Government support is helping an Island company develop opportunities to export its knowledge and manufactured goods to the global marketplace, says Innovation and Advanced Learning Minister Allan Campbell.
Charlottetown Metal Products (CMP) is shipping custom fabricated shrimp-processing equipment to National Prawn Company (NPC) in Saudi Arabia later this month, a contract valued at $1.6 million.
“Through programs and services at Innovation PEI, we are proud to support Island companies like Charlottetown Metal Products in exploring new markets and opportunities,” said Minister Campbell. “By building our exporting relationships and creating innovative new products, we are increasing the prosperity of our One Island Community.”
Innovation PEI sponsored CMP’s participation in a series of tradeshows in Brussels, Belgium where they fostered the relationship with the client which led to this contract for the design, custom fabrication, and commissioning of shrimp-processing equipment.
“Without support from Innovation PEI we would not have attended the tradeshows where we met National Prawn Company (NPC) and developed the relationship that led to this contract,” said Steve Kelley, President of CMP. “It took several meetings at these (trade) shows before we began working together, but once they saw our work, they were pleased.”
It is the seamlessness CMP provides from design and manufacturing through commissioning that makes it stand out to its clients as a global leader in custom fabrications.
The equipment from CMP is in fabrication and will be shipped late December to Saudi Arabia. Next, CMP will provide a team of 16 workers to commission the machinery which includes installation, tune up and technical support through initial use of the machinery. This project will enable the client company (NPC) to move from 70 tonnes of production per day to 120 tonnes per day.
This project enabled CMP to rehire 24 employees who had been laid off.
“This contract shows our employees to think big, that we can do business anywhere. We are competing with large international companies and succeeding,” said Mr. Kelley. “In Prince Edward Island, we have well-trained, experienced employees who exhibit a positive attitude and work ethic ... Islanders should think worldwide: we can be world market leaders.”
Charlottetown Metal Products (CMP) is an Island-based design/manufacturer of processing equipment for food, seafood, ethanol and biodiesel. CMP specializes in custom-made equipment, but differentiates itself in the global market by its years of knowledge in the actual processes.
National Prawn Company (NPC) is among the largest fully integrated prawn farms in the world, covering 250 square kilometres on the Red Sea Coast in Saudi Arabia. NPC provides customers with high quality, safe, sustainably produced seafood and marine-based products. Their high-tech modern processing plant uses equipment from leading seafood technology companies and is capable of producing 70 tonnes a day of head-on shrimp.
Innovation PEI works with Island companies to support innovation and business development through programs aimed at small business development, business improvement and expansion, employment creation, research and innovation, trade and market access.