EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick (March 26, 2013) — Provincial Bandag Tire Ltd., with support from the New Brunswick and Canadian federal governments, is modernizing the production flow at its Sainte-Basile, New Brunswick, retread plant with a new enterprise resurce planning system.
The provincial and federal government investment have pledged to invest $306,100, with Provincial Bandag contributing $98,136.
"Provincial Bandag Tire was looking for a solution that would address the various challenges of our business in our multiple sales and service locations, our distribution center and the retread fabrication plant," said Michel Plourde, company president, in a prepared statement.
"Today, such a system is essential to most businesses such as ours, which wants to remain competitive in an environment where decisions must be taken more quickly, with easy access to the right data, and where every company must, at all costs, find its place in the industry."
A company spokesman said the Infor10 Distribution Business ERP system—sourced from Group Laurier CIM of Montreal—is already installed and undergoing testing.
"Today, such a system is essential to most businesses such as ours, who wants to remain competitive in an environment where decisions must be taken more quickly, with easy access to the right data, and where every company must, at all costs, find its place in the industry," said Normand Corno, vice president and CEO of Provincial Bandag.
Mr. Corno said the INfor10 system is "essentially designed for all of (our) business processes but also for our interdivisional operations and enables us to share information between functions and work units, horizontally and vertically, and also between management levels."
Provincial Bandag had been looking for a solution that would address the challenges of its business, such as multiple sales and service locations, distribution center and light fabrication plant, Group Laurier said. Flow of information and coordination between Provincial Bandag sales teams are key factors to success in such a competitive industry and territory.
Bernard Valcourt, associate minister of national defense and minister of state for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and La Francophonie, said, "Our government's top priorities are jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for Canadians.
"Our investment in Provincial Bandag Tires Ltd. is a positive step in supporting the development of northern New Brunswick's economy. This project is about helping a company that is determined to grow its business and build its future in northern New Brunswick.
"By supporting projects such as these, we are investing in the future of Madawaska (County), making it a better place in which to live, work and raise a family."
According to New Brunswick Social Development Minister Madeleine Dubé, the "investment will permit a local company to seek greater opportunities by modernizing its facility. Our plan to rebuild New Brunswick focuses on developing economic opportunities in the Edmundston and Madawaska region."
Ms. Dubé was speaking on behalf of Economic Development Minister Paul Robichaud.
The provincial government is investing $71,000 through the Northern New Brunswick Economic Development and Innovation Fund.
The federal government, through ACOA's Business Development Program, is providing a repayable contribution of $136,010. The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program is providing up to $99,000 through the Digital Technology Adoption Pilot Program.
Fredericton, New Brunswick-based Provincial Bandag Tires is a family business established in 1972. It retreads both commercial truck tires (approximately 88 per day) and OTR tires (about nine to 10 a day) and operates six commercial/retail outlets. Sales were roughly $12 million last year.