An Island manufacturer is preparing to ship a half million dollars of seafood processing equipment to Chile and Ireland in the next week.
Charlottetown Metal Products (CMP) is finishing work on a $200,000 crab processing system that will be shipped to Ireland and a $300,000 turn-key processing line for cooking clams that is destined for Chile.
Fuelled by growth in the shellfish industry world-wide, CMP is rapidly expanding its exports by developing niche markets for highly-specialized processing equipment including a new process for cooking bivalve shellfish.
"We are now competing directly with international companies," said General Manager Wendell MacDonald. "In 2000, 35 per cent of our sales were exports. This year, our goal is 50 per cent."
Development and Technology Minister Mike Currie and Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment Chester Gillan toured the Milton manufacturing plant last week to see the latest export projects CMP is working on.
The province's lead business agency, Prince Edward Island Business Development Inc, as well as the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment, have assisted Charlottetown Metal Products in developing and cultivating export markets for seafood processing equipment.
"CMP is another example of an Island company that is creating excellent employment opportunities here at home by aggressively pursuing niche markets around the world," said Minister Currie.
Charlottetown Metal Products employs 35 Islanders. The number of employees has increased by 10 since the company started exporting. Mr. MacDonald attributes the success of CMP to the highly-skilled workforce. When the Island manufacturer exports a processing system, a qualified crew goes to set up the system on site and ensures it is fully operational before returning to PEI.
With a solid footing in the Irish and Chilean markets, Charlottetown Metal Products is now looking to Norway for new business opportunities. Mr. MacDonald recently attended the annual Norway Shellfish Conference where Richard Gallant, aquaculture specialist with the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment, gave a presentation on the PEI mussel industry.
Over the next three to five years, Norway is looking to increase mussel production from the current level of 2,000 metric tonnes to 30,000-40,000 metric tonnes.
"By sharing the expertise Prince Edward Island has in the shellfish industry, we are able to help open up doors for Island businesses such as CMP who can then provide customized products in these new markets," said Minister Gillan.
As a result of the recent visit to Norway, Charlottetown Metal Products is working on six projects for the mussel and crab industry which could lead to significant contracts for the Milton plant. Mr. MacDonald plans to return to Norway in August for a major industry trade show.