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Manufacturing Program Results
Corporate Visitation Program results released on local manufacturing sector
KITCHENER - According to the results of the City of Kitchener's 2007 Corporate Visitation Program, many local manufacturers say they are facing challenges, but many of them are still optimistic about the future.
The results of the 2007 Corporate Visitation Program were officially released at an appreciation breakfast, hosted by Mayor Carl Zehr and council this morning in the Rotunda at Kitchener City Hall.
The program, now in its third year, involves site visits and interviews with manufacturers conducted by staff, politicians and members of the Economic Development Advisory Committee. The visits provide an opportunity for two-way communication between the city and its manufacturers.
"These visits help us to understand the challenges and opportunities facing our manufacturing sector," said Kathy Weiss, the city's director of business development. "Many of our local businesses are meeting the challenges head on - they're continuing to do what Kitchener's manufacturers have done for 150 years - successfully innovate and invest to respond to an ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment."
Local manufacturers identified major challenges, including increased competition, globalization, the ongoing restructuring of the North American auto industry, and the higher Canadian dollar in recent months.
In spite of challenging times, many manufacturers indicated during the corporate visits that they still remain optimistic.
Highlights of the findings from the 2007 Corporate Visitation Program include:
* 96 per cent of manufacturers surveyed said they were satisfied or very satisfied with Kitchener as a business location.
* 75 per cent indicate a positive outlook for 2008.
* 68 per cent indicated that 2007 was "good", "very good" or "excellent."
* 67 per cent of businesses intend to either hire new employees or keep their current staffing levels in 2008.
* Employers indicated that 1,101 jobs will either be created or need to be filled due to vacancy over the next three years.
"It may be hard to believe but despite the challenges they're facing, many local manufacturers are doing well and some are even growing," said Weiss, "and we were talking with our manufacturers during a very difficult time, when the Canadian dollar was at its peak and, still, manufacturers were saying that they continued to be optimistic."
"There is no sugar coating the challenges or the fact that they exist here too. One job lost to a layoff or closure dramatically impacts that employee and his or her family and those times are difficult for the community as a whole," said Mayor Carl Zehr. "There are definitely challenges and difficulties, but we also see that companies are meeting their challenges head on and finding ways to succeed in spite of them - and that is encouraging."
The Corporate Visitation Program breakfast event also included an unveiling of the new Manufacturing Innovation Network (MIN), an online manufacturing portal community for the region, presented by Kitchener-based IGLOO Inc.
"The network's next steps involve several key components." added Weiss. "We need to focus on some clear goals and objectives within the manufacturing industry and build new partnerships with individuals and organizations that are willing to become community champions and drivers."
Other initiatives will include setting up a MIN infrastructure with community facilitators and content drivers, plus identifying, hiring and managing project staff. Fundraising, through government or other funding initiatives is also on the to-do list, as well as setting timelines and metrics for the MIN Pilot rollout.
Background
In past years, the Corporate Visitation Program focused on specific manufacturing sectors, such as automotive manufacturers in 2006. This year, the 2007 program reached out to a total of 88 businesses. representing all sectors.
The objectives of the Corporate Visitation Program include:
* To understand the competitive challenges and opportunities the manufacturing sector faces.
* To identify the factors affecting the location decisions and Kitchener’s relative strengths and weaknesses.
* To understand the spatial dimensions of the manufacturing cluster and to use that information to inform industrial land development in the city and region.
* To inform Kitchener's strategy to strengthen the competitiveness of manufacturing and support its growth.
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