But if you’re worried about climate change, there is a lot at stake when it comes to travel and vacationing.

According to United Nations Tourism, the world’s destinations welcomed 22 percent more tourists in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same time period in the previous year. And levels of travel reached 88 percent of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2023.

While this is good news for tourist destinations and the countries that benefit from the revenue the business brings in, there is a dark cloud on the horizon. Climate change is having a noticeable impact on tourist destinations and the industry itself.

When we look at 2023, it was a hot year. The data record of Copernicus, the Earth observation component of the European Union’s space program, revealed it was the world’s warmest year. And it is likely that 2024 may break that record again by the time the year is done.

“The overall context hasn’t changed; our climate continues to warm. The devastating effects of climate change started well before 2023 and will continue until global greenhouse gas emissions reach net-zero,” Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of Copernicus, said in a statement.

A University of Cambridge document titled Climate Change: Implications for Tourism noted that the tourism industry is exposed to indirect and direct impacts of climate change, including sea-level rise and an increase in acidic levels in the ocean that threaten coastal tourism—especially coral reefs.

Rising temperatures will also shorten winter sports seasons which will impact ski resorts. The author writes, “The tourism sector is operating in an environment of considerable uncertainty… Some parts of the world will be more sensitive to climate change than others. Climate change will also provide opportunities, with new regions and types of tourism becoming attractive to tourists. However, these opportunities may well be short-lived, and dwarfed by the negative impacts that the sector is already beginning to feel from climate change.”

Already, prime tourism season is moving from summer to spring and fall—and businesses reliant on the industry are feeling the flux.

As a case in point, some regions are seeing a positive uptick in number of tourists. As the temperatures rise ever higher in Mediterranean countries, Scandinavian ones like Norway and Sweden are seeing more travelers coming to escape the hot temperatures during the summer months. Northern countries like Canada may see a large increase in tourism dollars in the future. But for each winner, there will be many losers, and not only in tourism.

Beaches are particularly vulnerable to climate change, not only from more frequent and severe storms but also from rising water levels. The World Tourism and Travel Council found that an unusually strong hurricane season in 2017 cost the Caribbean 826,100 visitors who could have generated $741 million in revenue. The storms also had the add-on effect of increasing insurance premiums by 40 percent—all this in a region where tourism makes up 30 percent of GDP.

In Southeast Asia, some of the world’s most iconic coastlines are feeling the fallout of environmental damage. Thailand’s Maya Bay, Vietnam’s Hạ Long Bay, and Boracay in the Philippines are all being impacted. There has been notable damage to coral reefs, beaches strewn in garbage, and sewage-filled waters. And some countries are closing tourist destinations to give them time to recover.

In Africa, loss of biodiversity, which is linked to climate change and forecasted to impact over half of the continent’s species, would in turn trigger a huge loss in plant species. In Northern climates like the Alps, we have seen a drop in snow cover by 8.4 percent per decade in the last 50 years. Resorts like Whistler Mountain in Canada, famous for skiing, now actually make more money in the summer.

And the economic impact of all this could be very significant, because tourism is very big business. According to the research firm Statista, the market size of global tourism rose significantly in 2023 to $1.9 trillion, and it is expected to reach $2 trillion dollars in 2024.

But the industry itself is a contributor to environmental concerns, specifically the transportation aspects of it. An estimated 11 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases are linked to tourism, and that is predicted to double by 2050. Air travel is the biggest driver of this, particularly those long-haul roundtrip flights that are more than 9,941 miles (basically the distance between New York and Cairo, Egypt). A 2023 report, Envisioning Tourism in 2023 and Beyond – The Changing Shape of Tourism in a Decarbonising World, from the Travel Foundation states that these long flights need to stay static at 2019 levels for the next 27 years to curb damage. At the same time, alternative travel modes that use clearer fuel options like electric vehicles and highspeed trains need to increase to help offset the emissions that are already in the atmosphere.

As Jeremy Sampson, CEO of the Travel Foundation, told Bloomberg News about the intention behind the report: “Our hope is to spark further dialogue and to help destinations and businesses recognize that the business-as-usual scenario is not all that likely for the future.”

Beyond air travel, there are other considerable sources of emissions linked to the industry, like cruises and hotel construction.

