Following the Laval Company's Success, the Red Carpet Is Being Rolled Out for Other Large-Scale International Projects
LAVAL, QC, March 11, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Renowned for having realized the stage design of several shows worldwide and for its technical performance during the Vancouver and London Olympic Games, Laval's Show Canada recently completed its largest contract to date, the stage design of the Olympic and Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies in Sochi. After gaining worldwide recognition thanks to this performance, Show Canada has been solicited for a preliminary mandate leading to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and the 2018 Fifa World Cup. The company is also planning on developing the Chinese market, where it will open a factory in September. Over 80% of the company's sales are generated by the export of designs, systems and know-how.
A Major Success in Sochi
In the space of barely ten months, Show Canada demonstrated ingenuity and creativity to meet the challenge of delivering the stage elements destined for the floor of the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi (a surface of 13,000 square metres) that would be part of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies. These elements included 30-metre-long suspended islands, stage elevators and columns that were over 30 metres high. In short, a major technical challenge that enabled Russia to offer the world a grand spectacle on the occasion of the Olympic Games.
In Laval, over 150 people contributed to the design and manufacture of the parts that were then assembled and tested in Lachine's old Dominion Bridge facility, which had been rented for the purpose. All of the elements required for the construction of the sets and backdrops were shipped to Sochi in containers or on cargo airplanes chartered exclusively for the occasion. For the purposes of this Olympian project, Show Canada created a division in Russia. In fact, the company is planning to take advantage of its presence in the area to develop trade operations over the next few years.
"We are very pleased to share Quebec's stage expertise in Russia and to promote our knowledge and creativity on the international stage. Our most recent project in Sochi represented our greatest challenge, namely because of difficulties linked to obtaining the visas required for our employees to travel to Russia. The team at the Laval Technopole International Business Centre played a key role in guiding us through the various steps, by accelerating time frames for visa acquisition, by facilitating relationships with the Russian Consulate in Montreal, by providing advice on opening bank accounts and by offering referrals for legal services in Russia. Their support helped us meet deadlines and successfully complete our projects," underlined Jean Labadie, Founding President of Show Canada.
"The Laval Technopole International Business Centre is proud to support Show Canada in the development of its international business activities and to contribute to its position as the world leader in the field of specialized stage and architectural design. This company is firmly established in Laval, namely thanks to its 6500-square-metre factory, roughly the size of the Bell Centre, and because it generates major economic benefits locally thanks to large-scale contracts. The future could not be brighter for this ever-growing company and we will continue to support their international projects," stated Véronique Proulx, Director, Laval Technopole International Business Centre.
About Show Canada
Founded in 1992, the Groupe Labadie was rechristened Show Canada in 1998 after successfully realizing a number of different stage and architectural design projects for the Cirque du Soleil, including the La Nouba show featured at Walt Disney World in Florida. In order to meet its logistical needs, Show Canada chose to set up operations in Laval in 2005. The company includes over 150 employees and collaborators. Today, Show Canada enjoys worldwide acclaim as it realizes grand and highly complex events. Since the very first project for Comerica Park in Detroit, more than 800 projects, both large and small, have been shipped from its workshop to the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. www.show-canada.com.
About the LAVAL TECHNOPOLE International Business Centre
The International Business Centre is a division of LAVAL TECHNOPOLE, Laval's economic development agency. The International Business Centre focuses on four areas: exporting, international sourcing and logistics, international marketing, and innovation. To help further the development of this sector, the International Business Centre organizes seminars and workshops, networking activities, trade missions; it hosts foreign buyers and offers personalized consulting services. www.lavaltechnopole.com/internationalbusinesscenter. The LAVAL TECHNOPOLE International Business Centre receives financial support from Canada Economic Development and from the ministère des Relations Internationales, de la Francophonie, et du Commerce extérieur. The LAVAL TECHNOPOLE International Business Centre is a member of Commerce International Québec (www.ciquebec.ca).
SOURCE: Show Canada
Source:
The Laval Technopole International Business Centre
www.lavaltechnopole.com/international-business-center
Show Canada
www.show-canada.com
Contact:
Valérie Gonzalo
514 626-6976
[email protected]
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