In July, the proportion of manufacturers stating they would increase production over the next three months stood at 21%, down 1 point from April. The percentage of manufacturers indicating they would decrease production in the third quarter was down 1 point to 15%. As a result, the balance of opinion stood at +6, unchanged from the previous survey. The April and July balances of opinion are the most positive posted since the October 2004 survey (+11). Production prospects continued to be positive in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. On the other hand, opinions reported by manufacturers in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec and Manitoba were negative.

Producers of chemical products, transportation equipment, and plastic and rubber products, as well as electric equipment, appliances and components industries were the major contributors to the positive balance. In all, 12 of the 21 manufacturing industries posted a positive balance for production prospects in the third quarter of 2007.

The balance of opinion was determined by subtracting the proportion of manufacturers who expected production would be decreasing in the coming three months from the proportion who expected production would be increasing.

Satisfaction with level of new orders slightly less positive

While 25% of manufacturers stated that the current level of new orders was increasing, those stating that the level of new orders was decreasing jumped 8 points to 19%. As a result, the July balance of opinion, while still positive, fell 5 points from the April survey to +6. Producers in primary metal, paper and wood product industries were the major contributors to the lowered balance of opinion for orders received. Although lower, this represents the third positive balance of opinion posted in 2007 for orders received. According to May's Monthly Survey of Manufacturing, new orders for all manufacturing industries decreased 0.5% from April to just over $50.5 billion.

Manufacturers less satisfied with levels of unfilled orders

While most manufacturers continued to describe the backlog of unfilled orders as normal, the July balance of opinion decreased 5 points to -5. About 13% of manufacturers indicated that the current level of unfilled orders was higher than normal, while 18% reported a lower than normal backlog. Producers in the primary metal and paper industries were the major contributors to the negative balance of opinion for unfilled orders. With the exception of the April survey, the balance of opinion for unfilled orders has been negative since October 2004. According to May's Monthly Survey of Manufacturing, unfilled orders increased 1.8% to almost $49.1 billion, an increase of over $4.4 billion since the beginning of 2007.

Manufacturers slightly less concerned with finished-product inventories

In July, 79% of manufacturers reported that the current level of finished-product inventories was about right, up 1 point from April. Some 16% stated that inventories were too high, while 5% said inventories were too low. This left the balance of opinion at -11, a 1 point improvement from the April balance. According to May's Monthly Survey of Manufacturing, finished product inventory levels stood at just under $22.3 billion, up 0.7% from April.

Manufacturers' employment prospects remain positive

The July results for employment prospects for the next three months remained unchanged from the April survey. Roughly 68% of manufacturers stated that they would keep their current workforce, while 17% indicated that they would increase it and 15% indicated that they expected to decrease employment in the third quarter of 2007, leaving the balance of opinion at +2. Regionally, negative balances in New Brunswick (-4) Quebec (-6) and Ontario (-1) were offset by positive balances in the remaining provinces, where many manufacturers continued to express difficulty in finding skilled labour. According to the June Labour Force Survey, over the first half of 2007, manufacturing employment plummeted by 4.3% to just over 2.02 million.

Manufacturers' production impediments

The proportion of manufacturers reporting production impediments remained unchanged (29%) in the July survey. Concerns with rail car shortages, the high value of the Canadian dollar, raw material prices and skilled and unskilled labour shortages were among the most common factors cited.

Business Conditions Survey: Manufacturing industries production prospects balance of opinion for select industries
	July 2006	October 2006	January 2007	April 2007	July 2007
Major group industries	Seasonally adjusted
Non-durable goods	15	1	12	3	11
Food	14	13	18	19	8
Chemical	17	9	2	-5	15
Petroleum and coal products	54	57	11	-3	-9
Paper	-2	-13	19	8	-2
Plastic and rubber products	5	-25	-25	-6	7
Durable goods	-9	-10	-1	6	3
Transportation equipment	-11	-10	-19	4	16
Primary metal	10	-22	15	13	-26
Wood products	-1	-12	-6	-9	2
Fabricated metal products	0	-10	8	3	5
Machinery	-9	1	-2	-2	-10
Computer and electronic products	-6	-18	-24	19	-1

