"Our investment is assisting Gales Welding to extend the range of services it offers — going beyond the sales, installation and maintenance of septic tanks to include production," said the Honourable Shawn Skinner, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. "The new ability to manufacture a much sought-after product is an important step towards increasing the company's competitiveness and import displacement. It will also enable the company to guarantee its product and make arrangements for ongoing maintenance, securing customer relationships."

Steel septic tanks are being replaced with cement tanks to meet Canadian environmental regulations. In response to the market shift, the company is using a $36,000 term loan from the Provincial Government to develop the fiberglass molds required for constructing the new style of tank.

"We are pleased with the support from the Provincial Government towards the expansion of our operations," said Gerard Gale, Owner, Gales Welding and Septic Cleaning Ltd. "Our expansion to supply the local market with our own line of concrete septic tanks will not only benefit our business, it will also support other businesses and foster new employment opportunities in our area. It is also a platform for seeking new market opportunities in the future in Atlantic Canada and the Eastern United States."

The company learned about the concrete casting process by partnering with Turtle Tanks, a developer of containment applications with a long history of success in British Columbia. The cement model boasts a higher surge capacity and greater ex-filtration than steel, yet holds the same capacity, making it more environmentally friendly.

"Assisting Gales Welding to diversify and become a local manufacturer is a significant initiative that will not only benefit the company, but the local area as well," said the Honourable Joan　Burke, MHA, St. George's - Stephenville East. "The company's expansion will create spin-off business opportunities for local suppliers and enable the company to extend the essential services it brings to rural areas."

Established in 1993, Gales Welding and Septic Cleaning Ltd. is located in South Branch in the Codroy Valley, servicing customers from Rose Blanche to Gallants to the Port au Port Peninsula.

This initiative was funded through the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Fund, which, through Budget 2010: The Right Investments — For Our Children and Our Future, has nearly $14 million available for investment. Administered by the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, the fund is available for start-up, modernization, or expansion of a business venture in key growth sectors.