HONOURING OUR COMMUNITY BUILDERSMarch 2, 2010
By: Sudbury Northern Life Staff
Denis Pitre (Vice President & CTO) and Marc Boudreau (President & CEO)
Winners of this year’s Community Builders Awards expressed amazement and emotion at being recognized for their service to
their community.
“I was really surprised,” Oryst Sawchuk said. “I want to thank Narasim Katary for initiating this nomination.”
Sawchuk, who won the arts award, is a local artist, sculptor, and architect. He participates in many community committees and organizations. His award was
sponsored by GijimaAst.
Marc Boudreau and Denis Pitre accepted the economic development award for Bestech, a member of the local mining supply and service
cluster of industries (SAMSSA).
“We contribute to helping to diversify the economy of this city. That makes it sustainable,” Boudreau said upon accepting the award. He is president of the
company.
Boudreau is also current president of SAMSSA, and is a director with MIRARCO, a research organization associated with Laurentian University. Ontrak Control
Systems sponsored the award.
Retired teacher Anna Maria Barsanti was presented with the education award.
“I am humbled,” Barsanti said. She was noted by the judges for her taking-to-heart the credo that it takes a whole village to raise a child. Jean Hanson,
director of the Rainbow District School Board applauded her dedication to teaching over her career. Vale Inco was the sponsor of her award.
Winner of the environmental award was the Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit. They are a group of local researchers, affiliated with Laurentian
University, who for 20 years have been researching the ability of local lakes to bounce back after being subject to pollution.
Accepting the award were scientists Dr. John Gunn, Bill Keller and Tom Johnston. The award was sponsored by Sandvik.
“The natural resources of this community, our lakes, are as important to this community as are the nickel resources,” Gunn said.
Léo Therrien was recipient of the health care award. He is executive director of the Maison Vale Inco Hospice, which houses the terminally ill.
“(The hospice) is all about kindness and compassion,” Therrien noted. McQueen’s Furniture was the sponsor of the award.
Chris Gore, Greater Sudbury manager of community partnerships, accepted the sport and recreation Community Builders Award, sponsored by Akfit Fitness
Super Store. He has been responsible for championing Adanac Ski Hill, Rainbow Routes Association’s trail building efforts, the revitalization of the
Laurentian track and the James Jerome Sports Complex. He noted the contribution of his family, including his mother, who was present for his success.
Candice Kirkbride won the young leader award, sponsored by Fortin Foundation.
When she was 15, she was hit by an impaired driver and suffered brain damage as a result. Despite this severe injury she has bounced back and gives talks
to local schools about the perils of drinking and driving.
“I am so grateful,” she said.
Businessman Risto Laamanen, who died six months ago, was given the hall of fame award. His children accepted the award, sponsored by Mining Technologies
International.
“He was such a humble person,” Kris, his son, said. “I once asked him how he could find the time to participate in so many committees apart from his
business. He said he did it because it was important.”
For more information about the Community Builder Awards and the winners in each category, go to www.cbawards.ca.
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ACTION BASE SELECTED AS A FINALIST FOR STRATEGICRISK AWARDS 2010 February 23, 2010
ActionBase, a pioneer in Human Process Management Solutions (HPMS), today announced its product, Audit.Tracker, was named as a finalist for the StrategicRISK Awards 2010 in the Risk Management Product of the Year category. The award winners will be announced on April 22, 2010, in London, to recognize and reward risk management achievement across Europe.
BESTECH would like to congratulate their partner ActionBase in this prestigious nomination.
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COMMUNITY BUILDERS HONOURED AT AWARDS CELEBRATIONFebruary 22, 2010
By Bill Bradley
The winners for this year's Community Builder Awards are, (front row, from left) Candice Kirkbride, Sara Laamanen, Karli Laamanen, Melissa Laamanen, Kris Laamanen and Chris Gore. (Back row, from left) Anna Maria Barsanti, Dr. John Gunn, Léo Therrien, Denis Pitre, Oryst Sawchuck, Bill Keller, Marc Boudreau and Tom Johnston. Photo By Marg Seregelyi.
On Feb. 18, hundreds of community members gathered at the Radisson Hotel to honour those who go above and beyond to help Greater Sudbury's communities.
The annual Community Builder Awards are about building Greater Sudbury, a theme shared not only by award sponsors Laurentian Media, parent company of Northern Life, but others who spoke at the event.
“Our motto in this city is 'Let Us Build Together,'” Mayor John Rodriguez said, in his opening speech.
He said those who win these awards each year are "those who steer by the stars in the darkest nights.
“Over the past seven years the Community Builders Awards have been the mechanism for recognizing those who have created positive change in our community.”
Awards in seven categories are presented during the Community Builders ceremony: arts, economic development, environment, education, health care, sports and recreation, young leader and hall of fame. Winners in each category are selected by a panel of judges. This year the judges were Dana Jennings, David Courtemanche, David Robinson, Doug Nadorozny, Dr. Mike Staffen, Norm Lavallee, Paddy O'Sullivan and Stephen Monet.
Rodriguez gave credit to the president of Laurentian Media the creator of the awards, Michael Atkins. "Michael Atkins is the ultimate community builder.”
Winners of the awards this year are Oryst Sawchuk (arts), Bestech (economic development), Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit (environment), Anna Maria Barsanti (education), Leo Thérrien (health care), Chris Gore (sports and recreation), Candice Kirkbride (young leader), and Risto Laamanen (hall of fame).