So, for its own sake, how does the tourism industry help stop or at least slow down the impact it is having on the planet? The answer could be twofold. On one hand, it comes down to the people who are taking the trips and the countries and destinations that support tourism.

From a traveler point of view, understanding the impact of our travel plans on the planet may make some rethink how we should travel and where we should travel to. Companies like Booking.com are looking at how to display carbon emissions on flights and hotels. Others are taking a different approach to how they travel.

There’s a movement toward “slow travel,” a term to describe shorter, more immersive travel such as backroad backpacking or mindful, environmentally responsible modes of travel. It’s really the opposite of using the fastest way (with often the largest environmental impact) to get to a destination. The trend also ties into localism and the renewed interest in supporting our communities that came out of the COVID pandemic. In a Condé Nast Traveler article on slow travel in April 2023, Chyanne Trenholm, a member of the Homalco First Nation and assistant manager of Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours, talks about people looking for a different experience. The company organizes tours to local communities on Vancouver Island in a way that celebrates the Indigenous culture of stewardship of the land. “If slow travel is all about taking the time to properly connect with a place and its people, then yes, it’s something I’m all for,” Trenholm says. “It’s about taking time to make a connection to the land and each other.”

Governments and tourist boards also have a role in encouraging responsible tourism through developing policy. Many of the countries that benefit from the money tourism generates are in the Global South, but most of that money comes from people from wealthier northern countries who travel. So, if countries act to reduce or stop travel, it could have severe impacts to economies, industry experts say. “Do we need to cap the Global South, or do we need to cap some of the highest-volume airports in that long-haul aviation? This is exactly the discussion we need to have in this unprecedented, collaborative way,” Megan Morikawa, global director of sustainability for travel giant Iberostar Group, told Bloomberg News. “If we are making assumptions on who the winners and losers should be, we’re going to end up making decisions that might make equity issues even worse.”

Like governments, the industry itself will need to adapt to the changing climate and find ways to reduce the impact it has on the planet. But sustainability costs, and competition is fierce—will travelers be willing to pay more for a sustainable option? Booking.com’s 2023 Sustainable Travel Report says that 43 percent would, and that 50 percent of travelers generally choose sustainable travel options because they care about the impact of their travels.

The real test may come when we all must decide whether travel is worth the price to the planet.

The post Temperatures Rising<p class="company">Tourism Feeling the Burn</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

At WBE Canada, corporate members are buyers who are committed to diversifying their supply chains by engaging more Canadian women-owned businesses in their supply chains. Its members include both private and public organizations including those in technology and telecommunications, manufacturing, construction, financial, education, municipal and regional government, pharmaceutical and energy amongst others.

“We’ve developed quite a robust events schedule for 2025 to support our [communities] with an increasing number of networking opportunities,” says Jennifer Popowycz, Director of Certification & Community at WBE Canada. As such, several Matchmaker events alongside supplier diversity days are organized throughout the country. And interest is growing; with its matchmaker events showing 100 percent growth recently, Canadian women business leaders are joining the mission to make their voices heard and support each other.

“These are all opportunities for our certified WBEs to have continuous meetings with corporate members and each other to supply them with services and products,” Popowycz continues.

As well as a growing emphasis on supporting its corporate members through programs such as its highly successful Accelerator Program and Supplier Diversity Toolkit, WBE Canada works tirelessly with its certified WBEs to grow and scale their businesses to successfully compete for procurement opportunities. Through its series of Matchmaker events, bringing knowledgeable suppliers together with buyers looking to diversify their supply chains results in powerful collaboration and lucrative contracts.

This educational process runs deeply through its offering, providing information and an opportunity to evolve for all concerned. In this way, WBE Canada is driving meaningful change in the country’s business landscape, giving women places at tables they may not have known existed. “We’re opening our education so that everybody can be successful at the events. Because in the past, we thought our corporate partners know what to do,” says Charli Law Jury, WBE Canada’s Interim Chief Executive Officer and Director of Finance & Operations.

