VANCOUVER, Sept. 5, 2012 /CNW/ - HSBC Bank Canada is pleased to announce the 11 finalists for the second annual Business without Borders HSBC International Business Awards, which celebrate the best of Canadian companies doing business internationally.
Linda Seymour, Executive Vice President, Head of Commercial Banking, HSBC Bank Canada said: "This year's finalists have demonstrated resilience, tenacity and determination in doing business internationally amid continuing, global economic difficulties. Doing business internationally is challenging at the best of times. Each company deserves to be recognized for developing their own unique and successful strategies."
The awards were developed by HSBC Bank Canada, in partnership with Business without Borders, to recognize Canadian firms that have made a real difference in taking their products and services to the world. An award will be offered in each of the following four categories: HSBC International Business of the Year Award - Small and Medium Enterprise; HSBC International Business of the Year Award - Large Enterprise; Leadership in International Trade in Asia-Pacific; and Leadership in International Trade in Latin America.
Finalists and winners will be honoured at an invite-only gala celebration on the evening of October 23, 2012, in Toronto. Andrew Bell, host of BNN's Commodities, Market Call and The Pitch, will be the master of ceremonies, and renowned Canadian musical artist, Chantal Kreviazuk, will perform for the guests.
The Business without Borders HSBC International Business Award finalists are:
HSBC International Business of the Year - Small and Medium Enterprise
Barr-Ag, Olds, Alberta
Barr-Ag grows, harvests, purchases and processes forage products and markets them throughout the world. It farms 5,500 hectares and runs two processing plants. Among its crops are Timothy grass for dairy and beef cattle, horses, camels, sheep and goats. In addition, it exports alfalfa, alfalfa-grass mixtures, flax and oat grain. Barr-Ag maintains quality assurance through a strict grading and inspection system, and markets through an in-house sales team that adheres carefully to customers' biosecurity requirements.
Boreal - Information Strategies, Magog, Quebec
Boreal - Information Strategies is a leader in corporate social responsibility solutions. The company assists industries such as mining and forestry to implement CSR strategies both on the operations side and the corporate side. It achieves this with specialized software and through consulting and integration services. Borealis operates in more than 25 countries, including 16 emerging markets.
Norsat International Inc, Richmond, British Columbia
Norsat International Inc. is an example of a highly successful niche business. It has brought data communications, audio and video transmissions to some of the world's most remote locations. It has operated in places such as Afghanistan (transmitting a broadcast by U.S. President Barack Obama) and has become adept at transmitting from places where permanent local facilities are either primitive or non-existent.
HSBC International Business of the Year - Large Enterprise
Broadgrain Commodities Inc., Toronto, Ontario
Broadgrain Commodities Inc. purchases, handles and sells bulk grains and food-grade commodities throughout the world. Its job is to help food move from food-exporting nations to customers, ensuring that farmers get a fair price. It concentrates particularly on corn, wheat, soybeans and lentils. Broadgrain's business has grown rapidly in the past year, with particular success in Africa and south and western Asia.
Hatch Ltd., Mississauga, Ontario
Hatch Ltd. is one of Canada's lesser-known giants. Tracing part of its roots back to 1924 it is a multi-disciplinary professional and technical-services firm that delivers capital-asset project services such as consulting, procurement, information technology and construction management. Hatch has focused these services in mining and metals, energy and infrastructure. It has 65 offices across the globe and has operated in 150 countries.
MDS Aero Support Corporation, Ottawa, Ontario
MDS Aero Support Corporation has built a significant presence in the provision of gas turbine-engine test facilities and test systems for engine manufacturers and repair and overhaul companies. Among its achievements has been design, construction and operation of a cold-weather test facility at Thompson, Manitoba. It offers services in engine-data collection and performance management and operational, maintenance and support services throughout the world.
Leadership in International Trade - Asia-Pacific
A.R. Medicom Inc., Lachine, Quebec
A.R. Medicom Inc. concentrates on seemingly minor but essential single-use infection-control and prevention products, such as examination gloves, procedure masks, gauze, dental bibs, bandages, medical gowns and shoe covers. A.R. Medicom has operated internationally and has become keenly aware of how each nation's culture, regulations and marketplace affect the provision of medical supplies. It operates in Europe, the U.S. and in Asia-Pacific.
