TEAM CANADA 2002 DELIVERS
NEARLY $70 MILLION IN
NEW BUSINESS DEALS IN BERLIN
February 19, 2002
Berlin, Germany
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today witnessed the signing of 29 new business
deals in Berlin, Germany, during the second leg of Team Canada’s first mission
to Europe. The deals signed are valued at $69.73 million and include 9 contracts
worth $19.93 million, 18 memoranda of understanding and letters of intent worth
$20.1 million, and two investments valued at $29.7 million.
"Team Canada 2002's visit to Berlin has proven to be an unprecedented
occasion to explore the emerging trade, investment and science and technology
opportunities that will underpin the future of our strong economic partnership,"
said the Prime Minister. "The deals signed today, in areas such as
education and joint research, information technology, housing, food and
entertainment, demonstrate the breadth and sophistication of Canadian and German
business cooperation."
More than one third of the new business deals signed today are in education
and joint research in fields such as spectroscopy, photonics, health care,
microscopy and environmental remediation. Canada and Germany trade over $11
billion in goods annually and have over $10 billion invested between the two
countries.
The Team Canada 2002 mission travels to Munich today through February 22.
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CANADA-GERMANY BUSINESS AGREEMENTS
Backgrounder
Alcan, Montreal, Quebec
Alcan signed an investment agreement with Alcan-Reinickendorf to build a new
$27.7 million metalizing plant at its Berlin facility. The expansion will almost
double the capacity of Alcan’s packaging business in Berlin. Construction is
expected to be completed by early 2003.
Avanti Pictures Corporation, Vancouver, British Columbia
Avanti Pictures signed a contract with Dragon Ciné Venture Images
Entertainment of Hamburg to co-produce a feature film, primarily in Canada,
entitled David Four, which is the story of a young man’s search for
identity. The contract is valued at $4 million, of
which an estimated $1.6 million is Canadian content.
BioDentity Systems Corporation, Ottawa, Ontario
BioDentity Systems Corporation signed a contract with Bundesdruckerei GmbH
of Berlin, enabling sales and distribution of BioDentity’s ID²Pass Border
Clearance Systems in Europe. This new generation border clearance system allows
border control authorities to strengthen overall controls, including the ability
to fully identify travellers through face recognition technology. The agreement
is valued at $6.93 million over the next twelve months,
all of which is Canadian content.
Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., Belleville, Ontario
Bioniche Life Sciences signed a contract with BioGenerix AG of Mannheim to
secure exclusive manufacturing rights for a new pharmaceutical product developed
by BioGenerix.
Breakwater Books Ltd., St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Breakwater Books signed a contract with the Berlin Agency of Berlin,
licensing the company to sell and promote German translations of Breakwater’s
Newfoundland-based titles in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
Concordia University College of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
Concordia University College of Alberta signed a letter of intent with
University of Hamburg to participate in student and faculty exchanges and to
explore research opportunities of mutual benefit.
Demtec International Ltd., Princeville, Quebec
Demtec International signed a contract with Kacheti International Ltd. of
Karlsbad to deliver a complete package of 50 homes in Lübeck, Germany. The
contract is valued at $6 million, all of which is Canadian content. The two
partners also signed a memorandum of understanding for phase two of the housing
project that will see the construction of 150 additional houses. This agreement
is valued at $16 million, all of which is Canadian content.
Demtec International and their German joint venture partner, Le Clou GmbH,
signed a contract with Infram A.S. of Prague for the first phase of a housing
project, leading to the construction of 50 houses. The contract is valued at
$1.9 million, all of which is Canadian content. The two partners also signed a
memorandum of understanding for phase two of the housing project that will see
the construction of 100 additional houses. This agreement is valued at $3.9
million, all of which is Canadian content.
Forest Insight Limited, Sandfield, Nova Scotia
Forest Insight signed a contract with Gerd Frorath & Laumer-Anton GBR of
Hann for the sale and distribution in Germany of Forest Insight’s pre-finished
hardwood flooring. The contract is valued at $3.5 million over two years, all of
which is Canadian content.
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario signed a letter of intent with Andreas Rothe
Export-Import of Ruednitz, which will invest $2 million to establish a presence
in Toronto, Ontario. Andreas Rothe plans to found an export-import company to
work as a Canadian distributor for European companies, primarily in the gift and
tableware area, to co-operate with an Ontario silver manufacturer to market
their products in Europe and the United States, and, to give Canadian companies
the possibility of exporting to Germany.
Konzelmann Estate Winery, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Konzelmann Estate Winery signed a letter of intent with Erwin Laich GmbH-
Feine Weine of Ostfildern, Ruit, renewing the company as the sole European
general distributor of Konzelmann’s complete range of wines. The agreement is
valued at $200,000 for over 2000 cases of wines, all of which is Canadian
content.