Business Conditions Survey: Manufacturing industries
	July 2006	October 2006	January 2007	April 2007	July 2007
	Seasonally adjusted
Volume of production during next three months compared with last three months will be:
About the same (%)	60	62	59	62	64
Higher (%)	20	16	18	22	21
Lower (%)	20	22	23	16	15
Balance of opinion	0	-6	-5	6	6
New orders are:
About the same (%)	68	67	52	66	56
Rising (%)	18	10	25	22	25
Declining (%)	14	23	22	11	19
Balance of opinion	4	-13	3	11	6
Present backlog of unfilled orders is:
About normal (%)	82	71	68	68	69
Higher than Normal (%)	8	5	11	16	13
Lower than Normal (%)	10	24	21	16	18
Balance of opinion	-2	-19	-10	0	-5
Finished product inventory is:
About right (%)	84	81	77	78	79
Too low (%)	3	5	3	5	5
Too high1(%)	13	14	20	17	16
Balance of opinion	-10	-9	-17	-12	-11
Employment during the next three months will:
Change little (%)	68	65	66	68	68
Increase (%)	15	15	15	17	17
Decrease (%)	17	20	19	15	15
Balance of opinion	-2	-5	-4	2	2
	Unadjusted
	%
Sources of production difficulties:
Working capital shortage	2	3	2	2	2
Skilled labour shortage	9	10	11	12	11
Unskilled labour shortage	5	6	4	4	4
Raw material shortage	5	4	4	4	4
Other difficulties	2	4	2	7	8
No difficulties	77	72	77	71	71
1. No evident seasonality.

Note to readers

The Business Conditions Survey is conducted in January, April, July and October; the majority of responses are recorded in the first two weeks of these months. Results are based on replies from over 3,000 manufacturers and are weighted by a manufacturer's shipments or employment. Consequently, larger manufacturers have a correspondingly larger impact on the results than smaller manufacturers.

Except for the data on production difficulties, data in this release are seasonally adjusted.

Manufacturers continued to face several challenges during May. The Canadian dollar appreciated significantly against its American counterpart, reaching a 30-year high by the end of May. In addition, the Labour Force Survey reported a 0.6% drop in manufacturing employment during the month, a loss of 12,300 jobs.

Despite these challenges, the volume of manufacturing shipments, using constant dollars, rose 0.4% to $45.5 billion. After increasing in seven of the last eight months, constant dollar shipments reached their highest level since the beginning of 2006. The constant dollar measurement takes price fluctuations into account, providing an indicator of the volume of shipments during the month.

On a sector by sector basis, only 9 of 21 manufacturing industries decreased in May, but they represented about 57% of total shipment outputs.

Durable goods were the main source of weakness in May, declining 1.2% to $26.7 billion, following a sharper loss of 2.0% the previous month. Among durable goods producers, primary metal manufacturers posted one of the most significant declines during the month.

On the other hand, shipments of non-durable goods continued to strengthen, especially in resource-based industries. Manufacturers of petroleum and coal products, chemical products, and plastic and rubber products pushed non-durable good shipments up 1.2%, the fourth consecutive monthly increase.

Unfilled factory orders continued to increase, rising 1.8% in May for an eighth consecutive monthly gain. Unfilled orders can be used as an indicator of probable future shipments. New orders, which may include orders received and shipped during the month, slipped 0.5%.

Note to readers

Preliminary estimates are provided for the current reference month. Estimates, based on late responses, are revised for the three prior months.

Non-durable goods industries include food, beverage and tobacco products, textile mills, textile product mills, clothing, leather and allied products, paper, printing and related support activities, petroleum and coal products, chemicals, and plastics and rubber products.

Durable goods industries include wood products, non-metallic mineral products, primary metals, fabricated metal products, machinery, computer and electronic products, electrical equipment, appliances and components, transportation equipment, furniture and related products and miscellaneous manufacturing.