WBE Canada’s current six-week mentorship program in collaboration with the Centre for Women in Business in Nova Scotia and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, serving 10 women-owned businesses on Canada’s East Coast, offers layered mentorship whereby participants benefit from six training sessions and one-on-one meetings with their certified WBE mentor and a corporate mentor. A comprehensive syllabus ensures that future industry leaders receive solid training in how to market their businesses, how to establish and maintain a capability statement, how to trade with large firms, and a lot more. The council’s goal is to have the program presented across the country in the future.

The organization recently developed a WBE Toolbox—a comprehensive online resource library where thorough market research and solid expertise combine to provide members with deep insights into how supplier diversity works. In addition, its Pathfinder program supports qualifying businesses in achieving a position whence they can become certified with WBE Canada if they choose so.

Beyond coaching women-owned business leaders, the team is also well-versed in assisting its corporate members in establishing and developing supplier diversity programs that suit their business structures and organizational needs. Continued mentorship through WBE Canada and members familiar with the processes alongside a wide range of options mean that participants are supported every step of the way.

Corporate members, women-owned businesses, partners, and supporters attending WBE Canada events also benefit from the council’s clear goals, outlining areas of focus that give structure to these gatherings, driving even more positive outcomes in the long run. This collective archer’s aim has helped it establish a reputation of excellence in this field. “We currently have the largest database of women-owned businesses in Canada,” says Alexandra Roy, Marketing Manager.

While Law Jury is clear about the fact that certification does not mean automatically garnering new business, she underscores the importance of certification in significantly deepening educational opportunities and providing networking and other opportunities. Beyond these events, WBE Meetups also provide opportunities for women-owned enterprises to learn from one another.

Such gatherings can take various forms, like lunch-and-learns or webinars where information is gathered and shared amongst members. To keep things well-aimed and organized, every year WBE Canada presents its Supplier Advisory Committee, made up entirely of WBEs, with a fresh theme around which all meetups are focused. This year, looking at the health and wellness of their businesses and implementing best-in-class practices to safeguard against economic fluctuations while future-proofing their enterprises are all part of the mission.

Ensuring that each event delivers maximum benefit to corporate partners and certified WBEs alike takes careful planning. Naturally, designing each of these to ensure relevance and provide purpose and applicable takeaways within the greater umbrella of an entire year’s theme and schedule is a fun yet challenging task. To achieve this, WBE Canada’s motivation to be singular in its mission while offering relevant programming informs its efforts as a creative force to be reckoned with.

This acute awareness of maintaining relevance underscores everything WBE Canada touches. “We need to remember why we are here… and then build from that,” Law Jury points out. As a result, continuously evolving how it engages with its corporate members, keeping in step with the business world, and being mindful of how small and medium sized women-owned businesses are faring in a volatile economic climate provide the team with a perpetual invitation to do better, be better, and engage more meaningfully.

Making innovation the organization’s mainstay for developing annual themes means involving the entire team, keeping its ear on the ground, and staying closely in touch with and listening deeply to its communities, partners, and champions through committees, formal, and informal conversations, and walking the talk on feedback and surveys. The results are particularly rewarding.

One example of following feedback received from such engagement is the new possibility of trading from and sharing booths at the 15th annual WBE Canada National Conference & Expo on November 13-14 at the Delta Hotels Toronto Airport & Conference Centre. Hosted in collaboration with several national and international giants, the event, celebrating “15 Years of Inspiring Diversity & Inclusion in Supply Chains,” promises to be another roaring success where like-minded women gather to uplift and celebrate one another and their achievements while getting up to date with all the council’s latest news.

By providing all attendees with the best possible value for their money alongside unparalleled knowledge and learning opportunities from experts and peers, as well as invaluable networking connections to help them evolve their businesses, WBE Canada has forged a name for itself as a trusted supporter and partner in supply chain diversity. “It’s making sure that your business is financially well—making sure that the individual [who] runs the business understands the financial wellness of the business,” says Popowycz. The health and wellness theme is extended to cover personal business readiness, how to gauge when a business is ready to hire new employees, and much more.

With its own team also growing at a steady yet generous pace, WBE Canada is happy to have recently developed its new business development team that will help expand its corporate and government membership. As a passionate group full of the joys of its mission, WBE Canada employs people who share these values. To this end, team members are also growing and evolving personally and professionally, giving the organization an edge strong enough to propel its reach and presence to a future global level.

