Local Manufacturing Company Competes Worldwide
by Scott A. Sumner
www.thunderbaybusiness.ca
It was fun to talk to Jay Currie President of Thunder Bay Hydraulics Ltd. and Titan Worldwide Inc. the marketing arm of the company during the recent announcement by the Honourable Tony Clement of more funding for the Community Futures Fund of which Jay Currie’s company has utilized.
“ We do mostly custom design and fabrication in hydraulics and metal fabrication in the forestry and mining fields and car parking systems. We sell our work around the world to the UK, UAE including Dubai, Korea, the US and across Canada. I would say 75% of our business is outside of Thunder Bay,” said Jay Currie. “ Traditionally we were in the local forestry, mining and grain industry when they were thriving. As they declined we started to change our scope and view of the world and figured the only way to survive was to appeal to a larger market.
We did more design and promotion of our own products and set up our own distribution. That is how we have been able to maintain and grow our business with the local economy declined.”
Jay’s father, Carl started the company in 1969. They now have 30 employees while in 2008 the number was 40 to 45. Thunder Bay Hydraulics Ltd. and Titan Worldwide Inc. operates from a building that is about 35,000 square feet located on Montreal Street and could use some more space. “ Most of our business around the world comes from the internet. We have many web sites and a local provider, Sencia, who does a very good job for us including with search engine optimization. The majority of our business comes from this way, using keywords. If you
type in hydraulic scissor lifts for example we come up in the 1 to 4 spot on Google. It is good coverage,”said Currie. “ We then make contact over the web and the client gives us what they want. We get the design team on it, and then do everything in house including the fabrication and hydraulics. It is a good way to keep quality control and time frame in mind. We do a reasonable local business locally and in places like Red Lake but our growth comes from the marketing of Titan Worldwide.”
“ We can compete world wide. You can build these units anywhere. It is helpful to be central in Canada but when you are talking truckloads of product and the value of the equipment a few thousand dollars in shipping costs is neither here or there. You are shipping tens of thousands or hundred of thousands of equipment so when you are talking $5000 for a shipping container it is all right. We are also doing custom equipment for customers who can’t find anyone to do it. We are flexible enough so we can switch up what we are doing from one week to the next,” said Currie. “ I would put my guys up against any other fab shop or manufacturing facility anywhere anytime of the day or night. “
Jay Currie is supportive of the funding announcement made by Minister Clement at his facility. “ Without these funding sources we may not be able to get the proper funding from traditional banks. Thunder Bay Ventures has been a good source with a local guy who knows the market,” aid Currie. “ I am as happy as I can be at this time with business. 2009 was a rough year but we are now making up for lost time. We have at least 3 months of work ahead of us and are quoting on other products. We employ skilled trades that are well paid in the average of $25 to $30 per hour. “