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BESTECH CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY IN TIMMINS February 16, 2010
February, 2010 marked a significant milestone in BESTECH’s history, as they celebrated their first anniversary in Timmins.
BESTECH, a Northern-Ontario firm specializing in numerous industrial services and innovative products opened the office to provide superior service to their Timmins clients. “We have a history of strong relationships with a number of Timmins companies and saw an opportunity to further meet the needs of our clients,” explains Andre Dumais, Manager of Corporate Services for BESTECH.
Recent closure announcements have not deterred BESTECH from its commitment to the community. “There are enormous opportunities in Timmins. Gold mines are still booming and exploration efforts are ongoing. The renewed interest in nickel is also encouraging,” said Dumais.
The Timmins office focuses on building and developing relationships with clients in the area. BESTECH has recently hired a new office manager and plans on growing the Timmins team. “Timmins is ideally suited to our diversified approach of supporting clients” continued Dumais, “We have made significant in-roads in industries other than mining. We are developing strong relationships with the post-secondary institutions.” BESTECH’s software development services are applicable to a large number of sectors.
The BESTECH team is stronger than ever, proudly celebrating their continued success and look forward to the future of new opportunities and further expansion.
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BESTECH PRESIDENT AND CEO APPOINTED AS NEW SAMSSA PRESIDENT December 23, 2009
SAMSSA members gathered at the Howard Johnson Hotel on December 9th, 2009 for the annual general meeting where Marc Boudreau, BESTECH’s President and CEO was appointed as the association’s new President.
Formally in the role of Treasurer, Marc Boudreau will be replacing former President Jeff Fuller of Fuller Industrial for a two year term. Boudreau is happy about his new role and extremely excited to put his ideas and plans into place.
Marc Boudreau, SAMSSA's New President
As new President, Boudreau plans on developing and leveraging working relationships between members. He believes Northern Ontario has a multitude of strengths that are valuable in the global delivery of members’ services and products.
“First, the use of “Sudbury” in our association’s name is a strategy that is meant to leverage the global recognition of the name and is not meant to exclude other great Northern Ontario centers. Secondly, as suppliers, we are an integral part of the value chain that helps our industrial clients succeed in their business objectives. We need to proactively work with clients that have a global reach in order to succeed in our mandate of expanding to worldwide markets. Thirdly, we need to work with all levels of government and take advantage of their business development programs and initiatives. Lastly, we must also understand the role we play in bringing to market the great research and intellectual property that is developed within our colleges, universities, and centers of excellence,” says Boudreau. His personal goal is to help support members by leveraging these strengths. Assisting SAMSSA members and furthering his understanding, Boudreau has also joined MIRARCO ’s (Laurentian University) board of directors and is actively working with CEMI to execute key projects and marketing activities.
SAMSSA’s mission is to “provide the most innovative and highest quality mining supply/products/services for domestic and worldwide markets.” For more information on SAMSSA and its activities, please go to www.samssa.ca.
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BESTECH EMPLOYEES REWARDED FOR THEIR DEDICATION December 8, 2009
During the bi-annual staff meeting on November 26, 2009, five BESTECH employees were rewarded for their dedication, hard-work and loyalty to BESTECH.
André Dumais, Mark Peters, Gilles Valade, Terry Jansen and Edgar Lajambe.
André Dumais (Manager, Corporate Services), Mark Peters (Electrical, P.Eng.), Gilles Valade (Computer, P.Eng.), Terry Jansen (Engineering Supervisor, P.Eng.) and Edgar Lajambe (Project Manager & Senior Electrical Specialist) were each presented with BESTECH’s Five Year Award recognizing their continued devotion to the company.
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BESTECH EMPLOYEES DONATE TO THE SUDBURY FOOD BANK December 1, 2009
BESTECH employees once again demonstrated their dedication to the community by presenting a cheque for $725.00 to the Sudbury Food Bank during the bi-annual BESTECH staff meeting on November 26, 2009.
Employees raised the money through weekly BBQs during the summer months and a competitive hockey pool. All profits from these employee organized events were donated to this year’s charity of choice: the Sudbury Food Bank.
Daniel Xilon (Sudbury Food Bank), Paul Huffels (BESTECH) & Bernie Lafreniere (BESTECH)
Bank. Mr. Xilon accepted the cheque and made a presentation to employees on how they can help get involved with the Sudbury Food Bank. Non-perishable food items were also collected by staff and donated to the Sudbury Food Bank.
For more information on the Sudbury Food Bank, please visit their website at www.sudburyfoodbank.ca.
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BESTECH WINS YPA'S BEST PLACE TO WORK AWARDNovember 17, 2009
On November 13, 2009, BESTECH was recognized for its outstanding commitment and dedication to young professionals by winning Sudbury’s Young Professionals Association’s Best Place to Work Award.
André Dumais, Manager of Corporate Services and Amy Fortier, Marketing Coordinator and also a YPA member, accepted the award sponsored by the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce at the YPA Award Gala at the Howard Johnson Hotel.
André Dumais (BESTECH), Jonathan Laderoute (Chamber of Commerce) & Amy Fortier (BESTECH)
With more than half of BESTECH employees under the age of 35, BESTECH is definitely an attractive employer for young professionals. “We are thrilled to be recognized as the YPA’s 2009 Best Place to Work,” said Amy Fortier. “BESTECH is truly a great place to work. We have an excellent team environment, competitive salaries, strong community involvement, multiple opportunities for professional and personal development and advancement, numerous events and benefits, including a company gym… who wouldn’t want to work here!"