Unfilled orders are a stock of orders that will contribute to future shipments assuming that the orders are not cancelled.

New orders are those received whether shipped in the current month or not. They are measured as the sum of shipments for the current month plus the change in unfilled orders. Some people interpret new orders as orders that will lead to future demand. This is inappropriate since the "new orders" variable includes orders that have already been shipped. Readers should note that the month-to-month change in new orders may be volatile. This will happen particularly if the previous month's change in unfilled orders is closely related to the current month's change.

Not all orders will be translated into Canadian factory shipments because portions of large contracts can be subcontracted out to manufacturers in other countries. Also, some orders may be cancelled.

Primary metal manufacturers take a break

After four months of strong gains, primary metal manufacturers reported a 4.1% decrease in shipments during May. Demand in Asia for primary metal products combined with rising prices had steadily pushed shipment values higher since the beginning of 2007. However, a two-week shutdown of a major manufacturing plant, combined with a 1.2% drop in prices compared with April, had a dampening effect on the industry in May.

Transportation equipment manufacturers posted mixed results in May, edging down 1.3%. Motor vehicle shipments slipped an additional 1.2% in May after a sizeable 11.9% decrease in April. A rail strike earlier in 2007 resulted in some subsequent volatility within the industry. Automotive parts shipments also decreased (-2.9%), following a similar-sized drop in April. Temporary plant shutdowns as well as a plant closure in May had an impact on the results for automotive parts manufacturers.

Shipments of aerospace products and parts were a bright spot in the transportation industry, reversing April's decrease with an 8.7% surge in May. Shipments within this sector have been trending upward since the beginning of 2006.

Petroleum and coal manufacturers reported a 4.1% increase in shipments, a fifth consecutive monthly gain. Shipments had eased slightly in the fall of 2006 as prices pulled back somewhat. However, shipments in May rose close to the record levels last seen in the summer of 2006, in part due to price increases in recent months.

Strength in the Prairie Provinces balances weaker results in the East

A strong performance in the Prairie Provinces helped to balance out what was an otherwise lacklustre May for manufacturers in Central and Eastern Canada. Nationally, six provinces experienced a drop in total manufacturing shipments.

Manufacturers in the Prairie Provinces showed strength, posting a 3.5% gain in shipments, offsetting the 2.6% loss the previous month. Alberta led the way with a robust 3.7% jump to $5.7 billion on the strong performances in computers and electronics (+22.7%), non-metallic minerals (+8.8%), and petroleum and coal products (+8.5%).

Shipments from Manitoba and Saskatchewan both moved ahead 3.1% in May. Manitoba's shipment growth of $40 million regained some of the $136 million (-9.6%) lost in April. The gain was fuelled by the transportation and primary metal sectors, the industries that were responsible for the previous month's drop. For Saskatchewan, the largest sector, food products, was propelled upward 6.4% on the strength of oilseed processing.

Manufacturers in Quebec saw shipments decrease 1.0% in May. This was the first monthly loss recorded by the province since January. Primary metals (-8.3%) and paper products (-4.8%) were significant contributors to the deceleration in Quebec's strong shipment growth.

Ontario's manufacturing shipments decreased 0.2% to $23.9 billion, with 12 of 21 industry sectors reporting losses.

Resource-based manufacturing was at the core of shipment decreases in British Columbia (-2.2%) and Atlantic Canada (-3.1%) in May. In British Columbia, wood products dropped 6.2%, putting a damper on the largest sector in the province.

For Atlantic Canada, New Brunswick manufacturers had a particularly weak month. Provincial shipments declined by 6.0%, due to a combination of declines in resource-based sectors, including petroleum and coal products, primary metals and food products.

Manufacturers' backlog of orders continued to swell, increasing by 1.8% in May to $49.1 billion. This was the eighth consecutive monthly increase in unfilled orders, which may be considered as an indicator of the future strength of manufacturing shipments.