In establishing a strong tradition of collaboration, the council’s leadership has built a culture of lateral thinking and problem-solving. This has given team members the solid foundation they need to offer a warm welcome to communities of women-owned businesses around the country. Its in-house diversity also brings a lovely sense of character and depth to WBE’s culture and provides real warmth to its projects. “We bring together new perspectives, various backgrounds, and many years of unique experience. That’s what sets us apart,” Roy says.

WBE Canada is sincere in its heartfelt invitation to women-owned businesses and potential corporate members and partners to discover what the organization can offer them. “Come and join us [at the conference]. It is the place to be,” Law Jury says.

As WBE Canada continues spreading awareness and providing important programming and resources to industry leaders as they develop and grow their supplier diversity initiatives, its drive for evolution springs eternal. And so does the need for supply chain diversity.

The post 15 Years of Empowering Women-Owned Businesses<p class="company">WBE Canada</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

From a foundation of caring, powered by its people and supported by a network of qualified professionals and an understanding of a client’s needs, AGS has devised a system and approach that protects people and businesses by getting people back to health, back to work, and back to optimal productivity.

25 years
Since 1999, AGS Rehab Solutions has provided clients with customized workplace solutions that enhance lives and maximize potential. From a single contract to a national reputation in 25 years, the company has come a long way.

Asked to reflect on the company’s 25-year milestone, President and Founder Addie Greco-Sanchez explains, “When I thought about this company, I never imagined that it would stand for anything more than just my name, so it really is exciting to be here. I started the business myself, in my home, in my basement, with one customer and one assignment,” she says, crediting her perseverance and determination as the catalyst for the company’s growth and success from that point onwards.

In no time, Greco-Sanchez was hiring an administrator and independent consultants, and in 2010, secured the company’s first major contract. This necessitated hiring on a more serious scale.

“Our growth has been really organic in terms of the evolution, but we’ve also taken some long shots and have won some large contracts, which has really helped with our growth,” she says. This is largely due to AGS’s unique structure and approach, but also the company’s culture and founding ethos, which continue to serve it well as it expands its services to clients across the country.

Needs and solutions
AGS is different from many others in the market in offering a multitude of services under one umbrella, which enables it to customize solutions to the needs of its clients, as no two problems are the same. From the prevention of—and the response to—mental health claims, to assessments of its clients’ potential psychological health and safety risks by accepted standards, AGS helps clients navigate complex regulatory environments with ease and efficiency, protecting employees and the bottom line.

AGS can develop, or review and revise, policies and procedures to integrate psychological health and safety, while also raising awareness through internal training in line with the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. Drawing on its network of certified professionals, AGS offers expertise, resources, and support to facilitate case management services, return-to-work coordination, disability management services, and the provision of clinical and medical assessments.

“We have a network of about 600 assessors across the country and they can be anything from a psychiatrist to a kinesiologist—whatever it takes to look at making a medical opinion in the case if that’s what we need to determine a fit for work or looking at case management,” says Greco-Sanchez, which enables more efficient case resolution.

One of the things that makes AGS different in a highly competitive market is its managed care approach. Its full suite of services offers comprehensive support to its clients through what is often a challenging time for all stakeholders involved.

“The most important piece that differentiates us is the way we manage that claim, in that we’re not just very aggressively stating that people have to go back to work and that’s it. We work to support that individual so that the return to work is successful and they’re not coming back on claim in two months,” Greco-Sanchez explains. “People want to work with a company that’s not only looking at what we can do to get people back to work as quickly as is possible for them but to use a kid-glove approach,” which, she points out, requires a careful balance of care and safety but also speed and timeliness.

From the managed care approach AGS takes with its clients to its own company culture, its mission is to help others, and this continues to motivate the work of the company today, permeating all that it does.

“Our philosophy is that work is healthy, work is good,” Greco-Sanchez says. “My background is in social services and for me it was always about helping people, and with that in mind, growing the business. But always with a passion for ‘How we can help people?’ AGS asks, ‘What do we need to do to get them back into work?’ And of course, we’re always remembering that we’re working with customers who are employers, insurers, and looking at how we can help mitigate their costs when there are absences, so people can get back to work safely and on time.”