The Young Professionals Association (YPA) of Sudbury is an organization for young professionals between the ages of 20 to 35 years looking to network and build relationships with their peers. For more information please visit www.ypasudbury.ca.
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POWER PLAY EXCEEDS FUNDRAISING GOALOctober 19, 2009
BESTECH is proud to announce that this year’s Easter Seals Power Play was a true success by exceeding this year’s goal and raising $20,735.00 for Easter Seals Kids!
On September 19th, 2009, 16 teams faced-off in a 4-on-4 ball hockey tournament in the Don Cherry’s parking lot. As the main sponsor, BESTECH supported the event not only financially but also by donating prizes and entering a team of their own.
BESTECH Power Play Team.
Left to Right: Paul Huffels, Mark Peters, Tilak Wickramasinghe, Andrew Schinkel, Edgar Lajambe & Bernie Lafreniere.
The BESTECH employee hockey team enjoyed a great day of hockey and raised a total of $1,243.00. Edgar Lajambe, a long time employee with BESTECH was this year’s 2nd top fundraiser with a total of $653.00.
The money raised in the Power Play will help support Easter Seals Kids in the Sudbury community.
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ACTIONBASE - BESTECH, REMOVING INFORMATION OVERLOADOctober 2, 2009
BESTECH, is continually trying to position itself in order to meet the changing needs of its client base. One of the needs right now is trying to manage emails and document notes that swamp most email or Microsoft Office users. Those notes, documents and emails are usually part of processes that require follow up and tracking. A partnership has been formed with ActionBase who offers a Human Process Management solution to meet this challenge and we are proud to be representing ActionBase in North and South America. The ActionBase solution integrates with the applications you are already accustomed to using such as MS Outlook and MS Word. It lets you assign tasks, track progress of your processes and report on overall statistics without having the overhead of another stand alone application. There are specific solutions for several human processes such as Audit.Tracker, Decision.Tracker and Action.Tracker that will empower you to fast track an already streamlined integration process to have you up and running with ActionBase in less than 1 week. Stop searching through endless emails and document versions for that task you had delegated or committed to doing. Let BESTECH and ActionBase be your gateway to a new level of productivity and effectiveness. Call BESTECH today at 1-877-675-7720 x 208, we look forward to working with you.
About BESTECH
BESTECH is an engineering and technology company providing a unique combination of services and products to help our clients operate in cost- and time-effective
ways. We service clients in North and South America and have channel partners throughout Latin America. BESTECH is headquartered in Ontario, Canada.
About ActionBase
ActionBase is a leading provider of Human Process Management Solutions that enable businesses – over 150 Fortune 100 to Fortune 500 organizations worldwide – to
manage their business critical processes. The company supports an ad-hoc and dynamic working environment by providing full visibility and control over unstructured processes that were previously managed via plain documents and
e-mail correspondence. ActionBase works with global IT leaders including BG group, Orange, Texas Instruments and Amdocs, and specializes in complex industries such
as Oil and Gas, Utility and Telecom. The company is headquartered in Israel with offices in the United States and United Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.actionbase.com.
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FULL SPEED AHEAD AT TOTTEN MINESeptember 1, 2009
By Norm Tollinsky
Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal
Vale Inco operations in the Sudbury Basin were idled all summer – first by a production shutdown that was to last from June 1 to July 27, and then by a strike that began July 12th – but 35 kilometres west of Sudbury, the company is moving full speed ahead on its $450 million Totten Mine development project.
Totten, Vale Inco’s first new mine in the Sudbury Basin in 35 years, is on schedule for completion by the second quarter of 2011.
Inco sank two shafts at Totten Mine beginning in 1966, but never did any level development and mothballed the property because of low nickel prices in 1972, said John Sagman, project manager.
The company contracted AMEC’s Vancouver office to build a water treatment plant, pumped out 105 million gallons of water from the mine, demolished all of the surface infrastructure and installed a new hoist and headframe.
“AMEC is known around the world for their expertise with respect to designing water treatment plants,” said Sagman. “It’s a very efficient, state-of-the-art system.”
Once the mine is operational, 95 per cent of the treated water will be recycled for use underground. AMEC’s Sudbury office designed the earthworks.
A new 16.5-foot double drum Davey-Markham hoist has the capacity to lift 3,900 tonnes per 10.5-hour shift. One drum has a 17-tonne skip, the other a 15-tonne skip with an underslung cage.
Raises
Cementation Canada Inc., one of the principal contractors on site, was contracted to rehabilitate the shaft and sink two fresh air raises. An 18-foot diameter raise from 1850 Level to surface is the largest diameter raise bore hole in the Sudbury mining camp, and an eight-foot diameter raise descending 2,750 feet from the 1250 Level is the longest raise bore hole in the company’s history, said Sagman.
Both raises were constructed using the self-steering MICON Rotary-Vertical Drilling System (RVDS) that minimizes deviation in very long drill holes.
“When you’re drilling a long hole, it can wander 150 feet by the time it gets down to the bottom,” said Sagman. “With this technology, you might get eight inches of deviation. You can have $1 million worth of rods in the ground, and if you break them, that’s a lot of money, so you want the hole to be as vertical as possible. One hundred and fifty feet of deviation puts tremendous stress on your rods. The threads can snap on you pretty quick if they’re at a bad angle.”