The trend for unfilled orders has been steadily improving since last summer, increasing almost 20% since May 2006. However, excluding aerospace products and parts, unfilled orders have increased only 1.1% in the past year.

Unfilled orders for aerospace products and parts jumped 4.0% to 21.2 billion, the highest level since March 2002. In May, unfilled orders for the aerospace industry were up about 56% compared with May 2006.

Manufacturers in the miscellaneous group also saw unfilled orders continue to surge in May, gaining 22.3% compared with April. This was the sixth increase in unfilled orders in the past seven months. Unfilled orders in this industry have almost doubled since December 2006, largely because of strength in medical equipment and supplies manufacturing.

One of the primary offsetting factors for unfilled orders in May was a pull back in computer and electronic products and parts. Unfilled orders had surged 8.2% in April, but fell back 4.7% in May to $3.4 billion.

New orders edge down

New orders edged down 0.5% in May to $50.5 billion. After surging in December 2006, new orders have largely stabilized around $50 billion in 2007, experiencing only modest month-to-month fluctuations.

Computer and electronic products contributed the largest decrease to new orders in May, plummeting 27.7% after a 24.1% increase in April.

On the other hand, new orders of aerospace products and parts jumped 18.5% after remaining largely unchanged in April.

Inventory levels decrease slightly

Inventory levels decreased 0.4% to $62.9 billion following two months of minimal increases. Inventories have eased down slightly in the past six months after rising considerably between January 2005 and September 2006.

In total, 10 of 21 industries reported a decrease to their inventories in May. Manufacturer's total inventories decreased slightly, largely due to declines in three industries. The sharpest decrease was an 8.8% drop in motor vehicle inventories. Computer and electronic products manufacturers (-5.3%) and primary metal manufacturers (-1.9%) also reported notable inventory declines.

Inventory-to-shipment ratio remains steady

The inventory-to-shipment ratio remained unchanged in May at 1.27. The ratio had reached a recent low of 1.25 in March after peaking at a three-year high of 1.33 in October 2006. Over the past five years, the inventory-to-shipment ratio has ranged between 1.22 and 1.38. May's result was slightly below the five-year average of 1.28.

The inventory-to-shipment ratio is a key measure of the time, in months, that would be required to exhaust inventories if shipments were to remain at their current level.

From April to May, prices charged by manufacturers, as measured by the Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI), registered a 0.5% decline after six consecutive monthly increases. The decrease in prices basically reflects a drop in the prices for motor vehicles and other transportation equipment as well as primary metal products and pulp and paper products. However, higher prices for petroleum and coal products tempered the decline in the Industrial Product Price Index.

On a 12-month basis, the IPPI advanced 3.0%, a slowdown from the 3.8% increase registered in April. The upward pressure came mainly from higher prices for primary metal products and, to a lesser extent, increased prices for chemical products and petroleum and coal products. The upward movement was slowed by a drop in prices for lumber and other wood products and motor vehicles.

The Raw Materials Price Index (RMPI) declined 0.2% from April to May after registering three consecutive monthly increases. The month-over-month decline in the index is mainly attributable to mineral fuels and ferrous materials, while non-ferrous metals continued their rise for a third consecutive month.

Compared with May of last year, raw materials cost plants 1.9% more, which represents a slowing in comparison with the 8.0% rate of increase recorded in April. The rise in the index was mainly led by non-ferrous metals and was slowed by mineral fuels.

In May, the IPPI was 117.7 (1997=100), down from April's revised level of 118.3. The RMPI was 173.7 (1997=100), down from April's revised level of 174.0.

IPPI: Petroleum and coal products slowed the decline of industrial prices

The month-over-month decrease in manufacturers' prices was led mainly by the decline in prices for motor vehicles and other transportation equipment and, to a lesser extent, the prices for primary metal products and pulp and paper products. However, the decline in the total index was dampened by higher prices for petroleum and coal products.

Prices for motor vehicles declined 2.2%, the largest monthly drop in 30 months. With the Canadian dollar rising in value against its U.S. counterpart, and where automobile manufacturers' sales are denominated in U.S. dollars, the prices for motor vehicles underwent a devaluation in Canadian dollars.