Supporting mental health
A big part of the company culture that is mirrored in the work AGS does is maintaining an emphasis on mental health in the workplace, which is especially important as can be seen by the rate of mental health claims through Sun Life, which have grown by almost 70 percent between 2019 and 2022. This was especially prevalent during and after the COVID pandemic as isolation, uncertainty, and challenging economic conditions proved to be corrosive to the mental health and well-being of many.

Whether mental health was getting worse, or the work done around destigmatization led to greater reporting, it has become endemic and something that employers have no choice but to address head-on.

Sun Life found that 40 percent of long-term disability claims are for women versus 30 percent for men, trends that were found based on paramedical and drug claims from over three million Canadians. This rate of disability claims, and the related sick leave impact, can be very costly for employers through lost productivity, absenteeism, presenteeism, disability, and medical and insurance costs. As AGS’ website notes, “Given that one in five Canadians will develop a mental illness in their lifetime, the likelihood of an individual facing a mental health issue in the workplace is real.”

AGS offers its clients ways to mitigate the impact of mental health issues in the workplace and is living proof that this approach works, being the recipient of the 2017 Canada Awards for Excellence Gold for its work in the Mental Health at Work® category and shares its best practices in the implementation of the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.

“People want to work for a company that is going to look after them, and work-life balance is huge. Psychological balance and safety are huge, and we recognize that. We were one of the first 40 organizations in Canada to implement a National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace in Canada,” says Greco-Sanchez, who authored The 5-Minute Recharge—a book and a mindset that continues to prioritize mental health and wellness as part of AGS’s strategic plan moving forward.

“My philosophy is if you treat people well, they will give you 200 percent back,” she says. “That’s always been my experience and that’s how it’s worked for us.”

Collaborative effort
People are at the heart of AGS’s operations and success. Its experts range from certified disability management professionals to vocational rehabilitation consultants, psychologists, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, kinesiologists, and other specialists who can offer responsive and accountable assessments to expedite claims and support the return-to-work process.

As Greco-Sanchez notes, “Every day that a person is off work is a day that’s costing an employer or an insurer money, so we want to get that person back as quickly as we possibly can.”

Further to speed and efficiency, AGS takes great care to ensure the confidentiality and information security of its clients and utilizes state-of-the-art technology to uphold standards of communication. “We work with personal health information, so data security is paramount. Creating efficiencies, utilizing technology, and increasing our data reporting capabilities is also a major goal, and then always working with that end goal of ensuring that we have excellent data. AI is changing things and we’re looking at how we can interface in a way that will help us to continue to expand the business,” says Greco-Sanchez.

This is only possible because of the team AGS has assembled. For Greco-Sanchez, people are its number one resource, and she credits her team with being “really gifted, dedicated professionals who move our business forward every single day. We have done an amazing job of expanding our footprint and recruiting.”

Although it has scaled to accommodate the company’s growth, AGS’s 25-strong team is still relatively small considering the effect it has on behalf of clients nationwide.

“Small team, big impact—it’s very much our motto,” says Greco-Sanchez. Nevertheless, she continues to look for growth for the team and its capabilities—and of course, its ability to get people back to work so that clients everywhere rejoice in a state of optimal productivity.

The post The Compassionate Way to Productivity – It Works<p class="company">AGS Rehab Solutions</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Founded in 2010 as a partner to its parent company, The Hudson Companies, Broadway Builders has developed a diverse team of professionals to serve its mixed-use clients. The company is a certified Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE) made up of highly motivated and dedicated professionals who consistently deliver high-quality projects on schedule, in a safe and compliant work environment.

Broadway Builders also prides itself on its high proportion of women in the company compared to other construction firms. Fostering a diverse environment that is welcoming to women creates a unique dynamic that celebrates different working styles. Each one of its construction teams in the field has at least one woman, and Broadway Builders aims to continue on this path of diversity in seeking out diverse employee skill sets, backgrounds, and specialties.

Bernard Ruf, President of Broadway Builders, describes a unified bond among the staff. The family atmosphere in the company culture results in efficient and effective operations while also establishing a synergistic working environment. Since the company hires subcontractors for its projects, its strong values on teamwork are just as important in these external relationships, and Broadways Builders is always focused on partnering with the most qualified and skilled subcontractors.

