Press Release Archive

New Technology Centre & Company Aim to Bring New Industry & Jobs to Argentia
Press Release - April 26, 2005

Argentia, NL, April 26, 2005. The Argentia Management Authority (AMA) today announced plans to construct a modern Technology centre in Argentia, as the first step toward the development of an Information and Communications Technology (lCT) business base in the region.

At the same time, PB Tech, a newly-formed, Newfoundland-based ICT company, was named as the new Centre's first tenant. The new Centre will boast 5,600 square feet, with a designed capability of expanding to 10,000 square feet to accommodate the growth of PB Tech or other tenants. PB Tech plans to provide Help Desk services to technology clients in the United States and mainland Canada, predicting employment levels of 50-75 in Year One, rising to 300 by Year Three.

At that point, PB Tech's payroll is expected to have an annual direct contribution of over $1 1 million to the local economy, making it one of the largest private employers in the Argentia area....

(For the complete news release in Adobe .pdf format, ( 2.8 mb ) click here.)

(For the official press kit in Adobe .pdf format, ( 8.8 mb pdf ) click here.)

Speaking Notes of Mr. Harvey Mercer
ITC & PB Tech Announcement
Argentia, NL

April 26, 2005
Welcome and good morning to all and a good morning it is for the Argentia/Placentia area. Federal Minister Mr. Efford, MHA Fabian Manning, Placentia Mayor Fred Whelan, Long Harbour Mayor Gary Keating, Fox Harbour Mayor Jack Maher, PB Tech Shareholders, Argentia Business Representatives, Media Personnel, Friends, Neighbours, Directors, Management and Staff of the AMA Organization and Representatives of other Organizations.

Let me again say a big warm welcome to all on this very special occasion on behalf of the Argentia Management Authority Board of Directors, Management and Staff.

This coming together this morning to announce the construction of a new state-of-the-art Information Technology Center and its new "First" tenant, PB Tech here in Argentia is of great significance to the Argentia Management Authority, the Town of Placentia, surrounding communities and indeed the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. This is a moment in time that both sides have been working toward and this morning's announcement galvanizes the project in a way that we can now move forward and complete the design and subsequent construction of a state-of-the-art Technology Center so that PB Tech can also move forward and get the center up and running with young computer skilled people. I understand that by the end of year one, PB Tech's plan is to have 75 people employed there. I might add that this is the first phase of a three phase PB Tech project.

We are all very excited about this project as it will keep some career minded young people in the area and not only that it will also bring some young people into the area and we will see some of them settle in the area. This project will undoubtedly breed some new young life back into what was seen by some as a dying community.

This new Technology business fits to a “T” with AMA’s ambition and strategy to diversify our economy. AMA continues to seek out new potential business opportunities for the Argentia/Placentia area that fits with existing businesses in Argentia, but we always have an eye on our goal to seek our new potential business opportunities that does not necessarily fit or match with existing businesses but will establish a new sector business such as PB Tech. and give the impetus to build on that sector for our community.

At this point I want to introduce the PB Tech shareholders: Ken Hann shareholder and CEO; John Whelan shareholder; and Larry Feltham is a shareholder, but Larry is not with us today as he is out of the province and the AMA is a minority shareholder in the project. Lets show the shareholders how much we appreciate their dedication and determination to establish their Technology Center here in the Argentia Placentia area. (APPLAUSE)
I want to thank at this time the directors, officers, and staff of the various organizations who wrote letters of support to ACOA for the project, at AMA's request, to provide funding for the Technology Center being built here at Argentia, they are:

ARGENTIA AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
ARGENTIA AREA WORKERS ALLIANCE
AVALON GATEWAY REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INC.
COLLEGE OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC
GENESIS EMPLOYMENT CORPORATION
HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT CANADA
LAVAL HIGH SCHOOL
LONG HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
PLACENTIA AREA DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
ST. ANNE'S ACADEMY
ST. EDWARD'S ELEMENTARY
STEPPING STONES FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE
TOWN OF PLACENTIA
TOWN OF FOX HARBOUR

And thanks to so many others who verbally supported this excellent diversification business for the Argentia/Placentia area.