The International Student Education Department of the Nanaimo-Ladysmith
School District of Nanaimo, British Columbia
The International Student Education Department of the Nanaimo-Ladysmith
School District signed a memorandum of understanding with DFSR/CET (Council for
Education Travel) Management to recruit German students for high school studies
in Nanaimo.
The International Student Education Department of the Nanaimo-Ladysmith
School District signed a memorandum of understanding with Melas Sprachen und
Kulturreisen of Berlin to recruit German students for high school studies in
Nanaimo.
The International Student Education Department of the Nanaimo-Ladysmith
School District signed a memorandum of understanding with Okumenishches
Gymnasium of Bremen to facilitate the placement of German students in Nanaimo
area high schools.
Festival of Flags, Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador
Festival of Flags signed a memorandum of understanding with the
German-Russian Museum Berlin-Karlshorst to co-operate in the areas of research,
historical documentation, conservation and exhibition. Exchanges with the Museum
Berlin-Karlshorst will contribute to the development of the Museum of the
Atlantic Allies in Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador.
National Research Council / Industrial Materials Institute, Boucherville,
Quebec
The National Research Council / Industrial Materials Institute signed a
letter of intent with Laser-Laboratorium Göttingen e.V. of Göttingen to
initiate collaboration on significant research and development projects,
especially relating to spectroscopic techniques. The likely benefit areas
include the detection of contaminants, control of industrial processes, analysis
of composition of products such as polymers and laser micro-machining.
The Nunavut Development Corporation, Rankin Inlet, Nunavut
The Nunavut Development Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding
with Fischwirtschaftliche Erzeugnisse of Berlin to develop the German market for
processed fishery products from Nunavut. The Nunavut Development Corporation is
supported by the Government of Nunavut.
Penumbra Press, Iqualuit, Nunavut
Penumbra Press signed a memorandum of understanding with M.u.H. von der
Linden GbR. to translate and publish the book The Voice of the Natives in
Germany. The book is written by various First Nation authors and will serve to
showcase the Canadian North to a German audience.
Photonics Research Ontario, Toronto, Ontario
Photonics Research Ontario signed a memorandum of understanding with the
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Munich to promote collaborative research in photonics
between the institutions that will lead to university and industrial
collaborations between Canada and Germany.
Research In Motion, Waterloo, Ontario
Research In Motion (RIM) signed a collaborative agreement with T-Mobile
International AG of Bonn to distribute RIM’s BlackBerry wireless e-mail
solution over T-Mobile’s General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) networks in
Europe. BlackBerry technology provides business users with a seamless and secure
link to their corporate email, enabling them to be always connected to their
corporate inbox.
River East School Division, Winnipeg, Manitoba
River East School Division signed a letter of intent with
ICXchange-Deutschland e. V. of Oldenburg to establish
a partnership for international education initiatives such as student exchanges.
St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre signed a memorandum of agreement with
the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine that will lead to the
establishment of collaborative research programs and the exchange of scientists
and students in areas of mutual interest. The aim is to develop innovative new
products of economic importance that will also improve the quality of health
care in both countries.
Star-7 International Inc., Winkler, Manitoba
Star-7 International Inc. signed a letter of intent with Human eSource GmbH
of Berlin to actively promote employment and lifestyle opportunities in Manitoba
and work together to assist skilled workers to relocate to the province.
Uniterre Resources Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia
Uniterre Resources Ltd. signed an agreement with ABB New Ventures GmbH of
Mannheim to conduct a feasibility study of a two phase 700 megawatt offshore
wind farm in the shallow waters of Hecate strait at the extreme northeast tip of
Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands).
University College of Cape Breton, Sydney, Nova Scotia
The University College of Cape Breton signed a letter of intent with
Fachhochschule Lausitz (University of Applied Sciences) of Senftenberg and
Lausitzer Umwelt GmbH, an engineering company based in Laubusch, to establish a
Canadian-German industrial research network. The network will result in
cooperative research and development projects related to environmental
remediation of industrial sites and other projects, including the clean-up of
the Sydney Tar Ponds and Cape Breton Development Corporation mining sites.
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
University of Alberta signed a letter of intent with JPK Instruments AG of
Berlin to develop the prototype for a novel microscopy tool. The instrument is
anticipated to impact and assist the nanotechnology developments in the area of
life sciences. An early application of this joint university/industry
collaboration is expected to impact the development of new ways to deliver drugs
through lungs for accelerated drug absorption into the body.
University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
University of Toronto signed a contract with DAAD - the German Academic
Exchange Service of Bonn for funding of academic exchanges and research in the
humanities, social sciences, and sciences at the graduate and undergraduate
level.
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