Prices for primary metal products declined 1.2% in May after rising in the previous three months. Aluminum prices fell 3.5% in conjunction with 8 consecutive months of rising inventories on the London metals market. Aluminum is especially vulnerable to the slowdown in the construction and automobile manufacturing industries in the United States. Prices for copper and copper alloys fell 2.7%. Copper prices corrected themselves after their strong growth in the previous three months—especially in April, when they surged 12.0%—and in anticipation of a copper surplus in 2007. Prices for precious metal basic manufactured shapes dropped 7.9%.

Prices for pulp and paper products declined 2.0%, their third consecutive monthly decline. The index for newsprint and other printing paper reached its lowest level in 38 months. Weak American demand for newsprint had a negative effect on prices.

The drop in the Industrial Product Price Index was eased by higher prices for petroleum and coal products, which rose 2.7% after three robust monthly increases. The continuing low level of international petroleum inventories, combined with forecasts of excess demand, maintained upward pressure on prices for petroleum products. If the prices for petroleum and coal products had been excluded, the IPPI would have declined 0.9% instead of 0.5%.

IPPI: Primary metals continue to lead the 12-month change

The IPPI rose 3.0% from May 2006 to May 2007 and the index continued to slow for a second month. The IPPI was pushed up by rising prices for primary metals and, to a lesser extent, by higher prices for chemical products, petroleum and coal products, meat, fish and dairy products, and fruit, vegetables and feed products. The 12-month IPPI excluding petroleum and coal grew at a slower pace than in previous months. If the prices for petroleum and coal products had been excluded, the increase in the IPPI compared to May 2006 would have been the same, namely 3.0%.

Primary metal prices were up 10.9% compared to May 2006, nearly half the rate of increase posted in April. Most of the year-over-year increase came from higher prices for nickel products, which rose 132.1%. Prices remained high, primarily because of very low inventories, the result of demand largely exceeding the pace of production. On the other hand, the prices for aluminum and copper products were down 9.8% and 7.3%, respectively.

The annual rate of growth in the IPPI was slightly diminished by lower prices for lumber and other wood products (-4.5%) and motor vehicles (-1.0%).

RMPI: Mineral fuel prices decline and non-ferrous metal prices rise

The prices for raw materials declined 0.2% in May, their first drop after three consecutive monthly increases. The RMPI was pulled down by lower prices for mineral fuels and ferrous materials. Increased prices for non-ferrous metals tempered the decline in the total index for raw materials.

Mineral fuels fell 1.2% owing to a 1.5% drop in the price for crude oil. Without mineral fuels, the RMPI would have risen 0.7% from April, rather than declining 0.2%.

Prices for ferrous materials dropped 5.6%. In particular, the prices for iron and steel wastes fell 6.8% because of weak demand from the auto sector in the United States.

A 2.2% increase in non-ferrous metal prices dampened the decrease in the Raw Materials Price Index. In particular, radioactive concentrates and zinc concentrates posted gains of 6.8% and 6.6%, respectively.

On a 12-month basis, prices for raw materials rose 1.9% in May, down sharply from 8.0% in April. An 11.8% drop for mineral fuels put a brake on the growth of the prices for raw materials. Without mineral fuels, the RMPI would have increased 17.0% instead of 1.9%.

Non-ferrous metals accounted for most of the 12-month increase, with prices rising 29.7%, mainly on the strength of year-over-year increases in the prices for radioactive concentrates and concentrates of lead, nickel and zinc.

Prices were also up over the previous year in the case of wood (+13.1%), animals and animal products (+7.2%), vegetable products (+15.4%) and ferrous materials (+6.0%).

Impact of the exchange rate

The value of the Canadian dollar against the U.S. dollar rose 3.6% from April to May. Without the effect of the exchange rate, the IPPI would have increased by 0.5% instead of declining by 0.5%.