We want to acknowledge the cooperation between the AMA, the Town of Placentia, the surrounding communities, the local groups, organizations and businesses in accessing ACOA funding for this I. T. Project, its been nothing short of outstanding. I can recall times in past years that cooperation between the Town, groups and various organizations was just an impossibility, in fact, it was so frustrating it was somewhat disheartening. I can safely say today without fear of contradiction that this area has set a new standard of working together and supporting each other for the betterment of the area a great achievement.

We would be remiss if we didn't acknowledge the funding provided to PB Tech by ACOA, HRDC, DITRD as well as the Royal Bank in support of an AMA loan for a portion of the funding required for the I. T. building. We also acknowledge significant cash investment into the PB Tech project by the shareholders themselves.

We wish to thank Mr. Rick Commerford Acting Vice –President of ACOA who we have always seen as a champion of AMA goals and activities here at Argentia. We have always appreciated Rick's guidance and his support. This PB Tech project has been around for a while and consequently a number of Rick's team have been associated with this project and the AMA at one stage or another and I would like to recognize them, as follows:
Ken Martin, Dave Murrin, John Kennedy, Joanne Smyth, Diana Quinton, Bill Grandy, Mark Duff, Ian Pritchett, Glen Bruce and Doug Burgess. Thank you all for your cooperation, professionalism and for a job well done.

Then we have Ann Devereaux and her local team who have always gone that extra mile in cooperation with the AMA on various projects including this one. I understand that HRSDC will be instrumental in funding training for the PB Tech project. To you and your team Ann thanks for your cooperation on this project as well as others in the past.

DITRD is also a financial supporter of the PB Tech project and we are extremely grateful for the cooperation and interest in seeing the PB Tech project move forward to where it is today.

Last, but not least, we want to thank Margie Hatfield from the Town of Placentia who put significant effort into this file in its early stages. Thanks, Margie. We appreciate your cooperation on this project as well as other projects in the past.

The AMA is extremely pleased and excited to finally be in position to partake in the announced start of this wonderful and significant new Information Technology business here in Argentia. The people of this area should be ecstatic today because of the significant announcement.

The AMA has always viewed the roadway to economic success as being able to demonstrate that our business base is diversified to include the businesses who service the people of the area and those businesses who generate services, activity and products that are sold outside the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. PB Tech is just such a business and actually will sell its services worldwide and in addition could attract influential business people who purchase PB Tech services to come and check out other potential business opportunities that AMA has to offer. As stated on other previous occasions AMA is blessed by having 9,400 acres of land so as you can see we are not in anyway limited or restricted in business growth.

We believe beyond the shadow of a doubt that AMA's redevelopment of Argentia is focused and headed in the right direction. Businesses that we have exporting products are Argentia Freezers and Terminals, Voisey's Bay Nickel Company, Stellar Woodworks, Diamond Stone Formations, Fusion Services, and now this new Information Technology PB Tech. All these businesses main products or services are sold outside the Placentia/Argentia area. Clustering in and around these businesses is extremely important to AMA’s development of Argentia in a strategic manner.

Several years ago the AMA made a strategic decision that we would focus more of our efforts on Newfoundland and Labrador and its entrepreneurs. That decision was made after travelling the globe to such places as Russia, Italy, Norway, Iceland, Ireland, USA, and the rest of Canada. While we continue to maintain an International watch we continually explore N&L business people and entrepreneurs who are considering business expansions, new business starts, or possible business relocation. PB Tech is a classic example of our focus, not only are N&L business people involved, but both Ken Hann and John Whelan are local sons who add a tremendous amount of creditability to this PB Tech project.

The re-development of Argentia has not been an easy task. We have met with some disappointments, many frustrations, business failures, business delays, lots of outside competition, but in spite of all that we have significant successes. PB Tech, a technology business is our most recent success. The key about this project is that it will attract young computer technicians, some from this area and some from other area and who will relocate to our area. Over a period of time this project has the potential to change the dynamics of our population.

Again, thank you all for coming out today for this wonderful news and many thanks to our management staff Ken Browne, General Manager and Harvey Brenton Marketing Manager and the proponents and shareholders of PB Tech project Messers' Ken Hann, John Whelan and Larry Feltham for bringing this project to Argentia.