Hatch Ltd., Mississauga, Ontario
Hatch Ltd. also placed as a finalist in the Asia Pacific category. Hatch Ltd. is one of Canada's lesser-known giants. Tracing part of its roots back to 1924 it is a multi-disciplinary professional and technical-services firm that delivers capital-asset project services such as consulting, procurement, information technology and construction management. Hatch has focused these services in mining and metals, energy and infrastructure. It has 65 offices across the globe and has operated in 150 countries.
Targray Technology International Inc., Kirkland, Quebec
Targray Technology International Inc. is a leading supplier of the materials needed in the creation of high tech and alternative-energy products. It provides the materials required for photovoltaic cells, lithium-ion batteries, and sources and distributes biofuels such as biodiesel and ethanol. In addition, Targray provides a full line of supplies for optical media. In business for 23 years, it has operations in 50 countries and has enjoyed an average annual revenue growth of 30 per cent.
Leadership in International Trade - Latin America
Bassett & Walker International, Inc., Toronto, Ontario
Bassett & Walker International Inc. returns to the Awards finalist circle this year, after having won in this same category during the inaugural program in 2011. Bassett & Walker connect food producers with food processors throughout the world, particularly those in Latin America. The company likes to say that their real product is expertise: understanding what customer needs are and then leveraging that knowledge from one client to another. Its proprietary software is a major asset, speeding connections between farmers and food companies. Bassett & Walker says that at any moment, 30% of its staff is on the move—travelling the globe to serve clients.
Energold Drilling Corp., Vancouver, British Columbia
Energold Drilling Corp. also returns to the finalists' circle this year. This Vancouver-based company provides environmentally sensitive drilling services to the mining industry, employing indigenous populations in exploration jobs. Thanks to specially designed, highly portable drills, Energold can drill exploration holes with a fraction of the environment disturbance of more traditional drilling companies. With 87% of its activities taking place in Latin America, it has made a specialty of minimizing environmental disturbance.
Plaintree Systems Inc, Arnprior, Ontario
Plaintree Systems Inc. is a diversified company with proprietary technology in structural design, aerospace and telecommunications. Plaintree provides engineering, design and manufacturing services. Among its stable of products are specialty building structures, electromagnetic transducers for aircraft anti-skid systems and avionics components, as well as wireless equipment. It even custom manufactures fire trucks.
Entries were reviewed for technical and business merit by an independent panel of experts in international business from Canadian Business, Export Development Canada, The Globe and Mail, The Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters, the Economist Intelligence Unit, Les Affaires, the Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University and the Sauder School for Business at the University of British Columbia.
All applicants must be: majority Canadian owned (50.1 per cent); headquartered in Canada; generate at least 10 per cent of their revenue from activities outside of Canada; and have had minimum sales of C$2.5 million for each of the last two fiscal years.
About HSBC Commercial Banking
HSBC Commercial Banking serves more than 3.5 million customers, from small enterprises to large multinationals, in over 60 developed and emerging markets around the world. Whether it is working capital, trade finance or payments and cash management solutions, we provide the tools and expertise that businesses need to thrive. With a heritage stretching back nearly 150 years, HSBC is one of the world's leading international trade and business banks.
About HSBC Bank Canada
HSBC Bank Canada, a subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, is the leading international bank in Canada. With around 6,900 offices in over 80 countries and territories and assets of US$2,652 billion at 30 June 2012, the HSBC Group is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organizations.
About Business without Borders
Canada's premier source of news and information for companies seeking to do business beyond this nation's borders, Business without Borders was created by HSBC Bank Canada in association with Rogers Publishing Limited and the Globe and Mail. Business without Borders provides news, analysis, tools and inspiring profiles of Canadian businesses that are exporting, expanding their operations and sales abroad or relocating operations to other countries.
SOURCE: HSBC Bank Canada
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