The RVDS technology has been used before in Canada, but not by Vale Inco, said Sagman.
Lateral development
Cementation will wrap up the shaft rehabilitation work and loading pocket construction by October, at which time lateral development work will commence. Approximately 36,000 feet of lateral development is scheduled to be completed by May 2011.
Another major supplier, ABB, is providing a minewide, standardized power and automation solution, including a 69kV surface substation, switchgear and PLC systems.
According to Sagman, several new technologies are being considered for Totten Mine, including ventilation on demand, a rail-veyor material handling system and a cutting-edge through-the-earth voice and data communication system developed by the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Distributed in Sudbury by KPI Industrial, the so-called Vital Alert two-way radio technology has been successfully tested in underground coal mines, but never deployed in hard rock mining operations.
Sagman is planning to test the system at Totten Mine before the end of the year and has engaged Bestech, a Sudbury based system integration and industrial automation company, to study the potential use of the Vital Alert system for other communication applications, including asset tracking and ventilation on demand.
The 2,200-tonne per day operation will create 150 jobs and has a projected mine life of 20 years.
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BESTECH - PROUD 2009 EASTER SEALS POWER PLAY PRESENTING SPONSOR August 18, 2009
SUDBURY, ON – BESTECH is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the 10th Annual Power Play for Easter Seals Kids on Saturday, September 19, 2009 at Don Cherry’s. As the presenting sponsor BESTECH will take on many of the costs associated with such an amazing event. Amy Fortier, Marketing Coordinator for BESTECH and Easter Seals volunteer says, “We invite and are encouraging companies to put together a team and come out for a great day of fun and support Easter Seals Kids.”
With a minimum pledge of $100/person your company will be showcased as a contributer to the community and the lives of Easter Seals Kids.
It’s a fun day with fast action ball hockey and great prizes. Register your team today! Don’t have a team to register? Why not sponsor a rink board for $250.00 or donate a prize(s)?
This 4-on-4 ball hockey tournament is open to anyone 18 years or older who wants to play hard for children with physical disabilities. Teams of six come dressed in team themed costumes to enjoy a complimentary lunch, dinner, great fundraising prizes, skills contests and a great day of ball hockey all in support of Easter Seals Kids. As presenting sponsor of Power Play, BESTECH invites you to join us as we support over 130 children in the community who require financial assistance for mobility and communication devices.
To register your team of six, please call Easter Seals at 566-8858 or email Lisa Lounsbury at llounsbury@easterseals.org and visit www.easterseals.org for more information.
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BESTECH IN SUDBURY, NOT ASSOCIATED WITH "BESTECH ACADEMY"July 16, 2009
SUDBURY, ON – BESTECH, a company specializing in industrial services would like to clarify that they are in no way associated or have any affiliation with the unregistered college named “Bestech Academy” and the news releases that have been recently reported.
“We are in no way associated with the Stoney Creek and St. Catharines Bestech Academy. BESTECH has an excellent reputation; we provide innovative services in engineering, automation, environmental monitoring and software development. We are also heavily involved with the Sudbury community through charitable organizations and event sponsorships,” said Amy Fortier, Marketing Coordinator for BESTECH.
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BESTECH LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITEJune 29, 2009
BESTECH, Northern Ontario’s leader in industrial services and products, launched a new client-focused website with an easier navigation interface.
The website was re-designed with a cleaner and more modern appearance. The fresh new look showcases BESTECH’s latest innovative services including Business Process Management, Electrical/Instrumentation Construction, Electrical Safety and Power Systems.
BESTECH is continuing to offer the great products (NRG-1, PORTAULS® and AQM) and services they are known for, such as: Automation, Engineering, Environmental, EPCM, Fire Investigations, Six Sigma and Software Development.
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SCIENCE NORTH LAUNCHES EXHIBITJune 3, 2009
By John Lappa
Greater Sudbury residents had a couple of reasons to celebrate National Clean Air Day on Wednesday.
The first was the launch of a new exhibit at Science North that lets visitors view up-to-the-minute air = quality information from 17 different sulphur dioxide monitoring stations across Greater Sudbury.
One of the stations is on top of the science centre.
The second was the release of Clearing the Air, a report on air quality trends in Sudbury from 1998 to 2007. The report was done by Clean Air Sudbury.
"The major finding overall is that we have improved our air quality considerably. We actually have much to celebrate in Sudbury for that," said Laura Mucklow, co-ordinator at Clean Air Sudbury.
"We still have some exceedances of the one-hour criteria for sulphur dioxide. They are fairly infrequent and our analysis showed that it was 0.03 % of the time, but still, there is room for improvement there."
The annual average sulphur dioxide concentrations were about 5.5 parts per billion in 1998. That number had dropped to about 2.5 by 2007.
The report also answers the question: Is Sudbury's air quality better or worse than air quality in southern Ontario. "What this shows is our air quality is better than it is in Toronto, Windsor, Hamilton and other large cities in southern Ontario," Mucklow said. The report is a collection of information from air monitoring stations throughout the city.
"We took that information and then we summarized it into graphs and tables and tried to make it more understandable for the public," Mucklow said. "We want to do these reports because this information is collected and it just goes into these databases and nobody ever sees it." |
Pat Dubreuil, Manager of Technical Support poses in front of BESTECH, Vale Inco and Xstrata's Sulfur Dioxide Monitoring Station located at Science North, Sudbury, ON. |
One of the organization's mandates is to collect this data and put it in a form that can be distributed to the public.
