NLIS 11
September 16, 2005
(Innovation, Trade and Rural Development)
NL-Irish company to market unique waste water system
A Mount Pearl-based company with Irish connections plans to tap into the
significant waste treatment system market with its Blivet Sewage Treatment
System, an all-in-one product that can be used in permanent or mobile
applications.
Blivet Marketing Services North America (BMS NA) is a new company whose
connections to Ireland are a key component of its plans. Working with Butler
Manufacturing Services (BMS Ireland), the company will be producing and
marketing their product abroad to a North American market. In fact, BMS recently
received a contract to develop two units for the United States Military. The
products will be used at Jalalabad Airfield in Afghanistan.
BMS NA was established with assistance from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities
Agency ($203,282) and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador ($65,000).
�ACOA is committed to helping businesses grow and develop in this province, and
thinking globally is an important step in expanding business opportunities,�
said R. John Efford, Minister of Natural Resources and regional minister for
Newfoundland and Labrador on behalf of Joseph McGuire, Minister of the Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency. �BMS North America is an excellent example of how
partnerships - in this case with an existing successful Irish company - can
yield positive benefits for Newfoundland and Labrador.�
�We are extremely pleased to see that our efforts to facilitate the development
of partnerships and networks with companies in Ireland, and our direct financial
investment, helped the company secure this initial contract,� said Kathy
Dunderdale, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. �Support for
this type of initiative is a good example of how the province is moving forward
with its Comprehensive Regional Diversification Strategy, and is building its
relationships with Ireland under the Ireland Business Partnerships.�
BMS Ireland has supplied and installed these Blivet Systems in over 25 countries
around the world. The system is particularly suitable for populations between
200 and 3,000 residents and can be used in a variety of applications including
hotels, holiday resorts, housing developments, condominiums, small towns,
military bases and civil institutions that are not connected to a centralized
sewage treatment system or have existing outfalls to a river, sea or disposal
fields.
�The units will be manufactured with the help of Shamrock Manufacturing Ltd in
Branch in keeping with our focus that the Blivet is not only suitable for sewage
treatment in rural Newfoundland but can also be manufactured there as well,�
said Aloysius Ducey, Marketing Director for BMS NA. Marine and Industrial Repair
(MIR) of St. John�s is also contributing to the manufacture of the units.
ACOA provided a repayable loan through its Business Development Program (BDP)
and a contribution through its Innovation Management Skills Program (ISDI). BDP
provides interest-free loans to commercial ventures in support of strategic
economic sectors. ISDI is designed to improve the innovation management and
technical competencies of small and medium-sized enterprises in Atlantic Canada.
The company received $50,000 under the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural
Development�s former Seed Capital Equity Program and $15,000 under the Business
and Market Development Program. These programs are designed to improve the
equity base of a company and to provide new entrepreneurs and expanding small
businesses with funding to help them acquire the necessary expertise to pursue
new business ideas and new markets for their products or services. The programs
are intended to support new growth opportunities in the economy, such as
value-added manufacturing activities and export-oriented opportunities.
Media contact:
Val�rie Poulin, Director of Communications, Office of Joseph McGuire, Minister
of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, (613) 941-7241
Doug Burgess, Director, Public Affairs, ACOA , (709) 772-2935
Aloysius Ducey, Marketing Director, BMS NA, (709) 747-1444
Lynn Evans, Director, Communications, Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural
Development, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, (709) 729-4570
2005 09 16 2:30 p.m. |