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Harbour Advanced Machining

Local Machining Firm Lands CANDU Contracts

Recognizing a growing threat from an expanding Chinese manufacturing industry, David Glover decided that diversification was the only way his 35-year-old family-owned machine tool business would be able to survive.

After years of being heavily reliant upon the North American automotive industry, Glover made his initial move four years ago when Harbour Advanced Machining, a company he started with his father Gordon in 1972, sought and won contracts with clients in the aerospace industry.

"I could see the Chinese threat on the horizon and while it was a long and arduous road to diversify, it was critical that we do so," said Glover, whose company executives now include brother-in-law John Zanetti and sons David and Andrew. "Being the new guy knocking at the door was a wee bit difficult but we persevered and it paid off."

After two years of filling aerospace contracts, representatives of the Organization of CANDU Industries, which represents 96 companies which supply goods and services to Canada's nuclear energy industry, came calling.

Now, Harbour is one of two local companies providing machining services, fixtures and sub-assembly work for the Bruce Power nuclear reactor's retube project. The other is Anchor Lamina's Tilbury plant which is also providing work for the Bruce refurbishment.

Glover said it took a couple of months to complete the paperwork required to become part of the nuclear energy industry's supply chain but with contracts already in the pipeline and likely more on the horizon, the hard work has paid off.

And those opportunities are likely to grow if the Ontario government selects Canadian nuclear technology to replace the capacity lost when it phases out coal-fired generating stations.

'OPPORTUNITIES IMMENSE'

Martyn Wash, president of the OCI, said this week, "the opportunities for Windsor companies and others across Ontario is immense."

"We need new nuclear capacity to replace the coal-fired stations and these are high-tech, high-paying jobs which will generate a tremendous economic benefit."

"Canadian technology is a world leader in this industry," said Wash, who is also a spokesman for Team CANDU. "We lead the way in efficiency and we have proven ourselves over the past three decades."

In addition to the OCI, Team CANDU is a collaboration between Babcock & Wilcox Canada, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Canada, AECL and SNC-Lavalin Nuclear

Glover said "it would be a crime if this opportunity went elsewhere because the technology and the expertise is right here in this city and in this province."

Wash said that across Canada, nuclear energy is a $5 billion-a-year business, employing more than 30,000 people in more than 150 companies and another 70,000 in spinoff jobs which generate more than $700 million in taxes.

Currently, Ontario derives 54 per cent of its electricity from nuclear plants, 22 per cent from hyrdoelectric stations, 16 per cent from coal-fired fuel stations, six per cent from natural gas and the small remainder from alternative energy sources.

There are now three nuclear plants in Ontario -- Pickering, Darlington and Bruce -- along with 180 hydroelectric stations of which 58 are connected to the power grid across the province.

There are also coal-fired stations, which the provincial energy ministry has committed to phasing out of commission, in Nanticoke, Lambton, Thunder Bay and Atikokan.

In addition, there are 60 gas-fired stations of which 19 are connected to the grid.

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