"Air quality contributes to our quality of life," Mucklow added.
The Science North exhibit is centred around one of the sulphur dioxide monitoring stations. It has been at Science North for a number of years.
"It was in a closed-in glass room. It just wasn't very dynamic," said Amy Henson, staff scientist at Science North.
"We've totally renovated the space and built an exhibit to explain the science."
Vale Inco and Xstrata Nickel sponsored the exhibit, along with Bestech. Bestech helps the two mining companies monitor sulphur dioxide levels.
"Bestech built us a great computer interface that allows visitors to interact with all the different stations around the city," Henson said.
It also has weather information.
"People can co-relate what is going on with the weather, as well as what is going on in terms of emissions," Henson said.
Frank Javor, manager environment -air at Vale Inco, was at the launch of the exhibit on Wednesday morning.
"We were very glad to be able to participate in turning this SO2 monitoring station, which has actually been here at Science North for decades, into an exhibit," he said.
He explained how Vale Inco has reduced its emissions from about two million tonnes a year in the 1970s to being under 150,000 tonnes per year.
"Our target is to get down to 66,000 tonnes per year by 2015," Javor said.
When Vale Inco is operating, the company has an elaborate emission reduction program.
The program operator looks at metrological forecasts and weather data from Environment Canada.
"He actually flies a weather balloon, then runs dispersion models that will determine at what emission rate we will get into ground level concentration issues," Javor explained.
"He runs this model and actually establishes a cutback limit in the smelter in the nickel refinery and then operates the day controlling the smelting vessels to be below that limit."
The company also has high-tech video cameras to look at the Superstack's plume.
"We also have a mobile monitoring vehicle with an SO2 monitor in it that roams chasing the plume where there isn't a (monitoring) station," Javor said.
To obtain a copy of the Clean Air Sudbury report, visit www.cleanairsudbury.ca.
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BESTECH DIVERSIFIES ITS CUSTOMER BASEJune 1, 2009
By Adelle Larmour
Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal
Bestech, a Sudbury-based systems integration, engineering and industrial automation company, is responding to the current economic downturn by diversifying its client base and establishing a branch office in Timmins.
“We’ve been working in Timmins for a number of years,” said Andre Dumais, Bestech’s manager of corporate
services. However, one of the comments received from a new client was that they preferred to work with local
people, “so we took it to heart.”
Originally an electrical engineering and automation firm, Bestech has expanded its scope to include civil
and mechanical engineering. By 2005, the company’s portfolio of services grew to include systems
integration, software development and environmental monitoring.
With this wide array of services, a decision was made in early January to establish a local presence in
Timmins. By February 17, the company had secured an 800-square foot office space in the downtown core.
Currently, two permanent staff work in Timmins, although there are often four people present at any given
time.
Although the company had to lay off nine employees last fall, it still stands strong with a workforce of 62.
Two engineers were transferred to Timmins, which reduced travel expenses.
“We’re on an equal footing with competition in Timmins and now we can let our name and brand stand for itself,” said Dumais.
The Timmins office is focussed primarily on the mining sector. However, the branch also offers a full
spectrum of services.
“Timmins is a great market,” Dumais said. “We’ve been aggressive about approaching municipalities. Our services lend themselves very well to water treatment, displacement and effluent.”
During the past four years, Bestech experienced 30 per cent growth annually by diversifying to include
software development, environmental monitoring and consulting services. On the information technology side
of the business, many of its clients are from sectors other than resourcebased industries, creating a more
diverse market and less reliance on mining.
“We’re getting involved with school boards, municipalities, and the provincial and federal government,”
Dumais said, explaining there is a lot of opportunity when dealing with information systems. Running at 100
per cent capacity, the company is currently hiring computer programmers.
Bestech is also expanding into power engineering and electrical construction. The intent is to consolidate
services for the client.
The company has always designed electrical panels, but is now converting part of its Sudbury office space
into a shop to construct them as well.
“We can improve quality control because the engineer who designs the panel and constructor who builds it
work under the same roof,” said Dumais. “If any questions come up, we can go straight to the engineer or
constructor.”
The addition of a veteran electrical engineer last August with expertise in high voltage power engineering
has opened doors for larger projects like electrical substations and power lines.
Bestech also provides consulting services to help companies comply with the new electrical safety standard –
CSA-Z462 - to be deployed nationally in 2011.
“Our ultimate strategy is to be in the best competitive position when things turn around,” Dumais said. “We
want to be there ready to take on that work when the markets improve and capital projects come on line.”
While the company has installations of its software in other countries and distributors throughout South
America, it sees opportunities for continued expansion into international markets.
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BESTECH DIVERSIFIES FOR MARKET SHARE
Despite the tough economic climate Sudbury-based Bestech forges aheadMay, 2009
By James Neeley
In these uncertain economic times, a financial planner is probably preaching
diversification and one Sudbury-based company is using that principle to not only weather the storm but expand
in spite of it.
Over the past five-to-seven years, Bestech has worked hard to diversify their once exclusively engineering
and automation business, said Andre Dumais, manager of corporate services for Bestech.
“That diversification has paid major dividends for us.”
