May 4, 2013 - Despite some uncertainty in the economy, a recent survey by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) reveals Canadian manufacturers are expecting business activity to increase in 2013.

ITASCA, ILL. – IFS, the global enterprise applications company, announces its partnership with Infosys, a leader in consulting and technology services. The partnership covers joint sales activities toward targeted industries in the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific, as well as development of skills in the IFS Applications software suite.

Provincial Partitions continues to grow offering a one-stop solution under one roof for a company's space management requirements. Effective today, Provincial Partitions has completed the move to their new head office and main manufacturing plant at 5135 Creekbank Rd. in Mississauga, Ont.
 
This 50,000-sq.-ft. facility has been customized to Provincial Partition’s manufacturing requirements. Three new 16-by-16-foot drive-in doors were added to accommodate the movement of materials and prefabricated factory built structures in and out of the facility. Fencing in the yard was also modified and extended to increase the secure paved yard space and to accommodate the increase in production and storage requirements. Provincial Partitions will continue to manufacture its System 40 demountable partition system from its 30,000 square foot Campobello plant until the transition is complete.
 
The company is also currently adding additional staff. They are still actively hiring carpenters, carpenter assistants, welders, electricians, plumbers, painters and spray foam applicators.
 
Provincial Partitions has been providing modular space solutions for more than 30 years. Building on experience with interior plant and office space, Provincial Partitions developed interior and exterior buildings for use as storage enclosures, kiosks, guardhouses, interior and exterior preassembled offices and other special purpose buildings. It manufactures mezzanine structures, storage buildings, communication shelters, guardhouses, kiosks, mobile office trailers, smoking shelters, clean rooms, Erooms and more. Custom applications are a specialty. 
www.pro-part.com

Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions (GWS) has been awarded the contract to provide maintenance and improvement services to buildings at Shell’s Albian Sands mining operation in northern Alberta.

The new agreement builds on a long-standing relationship between the two companies that began in 2009. It is significant because it will be the first time that Johnson Controls GWS will provide facilities management services to a mining operation in the area. Johnson Controls GWS will provide maintenance and improvements to Shell buildings and trailer complexes, which occupy more than 600,000 square feet.

Johnson Controls GWS vice-president of the oil & gas market Paul Morgan, said: “The partnership between Johnson Controls and Shell is a good example of a mutually beneficial business relationship developing over time. We currently manage a range of facilities for Shell, including fuel retail sites, offices, data centers and laboratories, however, this new agreement will see us provide direct support to Shell’s mining operations for the first time. We have a strong team who are well prepared to take on the challenges associated with managing the risk and safety concerns around these sites.  As with all Shell facilities, the focus will remain on health and safety, the environment and security.”
 
Johnson Controls also manages and maintains 11,000 of Shell’s fuel retail sites in 24 countries in EMEA, the Americas and Asia-Pacific, as well as a variety of real estate in the U.S., Brazil and the Netherlands, where it manages the company’s Hague headquarters.
www.johnsoncontrols.com

Grainger Inc. has announced the opening of new distribution centres in Saskatoon and south of the border in Patterson, Calif. These investments in the company’s logistics network enable Grainger to put more products closer to its customers.

Acklands-Grainger Inc., a Canadian distributor of industrial, safety and fastener products, celebrated the grand opening of its new 122,000 square-foot facility in Saskatoon. The facility, which employs 90 team members, includes a 102,000 square-foot warehouse along with a branch showroom and regional support center to service its expanding product lines and customer base. Acklands-Grainger has served businesses in Saskatchewan for more than 70 years.

“Grainger is dedicated to providing customers the right products, at the right time and in the right place,” said D.G. Macpherson, senior vice-preisdent and president of Global Supply Chain and Corporate Strategy. “We’re continuing to invest in our distribution network so we can provide our customers quick, easy access to the products they need to keep their facilities running efficiently and their employees safe on the job.”

In total, Grainger’s supply chain network includes 28 distribution centers around the world. The company’s new Patterson, Calif., centre, located southeast of San Francisco, will stock up to 350,000 industrial products and provide next-day service to Grainger’s West Coast customers. The 820,000 square-foot LEED Gold certified building is designed for sustainable energy use and limited environmental impact. It employs about 200 team members.
www.acklandsgrainger.com