In the last six years, the team has grown from just a few employees to a staff of 55. Broadway Builders has also successfully assembled its own self-insurance program through a CCIP, a Contractor Controlled Insurance Program. This global insurance program protects the owner of the project, Broadway Builders itself as the general contractor, and all of its subcontractors under one giant insurance umbrella. Currently covering five different projects, the CCIP is a tool that allows the company to be more competitive in the New York City housing market. The company has also established its own bonding and surety program, impressive accomplishments for a company as young as Broadway Builders.

“You can’t build greatness without that team, and it even reaches out to who your subcontractors are, who your vendors are… certainly if you don’t have those people around you, you’re not going to be successful,” Ruf says proudly. “And I think we’ve done an amazing job at attracting the best people in New York City.”

Broadway Builders takes a great deal of care cultivating these relationships with its trade and vendor partners, beginning with a careful pre-qualification and selection process. In fact, these relationships have been so successful that they have led to various joint venture (JV) operations on major contracts, which is a true sign of the company’s ability to collaborate.

The leadership at Broadway Builders manages the team in a top-down chain of command structure, while avoiding any micro-management. “We’re one foot in the box and one foot out of the box,” explains Ruf. “You need the space to be able to be the professional that you are and have your own style a little bit, but you also need your foot in the box so that we’re all working within common rules and a common direction.”

The primary sector of business for this diverse construction firm is affordable housing and supportive housing programs, making up roughly 80 percent of its business model. “We maintain a ground-up new construction division while operating a separate business model to accommodate the renovation and occupied renovation of affordable NYC housing programs,” Ruf explains. “Our relationship with NYC agencies is a strong one and we maintain a commitment to excellence in our work and relationships to ensure a successful project.”

While Broadway Builders is proud of dedicating much of its time to creating affordable housing projects, the team sees no real difference in the construction process. Affordable housing to them is just housing, and it is important to maintain the same high level of quality construction. Depending on the final product, the only aspect of the project that may differ is the type of material used, but the approach, attitude, and quality are the exact same.

One notable affordable housing project for Broadway Builders is the Logan Fountain Project located in Brooklyn, New York. Ruf describes it as a ground-up new construction building that will feature 174 affordable rental units for families who receive government assistance, and 169 supportive shelter apartments dedicated for homeless families. The building is a 13-story concrete superstructure with 324,000 square feet that includes a common courtyard, interior amenity spaces, and roof amenities for tenants to enjoy. There are also commercial use spaces available on the ground level.

“There aren’t a tremendous number of buildings that serve families in New York City, especially new buildings. So this is pretty exciting to us, that our building will be actually serving this dual purpose and helping a group of people who… need a place to live,” says Sally Gilliland, Broadway Builders’ Founder and Chair (and Principal and COO of head company Hudson Companies Inc.).

Another project that simply must be highlighted is The Peninsula, located in the Bronx, New York. This project is in its second phase, and the first of its five planned buildings is already complete and occupied. Currently, it is the largest current residential construction project in the Bronx area.

The Peninsula is an important project for both Broadway Builders and the city of New York. It has become known as a neighborhood rebirth story. Once occupied as a juvenile detention facility and decommissioned years ago, the residents saw it as a blight in the neighborhood, and were relieved to see the building torn down to become something new. With the community in mind, the mixed-use plan for The Peninsula will feature light industrial space for manufacturing, 740 units of affordable housing for the Hunts Point neighborhood, and a live/work area for the tech and creative industries of the South Bronx. Due to its size and complexity, the entire project is expected to be complete in about two years, making it a three-year project in total.

Always community-minded, Broadway Builders has already established a solid charitable base in its young existence. The firm has taken a philanthropic position with veterans’ organizations, including Hope for the Warriors, and it goes the extra mile by expressing a desire to support military veterans through employment at Broadway Builders. It is a company that helps the homeless community through its affordable housing projects, and focuses on energy-efficient designs to stay ahead of the progressive Passive House or LEED standards in NYC.