When the downturn hit, Bestech lost a lot of mining work, he said, “but we are now selling our services in different markets like the federal and provincial governments, insurance companies, municipalities and schools.”
The Sudbury-based company was founded in 1995 as an engineering, and
industrial automation group. But in 1999 Bestech developed their own software division, Dumais said.
As the company continued to grow from 24 employees in 2004 to the 69 people today, “the goal was to diversify our services,” he said. “Let’s do the work while times are good,” Dumais said.
“We knew it wasn’t going to last and we needed to start marketing
ourselves better,” adding that was when they hired a marketing coordinator and recruiter.
In spite of the downturn, Bestech has expanded into Timmins Feb. 17. |
Paul Horlings a senior electrical specialist (front) at Bestech and Glen Dagenais, a principal engineer (back) pose while going over the design of a Bestech electrical panel in their shop on Lorne Street. |
In their flagship office on Lorne Street, renovations are taking place.
“A lot of the work our engineers do is designing electrical panels for industry,” Dumais said. “We know our
clients are looking for cost efficiencies and we said, ‘Where can we provide them with cost savings?’”
What they came up with is the development of a new electrical panel shop at the Lorne Street office.
“Now the engineers can design the electrical panels and have them built inhouse,” Dumais said.
Another now surging division developed from the diversification efforts is the environmental group.
“Right now the software and environmental teams are going full bore. And this has allowed us to maintain the
engineering division,” he said.
This is not to say Bestech hasn’t been affected by the economic downturn.
The company has laid off nine employees trimming their overall staff from 78 to 69, Dumais said.
“Some of the cuts were administrative ... we also had some casualties in the engineering division, five or
six positions.
“We were gearing up for growth, but when things got tough we had to scale back,” he said, “but we are still
hiring in our other divisions.”
“One thing this economic crisis has made us do is diversify within our client base,” Dumais said. "Because
of this diversification “absolutely, undeniably we will come out of this economic downturn stronger.”
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BESTECH OPENS NEW TIMMINS OFFICEApril 25, 2009
BESTECH has opened the doors to a new office in Timmins. With a history of strong relationships with a number of Timmins-based firms, the new office will enable BESTECH to better serve existing and potential clients in the area.
As part of a strategy to provide services to a wider and more diverse market, BESTECH had identified Timmins as a region with the potential for further growth. Existing clients in the area have expressed an increasing demand for BESTECH to provide services and offerings in the region. It is also expected that as the new location develops, there will be additional jobs brought to the community.
“We are very excited at the opportunity to expand our operations in Timmins” said Marc Boudreau, President and CEO of BESTECH. “We have been exploring ways to increase our presence in Timmins for several years now, and we feel that this new office is the best way to meet the needs of our clients and BESTECH.”
BESTECH, a trusted team of professionals offering services in engineering, automation, software development and environmental monitoring, will be settling into their new location in the Timmins downtown core.
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BESTECH SUPPORTS THEATRE CAMBRIAN April 22, 2009
Love, Magic, Dancing, Infidelities, Laughs and Rock & Roll Encompass Theatre Cambrian’s 25th Anniversary
Sudbury, ON – Theatre Cambrian announced today its plans for the Theatre’s 2009-2010, 25th Anniversary Season. “So far, 2008-2009 has been a very productive season for the Theatre,” stated Mark Mannisto, executive director of the organization. “With the introduction of the company’s children’s theatre company, Kids’ Curtain, and their production of the Dr. Seuss musical, Seussical, Theatre Cambrian expanded its season to eight productions, the most in Theatre Cambrian’s history.” The success of our current season would not have been possible if it were not for our corporate sponsors: Bestech, Xstrata Nickel and Vale INCO; our media sponsors: The Northern Life, CTV, The Amazing Persona and The Sudbury Star, and, most definitely, our government partners: the Ministry of Culture, Human Resources Development Canada, Service Canada, and the City of Greater Sudbury.
For more information please click here.
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BESTECH ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR EASTER SEALS KIDSOctober 20, 2008
Sudbury, ON – On Saturday September 27th at Don Cherry’s, the site of the 2008 Power Play event, Andre Dumais of Bestech announced that Bestech will be the 2009 Presenting Sponsor for the annual signature event, Power Play for Easter Seals Kids. Power Play is a 4 on 4 ball hockey tournament, where teams of six players come dressed in team themed costumes, to play a fun sport and raise funds to help support children and youth with physical disabilities. Every year approximately 20 teams participate in this high-spirited event raising an amazing $20,000 each year. Bestech will be presenting the 9th Annual Power Play for Easter Seals Kids in September 2009 at a new location.
Lisa Lounsbury, Development Manager of Easter Seals says, “We are thrilled to have this tremendous support from such a compassionate company and are looking forward to an exciting and revitalized event for 2009”
Proceeds raised from this event will help support Easter Seals Kids in the community. Easter Seals of Ontario began in 1922 as a vision to create a better life for children with physical disabilities. Today, Easter Seals continues to offer programs and services to help these children achieve a greater level of acceptance and independence. Families rely on Easter Seals to help purchase expensive equipment needed for mobility and communication, send kids to camp and other recreational programs, and provide access to information and resources.
For media inquiries, contact:
Lisa Lounsbury, District Manager
Easter Seals Ontario
llounsbury@easterseals.org
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BESTECH HELPS RAISE OVER $36,000 FOR THE SUDBURY FOOD BANK June 23, 2008
Bestech was proud to present the “Bestech Choice Vehicle Award” to Jim McDonald,
owner of a 2004 yellow corvette C5 coupe.