On a 12-month basis, the value of the Canadian dollar rose 1.3% against the U.S. dollar. If the impact of the exchange rate had been excluded, producer prices would have risen 3.3% instead of 3.0% between May 2006 and May 2007.

Prices for intermediate goods post first decline after seven consecutive monthly increases

Prices for intermediate goods fell 0.5% between April and May, their first decline after seven consecutive monthly increases. The drop in prices was broad-based, affecting most products except petroleum and coal products and chemical products. The major contributors to the decline were primary metal products, pulp and paper products, lumber and other wood products, and motor vehicles.

Producers of intermediate goods received 4.1% more for their products in May than in May 2006. The majority of the increase came from primary metal products and, to a lesser extent, chemical products, fruit, vegetables and feed products, meat, fish and dairy products, petroleum and coal products, metal fabricated products, and pulp and paper products. On the other hand, prices for lumber, motor vehicles and electrical and communication products slowed the year-over-year increase.

Prices for finished products pulled down by motor vehicle prices

From April to May, prices for finished products fell 0.5% for a second consecutive month as a result of a decrease in prices for motor vehicles, a sector that is more sensitive to exchange rate changes. While the decline in finished products was broad-based across the range of products, few products made a significant contribution other than motor vehicles and other transportation equipment. The decrease in finished product prices was partly offset by higher prices for petroleum and coal products.

Since May 2006, prices for finished products have risen 1.2%. Higher prices were observed for petroleum products, meat, fish and dairy products, tobacco products, chemical products, fruit, vegetables and feed products, and beverages. The increase in prices for finished goods was slowed by lower prices for motor vehicles and machinery and equipment.

Note to readers

The Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI) reflects the prices that producers in Canada receive as the goods leave the plant gate. It does not reflect what the consumer pays. Unlike the Consumer Price Index, the IPPI excludes indirect taxes and all the costs that occur between the time a good leaves the plant and the time the final user takes possession of it, including the transportation, wholesale, and retail costs.

Canadian producers export many goods. They often quote their prices in foreign currencies, particularly for motor vehicles, pulp, paper, and wood products. Therefore, a rise or fall in the value of the Canadian dollar against its U.S. counterpart affects the IPPI.

The Raw Materials Price Index (RMPI) reflects the prices paid by Canadian manufacturers for key raw materials. Many of these prices are set in a world market. Unlike the IPPI, the RMPI includes goods not produced in Canada.

Linamar Founder Frank Hasenfratz Inducted with host of other great contributors

WINDSOR, ON - The Canadian Manufacturing Hall of Fame (CMHOF) announced its 2007 inductees.
The vision and tenacity of these giants in industry have helped shape Canada's economy and their induction into the CMHOF will serve as a permanent testimony to future generations of their outstanding contributions.

"As a country we are blessed with a depth of talented individuals who have worked to see their vision become a reality," says The Honourable Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and Honourary Chairman of the Canadian Manufacturing Hall of Fame. "It is important to profile and remember the people who have left a legacy of innovation, perseverance and commitment to excellence for all Canadians and have as well made a huge impression on the world. This year's inductees reflect the depth and diversity of manufacturing that is at the very heart of the Canadian economy. I believe their induction will serve as a powerful reminder of just how proud we are of our Canadian manufacturing heritage."

The 2007 Canadian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Inductees are:


Frank J. Hasenfratz
Founder, Linamar Corporation
Guelph, Ontario

Induction Category: Founder - Born in Hungary in 1935, Frank Hasenfratz attended trade and engineering technical schools, while working as a toolmaker and machinist. He immigrated to Canada in 1957 and was a supervisor at Sinterings Ltd. In 1966 Mr. Hasenfratz founded Linamar Corporation which is located in Guelph, Ontario. Linamar is a global manufacturer and supplier of leading edge solutions to the automotive and industrial markets. Linamar operates 36 plants around the world, has over 10,000 employees and generated sales close to $2.3 billion in 2006. Linamar is the only company in the world currently producing every machined component in the vehicle for the automotive industry. Mr. Hasenfratz, chairman of the company, focuses on cost reduction programs, productivity improvements and strategic decisions within the company while his daughter, Linda Hasenfratz is the Chief Executive Officer.

