FREDERICTON – Many windows across North America are made using machines built in Fredericton, a business many see as a New Brunswick success story.
Urban Machinery is a technology leader of machine manufacturers for the vinyl-window industry. Since 1992, its manufacturing plant has been in Fredericton.
The company employs more than 40 New Brunswickers and buys local products to build its machines.
Now it’s looking for more employees.
“Urban Machinery is family-owned company and that’s our philosophy. Employees are the heart of a company, and they should stay the heart,” said Harald Kopp, the plant’s production manager.
“You can have as good of equipment as you want, if you don’t have the employees that can build it, you are nothing.”
It’s that philosophy the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, a group that advocates for manufacturers and exporters across Canada, believe the New Brunswick government should be using.
“Manufacturing and exporting in New Brunswick has the potential for growth to sell products all around the world,” said Joel Richardson, Vice-President for N.B. and P.E.I.
“They just need a little more support, a little more help to sell more of what we make everyday here in New Brunswick to people all around the world.”
Richardson said he’s hoping Premier Brian Gallant will address those concerns in his State of the Province speech Wednesday night.
He said businesses like Urban Machinery are crucial in helping the province’s finances. And economist Constantine Passaris agrees.
“Expand our productive capacity here at home. Create jobs here at home. Create those products here at home,” Passaris said. “But selling them to more than just our local market, selling them to a global community that potentially has seven billion people. ”
Passaris said he expects the premier’s speech will address the financial and employment problems New Brunswick is facing. But he’s worried the province is headed towards a slash, cut and burn solution.
“What happens to the economy in the process? What happens to your citizens of the services they need from government?” he said.
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