Prepared for the changing construction market in the years to come, Broadway Builders knows how to adapt. “Every economic segment of time creates unique industry roadblocks that require strategy alteration,” Ruf explains. “That coupled with ever-evolving regulatory changes, particularly in NYC, requires an open mind to alter operational imperatives to meet the changing environment.” Changes to energy codes, for instance, have not only affected the way contractors build, but also the time required to build. New technology is constantly changing the industry, both within the building envelope and in management operations. Broadway Builders is not daunted by these challenges; rather, it finds itself inspired to find the best solutions possible.

As a partner to residential developer The Hudson Companies, Broadway Builders receives the majority of its work through its parent company; in the future, the team hopes to allocate approximately 20 percent of its business to its own separate ventures. Ruf expands on further plans for the company, saying, “Broadway wants to be a six to ten project at a time company, depending on the complexity and size of the projects we are engaged in. We believe we have approached our planned ‘sweet spot’ and will do our best to maintain an operation with around 55 to 60 employees and operate on between six to ten projects at a time, with delivery cycles of between 24 and 36 months per project.”

There are only a few WBE general contractors in NYC with all the capabilities of Broadway Builders. As the core of the business, the firm has built a diverse team that consistently delivers quality products, and always prioritizes the recruitment of high-level trade and vendor partners to meet that standard. With a mission of aiming for building excellence through leadership, teamwork, integrity, and quality, the company has set itself apart in the industry by developing this loyal, reliable staff and creating an atmosphere of diversity and inclusion.

Says Ruf, “Broadway is a strong and dependable, upcoming, fast-growing, and energetic company that can provide the top tier of professional management for developers to take note of.”

The post Developing First-rate Affordable Housing in NYC<p class="company">Broadway Builders</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

“One thing that sets us apart is our sense of humor,” says Cathy. For the youthful and energetic President and majority owner of Flex-Line Automation, Inc., not taking herself too seriously has proven to be a benefit.

Continuing to innovate, the company is especially proud of its patent-pending boxEZ cobot case erector, seen at https://youtu.be/6TJAZI6HKz8. Automated, flexible, and compact, the boxEZ uses a customizable vacuum end effector and forming table to fold and seal multiple box sizes and types. The product is robot-agnostic, able to be used with any robot, and allows those with slower cycle times to case pack or palletize with the same robot.

To date, Cathy Rinne and the company have been featured on programs including Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid and World’s Greatest Television. “I think we are just quirky enough that these TV producers saw us as being an interesting company to focus on, because we are different and doing things differently,” she says. “At this point in my career, I feel entitled to enjoy it, and fortunately I do. If you look at our videos, they are not the polished executive videos—we are out there showing off flame-retardant chain with a flamethrower—because we are genuine rednecks,” she laughs. “We are very Midwestern in how we approach things, and just real people off the farm. We have a high-stress job, and it needs to be fun.”

Family values and farm life
Seamlessly integrating electronic and mechanical systems, controls, sensors, and other advanced technologies like robotic arms, actuators, and conveyor belts. Flex-Line Automation, Inc. designs and builds automation systems that are used in virtually every industry today, from automotive, to pharmaceutical, and food and beverage. Fast and efficient, today’s automation systems enable companies to boost profits, increase quality and productivity, and enhance safety.

With a population under 8,000, the Midwestern city of Chester, Illinois, seems like an unlikely place for one of America’s leading automation companies. But for Cathy Rinne and her family, it is not only Flex-Line’s base, but also home.

Started in December 1984, the business was co-founded by Cathy, her husband Rhett, and his parents. The roots of the company, however, go much deeper. Cathy’s father-in-law Orville Rinne was a salesman for Henry Filters. A chance meeting with an engineer at SKF Bearings led to a discussion about a new conveyor system “that was going to revolutionize the industry.” With no one in the United States to market, distribute, or sell the system, Orville and Rhett jumped on the opportunity.

“Orville thought it would be a great idea if we could set up a distributorship with that engineer,” says Cathy. They did, and the engineer went on to establish Kentucky-based SpanTech, a conveyor manufacturer operated today by the engineer’s daughters. The family worked with SpanTech to bring FlexLink’s plastic chain conveyors into the U.S., and when SpanTech developed its own conveyor line, Flex-Line became the distributor of FlexLink, a role it has proudly held since 1987.