Frank Hasenfratz received both the Ontario and Canadian 1994 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in the manufacturing / High-Tech category. In November, 2006 he was awarded the Knight?s Cross of the Order of Merit by the Republic of Hungary.

Peter Hedgewick
Founder, International Tool Limited
Windsor, Ontario

Induction Category: Founder / Innovator - Peter Hedgewick, the 92 year old talented, far-sighted and volatile founder of International Tool Limited (ITL) was a key figure in the development of the Canadian and North American mold industry. Peter learned his trade at Windsor Tool & Mould and in 1944 he founded ITL. ITL started in a two-car garage and over the next 43 years it grew to an 800 employee operation. The company was largely focused on supplying the automotive industry.

Peter Hedgewick, was enlisted by Dr. Henri Breault, a Windsor pediatrician, to create the first child-resistant safety cap for prescription bottles in 1967. The "Palm-N-Turn" technology, which is still being used today, requires users to push down while turning. By 1974, Ontario had made the use of child-resistant packaging mandatory for certain products. Similar regulations were quickly adopted internationally. The incidents of child poisonings quickly dropped by 91%.

A significant number of people trained at ITL started their own operations. On May 13 - 15, 2004, at the 6th Annual National Conference of the Innovation Systems Research Network at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver B.C. a case study estimated that as many as 80% of the current mould shops in Windsor trace their roots back directly or indirectly to ITL.



Gene H. Kruger(*)
Leadership, President & CEO, Kruger Inc.
Montreal, Quebec

Induction Category: Leadership - Gene Kruger transformed a modest family company, which was founded by his father, Joseph Kruger, into a globally competitive paper manufacturer. He joined the family business after attending McGill University. After the death of his father in 1928, Gene became president of the company and remained at the helm for 60 years. Under his leadership, the company saw spectacular growth. He was renowned for his management skills and the ability to turn around mills headed for bankruptcy. Mr. Kruger extended the family interests to an international level through the purchase and construction of tissue paper mills in Venezuela and Colombia. While Kruger's main passion remained the paper industry he also made important breakthroughs in aluminum manufacturing. Today Kruger Inc. employs over 10,500 people internationally under the leadership of Gene Kruger's son, Joseph Kruger II.



Gordon M. McGregor(*)
Founder, Ford Motor Company Canada

Induction Category: Founder - The Walkerville Wagon Company Limited located in Windsor, Ontario was a partnership between father and son, William McGregor and Gordon McGregor. Gordon McGregor took over the Presidency of the company in 1903 after the death of his father. On August 10th, 1904 Gordon McGregor signed the agreement which allowed him to form and finance a company to manufacture and sell Ford products in Canada. Production of Ford automobiles in Canada started in the Wagon Works on October 10, 1904 and by the end of the calendar year, 25 cars has been assembled. In the beginning Gordon was known to take a newly assembled car out on the road ? sell it and return by train. Gordon McGregor steadily built his dream and today Ford of Canada has become one of the largest industrial organizations in this country.

Gordon gave of himself not just to the business but also to his community and national interests. By 1922 the company had expanded and produced 51,341 cars in one fiscal year, which resulted in almost seven out of ten cars sold in Canada being built by Ford of Canada. Gordon saw his company become the first automobile manufacturer in Canada to build the complete automobile from raw materials to the finished product. Gordon McGregor passed away when he was only 49 years old but his influence has continued through those he trained who went on to make the company what it is today.



R. Samuel McLaughlin.(*)
Founder, General Motors of Canada

Induction Category: Founder - Robert Samuel McLaughlin was an important Canadian businessman, philanthropist and founder. In 1887 Robert started his career at the age of 16 as an apprentice upholsterer in his father?s company, McLaughlin Carriage Workers, a manufacturer of horse-drawn buggies and sleighs. Mr. McLaughlin?s talents and willingness to work hard moved him up the company ladder, and he began designing carriages.

