EDMUNDSTON (CNB) – Water Blasting and Vacuum Services Inc., an industrial cleaning company, received $390,000 in federal and provincial support today to help modernize its operations and improve its productivity.
"Investing in economic development projects in Edmundston and the Madawaska region is important for the economy of northern New Brunswick," said Health Minister Madeline Dubé. "This investment will create four new jobs and allow Water Blasting and Vacuum Services Inc. to improve productivity at its newly expanded facility."
Dubé spoke on behalf of Economic Development Minister Paul Robichaud.
"Our investment in Water Blasting and Vacuum Services Inc. will enable the company to modernize its operations, improve its productivity, reinforce its competitiveness and increase its personnel," said Minister of State for Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and La Francophonie Bernard Valcourt. "The project will also enable the company to expand its services in the local market as well as outside the region. Our government's top priority is the economy and job creation in every region across the country, and we are getting there thanks to investments like this one."
The company conducts industrial cleaning and waste management for major industries and provides services to the province’s northwest region, eastern Québec, Ontario, and Maine.
The project involves the construction of a 45 metre by 30 metre (150 ft by 100 ft) building and the acquisition of equipment for managing industrial ashes, specially designed to transform them into a higher quality final product. This will help the company improve its industrial ash management services to Twin River Paper Co. in Edmundston, among others. The project will also reduce the environmental impact related of the storage and handling of industrial ash.
"This new project will allow us to expand our customer base while reducing the environmental impact by transforming industrial ash into fertilizer that can be spread on agricultural land," said Luc Laforge, chief executive officer of Water Blasting and Vacuum Services Inc. "Thanks to the support of our customers in the forestry and other industries over the past several years, we are now able to invest in new equipment. The financial support and confidence shown by the federal and provincial governments is greatly appreciated. It will allow our company to remain productive and competitive for many years."
The federal government, through ACOA, will contribute $275,000 to the project under the Business Development Program. The provincial government, through its Northern New Brunswick Economic Development and Innovation Fund, is contributing $115,000. The company will invest $205,000.
08-11-11
