Makitaa power play on* tools By Grog Maceéil Makita la a Japaneee power tool manufacturer that hes been, an the world market for 75 yeas. The company bas been in Canada for the pat 17 yeare, with the head af ite Cndian operations in Whitby. Over the pat eight ta ton yeare, Makitwa has corne te the forefrant of the market. "We are the market leader in power tools," says AI Webeter, Maldta'e promotion and advertising manager. Makita products are ueed extensively by industry and contractore, sectare that demand high quality and durability. Makita bas a veiy good reputation in induetrial and commercial ameas, and according ta Webster, "That reflecte on purchaslng by the do-it- youreler." A large number of Maldta tools am eold to -the general public through retailere like Canadien Tire, Beaver Lumber, Pro Hardware.*and Home Hardware. Whether looking for a circuler eaw, drill, planer, a cordles teol, or any one of a full limé of power toole they made, Webster eaye more and more people are aeking for the Makita name. Japanese t chnology has came te, the forefront :n, areas like electronice and automé Jiles. It'e innovative technology 10,.e that that bas boom braught ta Makcita'e Forbee St. maüufacturin# plant. 1 "We have excellent componente," eays Webster. Using the higheet grade copper in thý windinge makee the electric motors ext-rëemelyU efficient and durable. "1'he real strenth le the very fine talerances ue measuring the componente t<ý extreme accuracy. The toole have a: dynamically -balenced rotor that prevente výibration. Most of the producte have double insulation, s<~o e ftng<donlt recjuire a epecial The area of quelity controi la aiea very important ta Mekcita. According to Webser, 'Every praduct le teeted before it reeches the market." On top of the high quality standards Makita imposes upon iteell, cuetomers flnd prices ta be competitive. A full servicing network aise edeste. Although much has been echieved aince caming ta Canada, Makita ien't about toaeit back and juet take it al in. Twenty-eight new producte have been introduced ta the mnarketplace this year alone, producte euch as a new lime of electrical generatore, a alide compound eaw and a new 11/16 inch jig eaw. With a etronghold on bath the industrial sector and the do-it- youreelfer, Mekita je quickly beconng a name synonymous with high quality pawer toals. Webster sunm it up by seyng, "We are the ûunderdog who ha challenged the -huge companie8," to corne ta the forefrant of the pawer tool industiy.' Rubber starnp of approval on free trade By Deborah Luchuk The development of amail business in Durhiam Region ha benefited Canada Kustoni Rubber Stamp of Whitby. A low profile business, the rubber stamp preducer lias offered supplies te a large percentage of printers and stationers in Southern Ontarie, ta- cluding Grand sud Toy, for the lat Oyears. As welI Canada Kutem selse stamps of ail kinde, for many needs, te local bueinesses and indunstries, and to individuals. Ownor David Andrews said, "We've gene through recesion times before, and I flnd people have been very flexible,. ta getting their own businesees going and not juet sitting around.. Whfen they start up a busi- mess, they comeansuueo us; we're pii>bably the fret person they meo.» The frest starnp a businessperson investe in le the ddréess stamp, and later, "as businpa-- g!ows," banking Andrew radars ByTrudie Zavadovics in 1937, Victor Andrew, a younC teenager, epened a business in Cu cage called Andrew Corp. Ho was resourceful sud succeseful, aIse per- sonable sud family-rientod. -Ho knew aU ies mployeee' wives sud chfidren, sud their brthdays. Since 1937, Andrew Corp. sud its subsidiaries, including Andrew People power People. are the most essential resource inu-amy successaul company- sud The MinAca Group le devoted exclusively ta the business of people. Elaine Minaco establishod this full-service personnel agency ta Oshawa in 1981, providing specialized solutions to any business with staWfig' needs. Ovor the peut ine yeare the compsuy bas grown ta both staff and cientèeo. In March The Minece Greup was named the 1989 Business cf the Year by the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce. For sanie, having their company se honored would ho the pinnacle of success. Mimace views the award as a prestigieus tepptag atone. She says, "Succese jei a journoy, mot a destination." The award in indicative cf the company'e ability ta romain strangly- indepondent in an industiy flled with international corporations. Criteria for the Business of the Yeer award included: entre- preneuriel ability; innovation in the chosen fiold; finsucial management sud etability; and leadership ta the community. The staff of the Minace Graup bas grown froni three ta more than 200 -- thero are 34 administrative, sales sud service staff workIng ont cf offices in Ajax sud Oshawa; mocre then 175 employees are contracted off-site ta various bueinessea in the ares. As wol, tho temporay placement division boasts a data benkc of over 1,000 people fram which te 1MI temporary assignments for- a wide variety of cientele. The permanent placement and executive search division works with individuels looking. for new careere, snd with comis seeking individuels ta fil available positions. Minses see enormous potential in Durham' Region. 