Bestech was among the sponsors for the 2008 Cruisin’ for Food. The event was hosted by the Sudbury Corvette Club and raised over $36,000; an increase of over $10,000 from last year’s event. All proceeds raised from the event went to the Sudbury Food Bank, helping families in need.
Crusin’ for Food is Northern Ontario’s largest car show displaying over 400 cars and bikes, attracting over 3,000 spectators.
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CAMBRIAN COLLEGE ANNOUNCED A CONTRIBUTION OF CUSTOMIZED MINING SOFTWARE FROM BESTECH THIS WEEKMay 1, 2008
It will be used to enhance the educational experience for students in the mining, automation, and instrumentation programs.
The NRG-1 software is a web-based control system that is currently used by the mining industry for underground mine and plant ventilation control, stated a Cambrian news release. The software provides optimum control of assets and helps reduce energy costs, increase revenue and enhance safety.
"Cambrian College takes great pride in its 40-year track record of successful partnerships with business and industry," said Cambrian President Sylvia Barnard in the release. "Our goal is to continue to provide skilled, workforce-ready graduates for a global economy. We are very pleased to add BESTECH to our growing list of industry partners, and I would like to thank BESTECH for sharing our vision and investing in Cambrian students, in the college system, and in the future of our economy."
"Supporting Cambrian College's learning environment with industry-standard software is a key component of our community investment," said Denis Pitre, Vice-President and COO of BESTECH in the news release. "Students in the mining, instrumentation and automation programs will work with NRG-1 as part of their studies. They will also test and challenge the software, ensuring a better product for BESTECH customers." The partnership will also involve corporate training and research opportunities.
About BESTECH:
Founded in 1995, the company has established itself as a leader in innovative technologies dedicated to
system integration and industrial automation, according to the release. Recognized leaders in the field, the
company has worked extensively in the mining, pulp and paper, forestry, oil and gas, automotive,
manufacturing and municipal sectors. BESTECH was the recipient of Northern Ontario Business and Greater
Sudbury Chamber of Commerce Award for Innovation in 2000, and was recently recognized as the 2008 Bell
Business Excellence Award for Company
of the Year.
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BESTECH NAMED GREATER SUDBURY'S COMPANY OF THE YEARMay 15, 2008
BESTECH was awarded with the prestigious Company of the Year award at the
2008 Bell Business Excellence Awards on May 13th, 2008.
Presented by Bell and the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce, these annual awards recognize the achievements
of community businesses and entrepreneurs.
The Company of the Year award is awarded each year to an organization " that has demonstrated significant business achievement and sustainable financial performance, outstanding growth and success and has a significant impact on the area's econo ".
BESTECH's President & CEO, Marc Boudreau, was thrilled to receive the award. "We are extremely honoured and excited to be recognized as 2008's Company of the Year," said Boudreau, who founded BESTECH in 1995.
"This award represents a significant milestone for BESTECH, and we would like to sincerely thank all of our employees for their contributions over the years, as well as the sponsors, judges and the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce for recognizing us".
Founded in 1995, BESTECH is a trusted team of industry professionals delivering services in electrical and mechanical engineering, automation, environmental monitoring and software, as well as software product development.
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BESTECH PRESENTS AT 12TH US/NORTH AMERICAN MINE VENTILATION SYMPOSIUM IN RENO, NEVADA June, 2008
BESTECH's international presence continues to grow, as representatives are playing a prominent role at the 12th US/North American Mine Ventilation Symposium in Reno, Nevada.
As an innovator in the industry, BESTECH introduced and exhibited their products and services. NRG-1, advanced web-based energy management software was described, detailed (in more than three technical papers) and presented at the conference by such organizations as Vale Inco and Barrick.
The Mine Ventilation Symposium is an excellent opportunity for industry leaders to showcase their company, exchange valuable information and create long lasting business relationships.
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CORE OF MINING VENTILATION-ON-DEMAND TECHNOLOGIES
October 20, 2007
At 7:00am Pacific Time on Friday October 19th 2007, Barrick Goldstrike's Underground Division handed over control of their auxiliary mine ventilation system to BESTECH's NRG-1 software application.
"This is the core for all of our ventilation-on-demand technologies and I expect NRG-1 to be used way beyond ventilation here at Goldstrike Underground." explained Anton Meyer, Senior Engineer for Barrick Goldstrike underground operations in Nevada. NRG-1 successfully controlled 165 fans during the first official "running of modes".
The expert collaboration between Barrick and BESTECH in preparation for and during the installation led to the seamless integration with their existing automation infrastructure. Peter Bauer and Sarah Paajanen provided on-going support from Sudbury with rapid fix deployments and a positive let's-make-this-a-success attitude throughout.
Paul Horlings and Adam Tonnos were at the Meikle mine site, located an hour outside of Elko, and bunked down for the week in the server room. Planning sessions for the day's work ahead were held every morning and a review of the results to cap of the day kept the installation running smooth.
Mr. Meyer will be presenting the results of the installation and his excitement about the product during a Barrick North America technical conference being held the week of October 22nd in Salt Lake City, Utah. Employees from Barrick's global operations assemble annually to share their experiences with new technologies and processes.