Samuel took his first car ride in 1904 and was fascinated by the "horseless carriages". The McLaughlin Motor Car Company was founded in 1907, and in its first full year of operation, they produced 154 cars. In 1910, Mr. McLaughlin became a member of the Board of Directors of General Motors. He sold his company to General Motors in 1918 and it was incorporated as General Motors Canada, with Mr. McLaughlin as President. Mr. McLaughlin retained this post until 1942, and continued to serve as Chairman of the Board until 1967.

In his youth, Samuel competed in cycling and yachting and was an equestrian show jumping champion at competitions in Canada and the United States. His love of horses led to the establishing of Parkwood Stables, a thoroughbred horse racing and breeding farm located a few miles north of Oshawa, Ontario.

After being made an Honorary Colonel of the 11th Ontario Regiment, he was thereafter affectionately called "Colonel Sam". In 1967 Samuel was made a companion of the Order of Canada. He was inducted into Canada?s Sports Hall of Fame in 1963 and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1977.

Ronald D. Southern
Founder/Leadership, Chairman of the Board, ATCO Ltd.
Calgary, Alberta

Induction Category: Leadership - In 1947 Ron Southern and his father each invested $2,000 in the original Alberta Trailer Hire Co., which later became ATCO Ltd. Mr. Southern completed a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alberta in 1953 and began to work full time for the company. Mr. Southern is credited with transforming the company to what it is today ? one of Canada?s premier corporations, with assets of approximately $7.7 billion and employing more than 7,000 persons.

The ATCO Group is engaged in electric power generation, transmission and distribution; natural gas transportation, processing and distribution; technical services and facilities management; call centre and billing services; workforce housing and industrial noise abatement. Mr. Southern remains chairman and majority shareholder of ATCO.

ATCO wasn?t Ronald?s only dream. In 1976 Ronald and his wife, Marg founded the Spruce Meadows, a world-class equestrian facility. Over the years, Spruce Meadows has developed into one of the finest show jumping venues in the world.

Ronald Southern has received many prestigious honours and awards over the years including Canada?s highest civilian honour when he was inducted as a Member of the Order of Canada in 1986 and in 1995 Mr. Southern was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.



Robert White
Labour, Canadian Labour Congress
Toronto, Ontario (*) Deceased

Induction Category: Labour - Born in Upper Lands, Northern Ireland in 1935, Robert White immigrated to Canada when he was 13 years old. He began working at the early age of 15 for Hay & Company in Woodstock, Ontario and within a year he had already participated in a strike, his first pro-labour activity. Robert White became fully immersed in the Canadian labour movement as a union organizer and then by 1959, President of Local 636 of the United Auto Workers (U.A.W.). In 1960 Mr. White was appointed as international representative of the U.A.W. and assigned to organize duties in Canada, named administrative assistant to the director of the National Office of the U.A.W. in 1972 and by 1978 Mr. White became the Canadian Director of the U.A.W. In 1984 Robert encouraged the Canadian membership of the U.A.W. to split away from the International union to form a new and separate entity, the Canadian Auto Workers Union. This was an important event in the history of the Canadian labour movement. At the first C.A.W. convention in 1985 Robert was acclaimed as its first leader. Robert became a national figure in Canadian labour and politics during this time.

Robert White served three terms as president of the largest private labour organization in Canada before becoming the president of the Canadian Labour Congress in 1992. Robert represented the interests of 2.2 million Canadian workers and was always a strong advocate of social justice issues and fair trade practices, not only for Canadians but workers around the world.

In addition to Mr. White?s extensive labour history he was also the first Canadian to be President of the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Chair of the Commonwealth Trade Union Council, Chair of the Human and Trade Union Rights Committee of the 126 million-member International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. Mr. White currently serves as President Emeritus of the Canadian Labour Congress

An induction ceremony and dinner will be held Wednesday, October 3, 2007 at the St. Clair Centre for the Arts, Windsor, Ontario.