ICAN wins 2005 Newfoundland and Labrador Export Award

Innovation, Trade and Rural Development Minister Kathy Dunderdale today announced the winner of the 20th Newfoundland and Labrador Export Award at a luncheon in St. John�s. Mount Pearl-based ICAN, an international communications and navigation company, was the winner. The other finalists were North Atlantic Refining and Compusult Ltd. of Mount Pearl.

"The export of goods accounts for more than half of our Gross Domestic Product and creates one in three new jobs," said Minister Dunderdale. "The Newfoundland and Labrador Export Award recognizes the importance of exporting to our economy and recognizes the top exporters in the province, companies that have gone beyond our shores to help our economy grow." Last year, international merchandise exports from Newfoundland and Labrador totalled $4.6 billion, up by over $3 billion or 280 per cent in the last 10 years.

In accepting the award Neil Chaulk, president of ICAN, said that he left a secure government job in 1996 to start an engineering consulting company. Over time, ICAN became a software engineering and systems integration company that last year made more than 85 per cent of its sales abroad. Success did not come overnight and ICAN almost foundered after the U.S. terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 when customers stopped buying products. For a time, some employees went without pay checks. "But this quarter was the company�s best ever," Mr. Chaulk said. "I have to say it�s the employees and our customers that really won this award."

ICAN exports Electronic Charting Systems and Marine Communications for Automated Identification and Global Positioning Systems to clients in more than 20 countries, including the U.S., China, Australia and Sweden. The company employs 35 people spanning three provinces and two U.S. states. Their innovative technologies are at work on vessels in the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Mississippi River, the Chilean Navy and the Icelandic and Canadian Coast Guards.

Compusult Limited, formed in 1985, is an Information Technology company and a leader in Assistive Technology which makes workplaces more accessible to employees with disabilities. Its flagship product, Web Enterprise Suite, serves government, military and research markets with the Australian Department of Defence and the U.S. Geological Survey.

North Atlantic Refining is Newfoundland and Labrador�s only oil refinery, and one of the province�s largest employers. The company employs 600 people at its refinery, 100 more in marketing North Atlantic�s products to domestic and international markets, and hundreds more in spin-off jobs in annual maintenance programs and sales. North Atlantic exports over a billion dollars of petroleum products a year to 25 countries around the world.

The award was given at a lunch at the Delta Hotel in St. John�s. Shawn Skinner, MHA for St. John�s Centre acted as Master of Ceremonies.

"My congratulations to this year�s Newfoundland and Labrador Export Award finalists," said Minister Dunderdale. "These companies are examples of business growth achieved through exporting. I encourage all Newfoundland and Labrador companies to consider exports as a means of growing their businesses."

Media contact: Lynn Evans, Communications, (709) 729-4570, 690-6290

2005 03 17                         5:30 p.m.