The success of this installation illustrates what team work can accomplish
when we-employees, our company and our clients-are driving toward a common goal. We wish to thank all those
Contact: Adam Tonnos - Manager of Sales
adam_tonnos@bestech.com
Toll Free: 1-877-675-7720 x 211
_____________________________________________________________________________________CANADIAN CURLING CHAMPION GLEN HOWARD AT BESTECH EVENT
The champion was in Sudbury to attend a local event sponsored by BESTECH and Tim Horton's. Glen was showing his support to a local curling team.
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BESTECH OPENS DOOR TO GLOBAL MARKET
September 9, 2006
From the Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal (Sept 06)
Sudbury-based Bestech, an industrial automation and software development
company, has partnered with OSIsoft, Inc. of San Leandro, California, to fuel sales of its asset utilization
and energy management applications.
Integration of Bestech's products with OSIsoft's PI System and Real-time Performance Management Platform
allows mining companies already using OSIsoft solutions to leverage their existing IT investments.
The partnership with OSIsoft is a "milestone and a validation of our software products" said Adam
Tonnos, Bestech product development manager. "Building on top of a platform that's recognized globally
will help us introduce our products to a larger market.
"
Bestech's Portauls product is designed to analyze and report on the utilization of production assets to
optimize performance. A hoisting module, for example, installed at Falconbridge's Craig, Fraser and Thayer
Lindsley mines in Sudbury, helps mine management identify opportunities to reduce cycle times and maximize
hoisting capacity.
Citing an example from one mine, Tonnos claims that shaving a mere second off the skipping cycle time could
free up 150,000 seconds, or 41.7 hours annually. Taking advantage of the additional availability would permit
another 833 skips per year and close to $2 million worth of additional production.
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OSISOFT PARTNERSHIP WITH BESTECH INTRODUCED TO THE MINING INDUSTRYJune, 2006
Helping the mining industry achieve superior Operational performance.
San Leandro, CA - An August 9th webinar will introduce the
OEM partnership of OSIsoft, the leader in performance management software, and BESTECH, an industry leader in
mining asset management software. The event showcases BHP Billiton's use of the OSIsoft PI System for Six
Sigma integration into their processes, as well as BESTECH's PORTAULS® process optimization software
leveraging the OSIsoft Real-time Performance Management (RtPM) platform and its application to a mature Six
Sigma organization.
The strategic OEM partnership between OSIsoft and BESTECH is being widely welcomed by experts responsible for
Six Sigma and IT development in the metals and mining industry. "BESTECH has been and will continue to be
a partner of choice in our commitment to the Six Sigma business methodology. This side-by-side working
relationship has enabled value creation through our mutual development and use of OSIsoft technologies. We
look forward to many more successful endeavors with them, "commented Paul Roos, Six Sigma Master Black
Belt for Business Performance at the Falconbridge Canadian Copper & Recycling Business Unit. BESTECH has
two web-based software applications developed specifically to serve the mining industry:
NRG-1, an application proven to be a cost effective means for achieving energy management
that continuously improves the bottom line. This application schedules and executes operation of energy
intensive assets such as mine ventilation fans, compressors and dewatering pumps.
PORTAULS®, a modular application capable of analyzing industrial systems to automatically
identify opportunities to improve a clients process. These systems include a hoisting module, a generic asset
management module for flexibility and an energy management module.
The mining industry can now harness the power of the OSIsoft PI system in two out-of-the-box applications
tailor made to meet their needs in an ever changing industrial environment. The partners have the strength and
experience in software, automation and mining to help clients in their quest to realize substantial operating
efficiencies and lower operating costs whether it is through individual site projects or corporate wide
continuous improvement initiatives. Real time knowledge creation focused on improving processes is a win-win
approach for all parties involved.
Adam Tonnos, Manager of Product Development at BESTECH, said, "The OSIsoft PI System was a perfect fit
for our new software packages. OSIsoft's data archiving, presentation and calculation engines combined with
our knowledge of the mining industry's processes makes our joint offering an unbeatable combination."
"The metals, materials and mining industries are characterized by remote site operations, large capital
investments, ever tightening environmental regulations and large numbers of plants with diverse information,
" noted Bernard Morneau, Executive Vice President of OSIsoft. "Driven by stringent quality demands,
globalization and the pressure to improve margins, the complexity of the industry's operating environment
requires electronic information management tools.
This underscores the need for a unified real-time and historical database with a rich toolset for information
visualization, analysis and connectivity, which is what the PI System brings to this partnership."
Attendance at the joint August 9th webinar requires advance registration at www.osisoft.com.
About BESTECH
Founded in 1995, BESTECH was created to address the mining industry's need for a group dedicated to system
integration and industrial automation. By developing a very specialized skill set, BESTECH quickly gained
recognition as a leader in this domain. After several strong and successful years the company has grown into a
dynamic team of engineers, technologists, six sigma professionals, programmers and support staff. For more
About OSIsoft
OSIsoft, Inc. (www.osisoft.com) delivers performance management software to the world's leading process manufacturing, metals and mining, life sciences, and utility companies-anywhere real-time operational metrics fuel performance. With more than 10,000 installations worldwide, OSIsoft's real-time data platform crosses IT and process boundaries to incorporate and display operational information. Providing comprehensive visibility into operations, the OSIsoft platform unlocks the potential for timely analysis and the ability to make critical, informed and profitable decisions. Founded in 1980, OSIsoft is headquartered in San Leandro, CA, with operations worldwide and is privately-held.
