms, Kyle explained the product as "a big plastic bag that goes over a tank, car, or any vehicle. It's like vacuum packaging because once the vehicle is completely covered, you suck all the air out and it protects the vehicle from sun, erosion, dust, etc."

Exponaval hosted a slew of technical conferences on Wednesday, including one focusing on simulation and decision making training. Directed by Lieutenant Coronal Luis F. Robledo from the Chilean Army, the conference specifically covered simulation technology for emergency and catastrophe situations.

Robledo expressed much interested in seeing what the Atlantic Canadian delegates had to offer and said he planned on visiting the pavilion.

Accompanying the contingent is Lauren MacDonald, Business Development Executive from the Investment Attraction Division of Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI). He described his organization as "a development agency for the province" and his goal at Exponaval is just that; to take business back to Nova Scotia with the primary aim of generating jobs in the region.

With several publications displayed at the Atlantic Canadian pavilion, such as "Report on Defence, Security, & Aerospace," MacDonald attracted an array of booth strollers Wednesday.

"We have a clear understanding of companies in Nova Scotia and we can identify the gaps in the supply chain," MacDonald said. "So our job is to build upon what is already there."

(Dec. 4, 2008)

While Exponaval's many stands attracted the public, fascinated with torpedo displays and plastic buoys floating in large glass bowls, the Atlantic Canadian delegates occupied their time efficiently on Thursday by continuing to meet with an array of international defense industry companies and representatives from several navies.

Jasco Applied Sciences, a Nova Scotia business that covers a range of specialties from underwater acoustics to computer science, has had much success at Exponaval, said the company's Chief Executive Officer Scott Carr.

"I had a really good meeting today that is sure to lead to an opportunity," Carr said, after meeting with a Chilean oceanography consultant business. "In a past project, [the business] had difficulties identifying a company with the capability to address underwater acoustic impacts," Carr said. "This client is now interested in working with us on future projects."

Carr views Exponaval as "very worthwhile" to showcase his company's products and services while expanding more in South America. "The exhibition is not only good for doing business in Chile, but also exploring the options for the entire region," he said.

Though Carr is thousands of miles from home, he has felt comfortable in exchanges with Chilean company executives. "A lot of the guys from private companies are ex-navy officers," said Carr, who formerly served in the Canadian Navy.

Indeed, many of the Atlantic Canadian delegates are retired navy officers, such as Xwave CEO Allen Dillon. Xwave proved to be one of the delegation's most aggressive companies this week, fashioning some behemoth contracts for ground and maritime surveillance with the Jamaican Navy. "They still haven't made a decision but it is pending for early next year," Dillon said. With contracts that imply a multimillion dollar deal for Xwave, Dillon said he was "pleased with how the meeting proceeded."

But Dillon did not ignore Exponaval's host country and is eager to pursue further investment in the South American market. "Xwave needs to foster relationships with people on the ground in Chile to help deliver systems," he said. Dillon's main focus at Exponaval was to showcase Xwave's Electric Warfare (EW) services.

Dillon's business ambitions in Chile were firmly supported by Mark Booth, co-chair of Atlantic Alliance of Aerospace & Defence Associations (AAADA), which is an industry alliance that represents the four provinces of Atlantic Canada. "We have made contacts we never thought we'd make and have established a presence," Booth said.

Summarizing a common attitude among delegates into defense terminology, Booth said, "We have most definitely landed a beachhead down in this region."

(Dec. 5, 2008)

Before Exponaval's doors officially closed at noon on Friday, members of the Atlantic Canadian delegation wrapped up their final scheduled meetings and welcomed any interested passersby to inquire on their products and services.

After nearly a weeklong exhibition, delegates displayed high spirits and energy, eager to follow up on their renewed or newly formed contacts.

Several delegates took advantage of the slow closing day at Exponaval to explore the exposition more in depth before closing time.

Others reflected on the week's events, such as Fleetway Vice-President John Keast, who was impressed by the number of international exhibitors and senior naval officers present at Exponaval. "I have never seen so many admirals in one building before," he said. Keast spoke to many of the officials, whom he said were surprisingly quite accessible.

Keast had fond memories of the Atlantic Canada private reception Tuesday evening, when Canadian Ambassador to Chile Norbert Kalisch spoke on investment opportunities that the two countries share. "There was a comfortable feeling in the room, with good guests to talk to," said Keast, referring to the many senior Chilean Navy officials who attended.

Chile's Navy also helped the delegates feel comfortable during their stay in Chile.

Captain Jorge Terrazas worked closely with the Atlantic Canadian contingent. He gave a presentation on the Chilean Navy's structure at one of their breakfasts and was available throughout the week to respond to any doubts regarding the navy. "I noticed that the delegation was very interested in the logistical aspects of the Chilean Navy," Terrazas said.

Terrazas had such a positive experience with the delegation that he hopes they return to participate in Exponaval 2010, a desire many delegates have already voiced.

The delegates from Atlantic Canada prepared to embark on their journey home Friday evening. Most packed their bags satisfied, having left a part of the "True North" in the far southern tip of the world. "

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ACOA leads Atlantic Canadian mission to Exponaval 2008 Maritime and naval Exhibition and conference for latin america
[27-11-2008] News Release