'This ares has changed tremnendously in the lest decade. We have'developed a more diverse industriel base and aur workforce sud community have Pra4e omig decado will see even more dramatic changes, as aur trang employee-based community starte to attrect more sud more idustry and bueinesses flecing the dowtawn Taranto ephere. "Certainly wage rates will etert te be comparable ta those in Toronto. SIdled trades persans will be more in demend -- and harder ta find. Training, retraining and keepiîng abreast of industry changes will be every employee'e responeibility." In Whitby, particularly, she notes, "We already have thousands of peaple who have moved ta this ares but muet commute ta their jobs in Toronto. We're hopimg more companies wiIl sSe thie region as one with a large pool of ekilled labor - people who would eagerly work locally if more opportunities were available." 100o Copies only *8112Xl11 " CAMERA READY " PLUS TAXWIIEY UW T and other stampe, Andrews said. Andrews "gut inta the business by accident.' He worked 15 years at the Globe and Mail as a typesetter, and "being an independent sort, set Up my veiy own merchandising whole- sale business" after hie stint at the pa per. «A guy came te see me about geing him a rubberestamP. My next dr neighboor owns Golding Gr phics, andlIaskedhiiflto ae the stamp. The customer liked the slamp, ana it tooic off fram there, ho told others." MFialy, Ian (Golding) said, -Look, Dave, rm a grinter, not -a rubber stmp maker, sud asked me if I wsuted ta buy bis equipment sud stock." The business etarted up in the basement of a Whitby home, and progreesed ta the Hopkins St. loca- tion as business grew. The stampe are made through comput.erized typesetting-, previously, n on success Canada, in Whitby, have scared ta #reat hei#hts, sud the personal touch ms stili evident. Established in 1953, Andrew Canada le setting the pace in entonna sud satellite technolog. Th e ftrm praduces micrawavo su earth station entonna systenis, a govorn- ment praduct lineoef high frequency entonnas, radar, sud navigation aid entonnas. Besides the manufactring plant, Andrew also bas a rental facity on Bloor St., Oshawa, sud a test range ta Ashburn. They aiso have com-. pa=es ta mmne different countries toughout the world. uAnrew Carp. lelocated in Aus- tralie, Scotland England, Switzer- land, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Italy," says Rita Cane, marketing services administra- tor for the company. "fher mnay be exansion down the road* aysC9ane.xWe're quite 0 i- since it began. I expect we wili continue ta expand and graw." Cane says that 1988 sales were S4 million sud 1989 sales rose ta COmillion., The Whitby-based operation employa about 250, up 15 from last year. "We've hired a numbor of students over the years," says Cane. «We've had co-op students from Durhamn College, relatives of employee, sud eg n ig students." Andrews ueed Ludlow and Linotype hot metal equipment ta crate the stamps. Due to the dedicatod phototypeset- tingmdney the noed for a large staff ereed, and currentiy Andrewesud wife Mabel are the onlY empfoyoos. The busieet time of year for Canada Kuetom ]Rubber Stamp le Novembor ta May. «During 'bad weather, people keep their nases ta thefr deeks. When the weather le botter, they're mot as interetod in business.» Andrews said eince the compan!Y inoeption, growth hae been etoadel izpwa-d, adding that freeo ae wz ho of benefit ta hie business once fuily implemented. '(Free trade) will lower the cost of the praducts we import from the states, uuch as ail wood handles and strip we use, and rubber. We trYto hold the lino on prices (mow).- The company le nat currently Wn. volvedin rcycling, but han plans te implement nome sort of progrmi the future. As part of the effort ta proteet the environinent, Andrews noted the Tro- dat Printy stamping unit (an Aus- trian import) used&by business -and, individuals, now, coires with a blue ink lped, rather than ablack pad, as the 1black fick has been implicated as a polluting substance harniful te the environment. Thore are no plans for expansion of the business, and Andrews le quite content with current customers and bis low profile in the business com- munity. [ THE GOLDMINE NEWS Volume 1i Issue 1 Julyl1, 1990 A modern day Gold Rush that combines The incentive is over and above the, Old West cdrama and 1990's high tech Prospector's regular commission. Al computer equipment is causing no smnall tickets are thrown into a whiskey jar and stir in Whitby, Ontario. every time the jar accumulates 60 tickets the company holds a draw. One Iucky Earn-It EleWtonics Ltd., exclusive world Prospector wins the solld gold bar. The distributor of North Americas f irsi odds are based on how many tickets the electronic business newspaper, recently Prospector has in the jar. Kf he/she seils ten announceci it would pay its already highly subscriptions, the odds of winning would be paid distributors (known as Prospectors) 1 in six. The value of the gold varies from additional incentive bonuses in pure gold. day to day but, at current prices, is worth approximately $1,275.00 Canadian. The combination eamn and draw system 15s very simple but very exciting. As a bonus Ail draws are held openly at the company's incentive gift, each Prospector gets a f ree regular distributor meetings at Whitby. ticket on a 3 ounce bar of pure gold for Prospectors with retail sales are each retail sale of the companry's electronic automatically included in the draw and do newspaper known as wThe Electric Gold not need to be in -attendance to win. Mine." ________________ The contest is open only to authorized WIN A BAR company Prospectors; ne purchase or fée 0F of any kind is required. The tickets are awarded only on completed retail sales tb PURE GOLD customers who are net registered agents, _______________ or employees of the company. 30..8300. Eamn-lt Electronica Lt. le currently looklng for more part-tlme ageswho can work ans or two evenings per month. If you would lke to b. a part of a real gold rush, pisase contact the authorizod Prospector below: Authorlzsd Prospoctor: Jerry Martin (415) 430-8955 FAT ........ . 1-11 r