Paradise-based Crown Contracting Inc. has received $17,500 from the Provincial Government for technical training and implementation of ISO 9001:2000. This ISO certification is highly-valued and provides the company with the necessary requirements to compete in the global oil and gas industry.

"Industries are increasingly demanding quality assurance when they sub-contract work, particularly in the oil and gas industry," said the Honourable Trevor Taylor, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. "Many companies will only partner with those who have acquired ISO certification. This is an important step for Crown Contracting in improving its competitiveness."

Family-owned and operated, Crown Contracting provides repairs and specialized coatings for the oil and gas industry. In particular, the company repairs and rebuilds pump and seawater cooling systems using ceramic coatings to protect new valves and special coatings to reduce friction in pumps.

"A wholly-owned Newfoundland and Labrador company, Crown Contracting is playing an important role in growing the province�s oil field service industry," said Elizabeth Marshall, MHA for Topsail. "Its work is providing both employment opportunities and services that would normally have to be contracted outside the province. I am pleased that the Provincial Government was able to assist the company grow its market potential."

ISO 9001:2000 is an international quality standard that defines minimum requirements for a company�s Quality Management System and includes the organization�s policies and technical procedures that ensure customer requirements are met with consistency resulting in customer satisfaction.

"We are in a technical field and ISO 9001: 2000 certification will allow us to grow and to enter new export markets," said Dennis O�Keefe, Operations Manager of Crown Contracting, which already carries out work in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. "Our staff will also take a course on the latest advances in our field so that we can offer additional repair and maintenance services."

Funding was provided through the Business and Market Development Program (BMDP). BMDP provides new entrepreneurs and expanding small businesses with matching funding to help them acquire the necessary expertise to pursue new business ideas and markets. The $1 million program is intended to support new growth opportunities in the economy, such as value-added manufacturing activities and export-oriented opportunities.

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