The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

3 Business Links, Tuesday, April 19, 2011 Belong to something good ell, the results are in and it is good to belong to the Chamber of Commerce! We have always believed that, but it is very validating to see the results of a study commissioned by the American Chamber of Commerce devoted to quantifying the impact of joining and participating. A Quarterly Official Publication of Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce 328 Guelph Street, Halton Hills, ON L7G 4B5 Tel 905.877.7119 Fax 905.877.5117 Email info@haltonhillschamber.on.ca www.haltonhillschamber.on.ca W The 2,000 adult consumers that completed the study proved a number of things that reflect well on your choice to be a member of the Halton Hills Chamber of Kathleen Commerce ­ Dills perhaps things you Chairman hadn't thought of. The most important point is that 59 per cent of consumers think that being active in the local Chamber of Commerce is an effective business strategy overall. The Chamber offers a number of tangible programs aligned with a strong business strategy including affordable group benefits, gas cards and a credit card program, as well as the many opportunities to communicate and network. The study goes on to indicate that a Chamber membership is 29 per cent more effective in communicating to consumers that a company uses good business practices and 26 per cent more effective to communicate that a business is reputable. We have all gone to job interviews and had to produce credible references. It is not that easy to provide those to our customers who would never call or request references when they are considering doing business with us. It is remarkable that your affiliation with the Chamber is giving you credibility and endorsement that is critical when establishing a relationship with your customers. The study goes on to indicate that consumers think that products stack up better against the competition because it infers that the company is trustworthy, involved in the community and an industry leader. If you would like to see the study, please contact us at info@haltonhillschamber.on.ca. EDITORIAL COMMITTEE EDITOR: Cor Baarda, Knowledge Management 905.702.0926 Writers: Tracey Wellon TY Virtual Assistant 416.895.9949 Sue Walker, Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce 905.877.7119 Wendy Hue, Partners In Progress 905.877.2183 Andrea Lefebvre The Independent & Free Press 905.873.0301 Tiziana Manierka Studio Fourteen 905.877.9828 Book Review: Beverley King, Halton Hills Public Libraries 905.873.2681 PRODUCTION & PRINTING The Independent & Free Press Steve Foreman, General Manager Dolores Black, Production BusinessLink is the official publication of Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce. Unsolicited material is not eligible for payment. Opinions expressed are those of the author, not necessarily those of the Chamber, its Board of Directors or its membership. It is distributed free to all Chamber members and through The Independent & Free Press. Dufferin Aggregates Rocks! ufferin Aggregates Acton Quarry was honoured to be the recipient of the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce 2010 Business of the Year award. This site, established in the early 1900s, was acquired in 2001 by Dufferin Aggregates, a division of Holcim Canada. To arrive at the quarry you drive by green areas created to help improve the local environment. As quickly as the removal of stone, gravel and sand is completed, Dufferin returns the area back to nature. Part of achieving this is by having "Earth Week Tree Planting". In 2010 alone, 300 people including Scouts Canada and local community members planted more than 4,000 native trees as part of the site's rehabilitation efforts. Dufferin produces more than three million tonnes of crushed stone, gravel and sand for the commercial, industrial, residential and civil engineering sector. When you drive, walk, play or use water, there is a good chance that the bases of highways, roads and sidewalks you are using, as well as the sewers and water mains have products that were produced in Acton. There are approximately 45 people that work at the Acton location and if you visit them on their annual open house, you will find that they take pride in a job well done. An established quality assurance process ensures the D Photo courtesy of Dufferin Aggregates production of consistent quality aggregates in accordance with required standards and specifications. Their attention to detail doesn't end with the delivery of the product. They offer continued technical support and professional service through their Technical Services and Quality Assurance departments. Some examples of their progressive thinking include: · Acton Quarry Community Liaison Committee -- provides two-way communication between local residents/regional stakeholders and Dufferin on quarry operations. · Active supporter of Limehouse Kiln Society. · Drum Sponsorship Program-- Dufferin solicits donations with 100% going to Halton Healthcare Services, from partners and suppliers in the industry for placing their logo on Holcim's ready-mix concrete trucks. · Acton Splash Pad-- Last year Dufferin made a significant material donation for the construction.