October 28, 1999
(Industry, Trade and Technology)

NewSouth Alliance officially launched

The province's first flexible business network, an organization dedicated to brokering commercial business opportunities for the marine technology industry between Newfoundland and Labrador and the South Coast of England, was officially launched today. The launch of NewSouth Alliance coincides with the arrival of a delegation of eight marine technology companies from the Central South Coast of England.

NewSouth Alliance is an initiative of the Joint Industrial Cooperation Committee (JICC) for the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was signed between the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the South Coast Metropole Partnership and the South Coast Marketing Company from the Central South Coast of England in 1997. NewSouth Alliance has been in operation since February 1999. t received startup funding from the Canada/Newfoundland Comprehensive Economic Development Agreement, a federal-provincial initiative delivered by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Industry Canada federally, and the Department of Industry, Trade and Technology provincially.

Clayton Burry, broker for NewSouth Alliance, said: "Our prime objective is to identify, develop and implement commercial marine technology opportunities and to build teams from both regions to exploit them. We are pleased with the substantial interest we have received to date."

On hand for the launch were Industry, Trade and Technology Minister Sandra Kelly; Patricia Hearn, provincial director and senior trade commissioner, Industry Canada; Randy Gillespie from the Canadian Centre for Marine Communications (CCMC); representatives of the local marine technology community and members of the UK trade delegation. The UK delegation includes: BMT Marine Information Systems; Business Link Hampshire; Defense Evaluation Research Agency; Marinetech South Ltd.; Seaeye Marine Ltd.; Sonardyne International; South Coast Marketing Company and the South Coast Metropole Partnership.

Minister Kelly commended NewSouth Alliance on both the initiative and the aggressive approach it has taken to business development for the marine technology community. "We are pleased to support the NewSouth Alliance initiative and welcome the UK trade delegates to this province," said Minister Kelly. "NewSouth's initiative will enable small and medium-sized marine technology companies to compete more effectively internationally, and it will be a viable tool for export growth."

Ms. Hearn commented: "NewSouth Alliance has taken a novel and cost-effective approach to developing business opportunities and commercial linkages between Newfoundland and Labrador and the South Coast region of England. The Government of Canada supports this initiative as a way of developing essential trade and investment linkages to make Newfoundland and Labrador companies more competitive internationally."

Randy Gillespie, vice-president of CCMC and co-chair of the MOU's Joint Industrial Cooperation Committee, said: "We are very pleased with the accomplishments our network broker has made in a few short months. We are confident that NewSouth Alliance will be a network brokering service of choice for our marine technology community in the coming months and years."

Several companies have been working with NewSouth Alliance to develop specific projects and areas of opportunity. A number of these, including Marinetech South Limited and BAENewPlan Group Limited, were on hand to provide support for the initiative.

Dr. Jonathan Williams, managing director of the Southampton-based Marinetech South Ltd. and co-chair of the JICC, said: " NewSouth Alliance has the ability to put high quality teams together very quickly, allowing us to bid on projects we would otherwise not be capable of responding to. It has a flexible framework and would benefit virtually any sub-sector of the marine technology community."

Dr. Bassem Eid, vice-president of BAENewPlan, SNC-Lavalin Group's centre of excellence in marine, ports and coastal development, said: "NewSouth Alliance is helping us to identify expertise in marine engineering, port development and related port services for a number of international projects. Such expertise can complement our company's more traditional engineering and project management services." As Canada's largest multi-disciplinary engineering firm, SNC-Lavalin Group provides the Mount Pearl based division with both a window on international projects, and the financing leverage needed to undertake them.

In conjunction with the official launch and the arrival of the UK trade delegation, NewSouth Alliance will be hosting a one-day Business Network Workshop for the marine technology community for the remainder of the day at Irwin's Court, Arts and Culture Centre, St. John's.

Media contact:

Clayton Burry, Business Network Broker
NewSouth Alliance
Tel. (709) 758-8360

Jackie Simon, Director of Communications
Department of Industry, Trade and Technology
Tel. (709) 729-0050

Doug Burgess, Director of Public Affairs and Analysis
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Tel. (709) 772-2935

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BACKGROUNDER ON NEWSOUTH ALLIANCE

HISTORY

NewSouth Alliance was established as an initiative of the Joint Industrial Cooperation Committee (JICC) of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the South Coast of England. NewSouth Alliance received start-up funding from the Canada/Newfoundland Comprehensive Economic Development Agreement, a federal-provincial agreement delivered by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Industry Canada federally, and the Department of Industry, Trade and Technology, provincially. NewSouth Alliance is also supported by the Canadian Centre for Marine Communications (CCMC) and the South Coast Marketing Company, Southampton.

The objective of the five-year MOU is to foster joint business development activities, technology transfer, research and development and education and training between the two regions. The initial focus is on mutual opportunities in and around marine technology, with extension to other sectors as relationships evolve.

A Joint Industrial Cooperation Committee with representation from both regions has been appointed to carry out the mandate of the MOU. The JICC in Canada is co-chaired by CCMC vice-president Randy Gillespie and in the UK by Marinetech South managing director, Dr. Jonathan WIlliams. NewSouth Alliance was established by the JICC as an implementation mechanism designed to contribute to joint economic development in both regions.

FOCUS AREAS

The initial focus includes marine technology, marine engineering, marine environmental and resource management and marine information systems. The emphasis is on global business opportunities for companies, R&D, technology transfer and education and training supporting these business developments. Target markets include the European Union, NAFTA countries and Latin America.

NewSouth Alliance has been identifying potential projects that are suited to the joint capabilities of companies from both regions. By meeting with individual companies, NewSouth determines both barriers and complementary expertise that can make them more competitive through networking. By networking core competencies with firms having complementary expertise, NewSouth provides a competitive option to member firms, allowing the companies to share costs, reduce risks and to become more competitive internationally.

A FLEXIBLE BUSINESS NETWORK

A flexible business network can be defined as a group of three or more small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) undertaking joint activities beyond the individual capacities of the members. By networking, smaller firms can act like a large firm, reduce costs, spread risk and compete more effectively.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership in NewSouth Alliance is open to any SME or organization from Newfoundland and Labrador or from the Central South Coast of England involved in the marine technology sector. In Newfoundland and Labrador, alone, this sector comprises approximately 100 known private companies, training institutions and research and development centres.

For further information on NewSouth Alliance contact:

Clayton Burry
NewSouth Alliance
P.O. Box 8454 155 Ridge Road
St. John's Newfoundland
Canada A1B 3N9
Tel. (709) 758-8360
Fax (709) 579-0495
E-mail: cburry@ccmc.nf.ca

Lynne Halliday or Becky Powell
NewSouth Alliance
South Coast Marketing Company
Wessex House Upper Market Street Eastleigh Hampshire
U.K. S050 9FD
Tel. 011-44-1703-652-252
Fax 011-44-1703-652-253
E-mail: LynneH@scmc.freeserve.co.uk

1999 10 28 9:10 a.m.