Important contract with Canadian Red Cross - Laprise will supply 7,500
temporary shelters to Haiti

MONTMAGNY, QC, June 16 /CNW Telbec/ - Mr. Daniel Laprise, President of the Laprise Group of Companies, announces that Laprise has been awarded an important contract by the Canadian Red Cross to produce 7,500 units of temporary shelters, which will be delivered to the stricken communities of Jacmel and Léogâne in Haiti.

The Canadian Red Cross, working alongside its supply-chain management company SNC-Lavalin, issued a request for proposal, where several companies were invited to tender. After a rigorous selection process, Laprise was chosen as an official supplier of temporary shelters for the Canadian Red Cross, primarily due to its high quality standards, production & export capabilities as well as its recognized business management.

The concept of temporary shelter developed in Quebec by SNC-Lavalin with the technical support of Laprise could become a standard and be put in inventory on an international scale. Indeed, the shelter has been designed to resist earthquakes and winds of up to 240 km/h. It is worth noting that Laprise is currently the only supplier of temporary shelters for the Canadian Red Cross.

"I am extremely proud of my team, who has used its creativity and know-how for the benefit of this project. It is during situations like these that we use innovation to meet challenges. Thanks to our adaptive capacity, we are in a position to make a product that is completely different from our usual production. In the space of three weeks, we are going to set up a dedicated factory and hire 60 workers," says Laprise.

The temporary shelters will be in production from June 28, 2010 in the region of Montmagny. Laprise export division will be manufacturing 1,000 units a month to meet the contract requirements. This production pace corresponds to one shelter unit every eight and a half minutes. And so from now on, 60 posts (operators, assemblers, warehouse staff and superintendents) are to be filled. Job details can be found on www.maisonlaprise.com/careers. Interviews will be conducted at Montmagny Local Employment Centre on June 18, 21 or 23, 2010, from 1 p.m. till 4:30 p.m.

Located 40 minutes south of Quebec City, Laprise employs 258 people, four business units and manufacturing installations. Present in 16 countries, Laprise is pleased to hold a Canadian 50-Best Managed Companies title for a fourth consecutive year.

About Canadian Red Cross

The Canadian Red Cross shelter program in Haiti is a partnership with the Canadian International Development Agency, through its Haiti earthquake relief fund. The Canadian Red Cross is working alongside partner organizations to overcome the many challenges in Haiti. The Canadian Red Cross is member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which includes the international Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and more than 185 national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Canadian Red Cross mission is to improve the living conditions of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity in Canada and around the world.

For further information: Martin Rodrigue, Sales Development Director-International, 418.248.0401; Source: Isabelle Norman, Regional Communications Montmagny, 418 248-3362, extension 2060