Incorporated in 1991, Flex-Line built its main facility the same year. Growing steadily, the company now has three facilities, and no longer just integrates conveyors but also robotics and various kinds of ancillary equipment.

Running a farm while operating Flex-Line has meant many sacrifices for the family. Cathy was travelling for business and missed Lauren’s first steps. Today, Lauren (Rinne) Van De Mark works alongside her mom in her Sales and Marketing role. A woman-owned and women-operated company, Flex-Line is certified as a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) by the SBA, another point of distinction for the company.

Being based in farm country has its advantages. “It was a fun way to grow up,” says Lauren, remembering the early days of the company when it started on the family farm. And from a staffing perspective, the company can bring on workers depending on the job. The main business in town is a prison system where many people retire at age 50, and when Flex-Line has a big project, many retirees will come in part-time on a project basis. “We are very lucky that we have that resource here,” comments Cathy.

The company has also been actively promoting itself—and building opportunities in automation and robotics—to high school students. Following the pandemic, the business began working with high schools, showcasing robotics programming and career opportunities in automation and manufacturing.

“There’s a big misconception that to work in automation or with robots and conveyors, you have to be an engineer, and that is just not the case,” explains Lauren. “We’ve been exposing kids to the idea that if they want to be a robot programmer, they don’t have to get a mechatronics degree. And even if they just want to work with automation, there are different jobs out there besides just programmer and engineer. People in this industry are more than happy to take you and train you and get you where you want to go.”

The company is also working with several trade groups, and has begun promoting robotics clubs in schools, which can lead to a great career path.

“Farm kids have that ingenuity, and part of what we do with automation and integration requires ingenuity. It’s never the same thing twice,” says Cathy. “We are solving problems for customers. Having the ability to look at what you have on hand, and make something work, is something farm kids are very familiar with doing. Having that background really lends itself to our industry.”

Superior service
The company generally works with customers producing individual products under 50 pounds (22.6 kg). Flex-Line’s clients are involved in pharmaceutical, medical devices, personal care products, food and beverage, automotive, paper products (such as paper towels), and even checkbook folios. “We have experience in a wide number of industries, and have done a lot of different things for different types of customers,” says Cathy.

Highly customer-driven, the company provides as much or as little as a customer requires from engineering or engineered parts to turnkey systems, spare parts, and more. This can include complete projects incorporating many different elements, a tremendous advantage today with so many companies struggling to find their own engineers or resorting to working with numerous suppliers to handle discrete project elements. Integrators like Flex-Line provide peace of mind with single-source responsibility.

That means that the team seamlessly brings everything together. For customers, this also means just one point of contact. “And that’s what we like to do, be that single source,” states Lauren. “We work in whatever capacity our customers need us to work in. We are 100 percent customer-driven, and want every customer to feel like they are our only customer. So, we want to be very attentive to what their wants and needs are.”

Another of Flex-Line’s greatest strengths is its openness to partnering with other integrators as collaborators, rather than competitors. If a client needs a certain type of welding, Flex-Line has expert welding partners who will step in to handle that part of the project. Knowing who your resources are and being able to bring those resources to a project is a tremendous value.

Forming many strong relationships over the decades, Flex-Line’s strengths include knowing which companies excel at which services and being able to pull everything together in one perfect package. “It isn’t as much about knowing everything or doing everything, but knowing who your resources are and how to use them,” says Cathy. “Single-source responsibility is a big one for customers. We have been in business for so long, and in so many industries, that it means we have a very large pool of experience in different material handling applications. So, we come up with some pretty creative solutions that engineers and companies that don’t have that breadth of experience don’t necessarily see. We are like a solution superstore.”

Indeed, Flex-Line handles virtually everything under one roof. This includes stocking almost a million dollars in conveyor components along with replacement parts, performing repairs, and other services. A short conveyor can be turned around in as little as 24 hours, and conveyor and robotics systems are tested in-house to ensure everything works before shipment and installation. The company can also perform rebuilds, repairs, and programming in the field, a level of personalized service not always available from larger automation businesses.

“With big companies, you get a lot of layers,” says Cathy. “Flex-Line is like a sheet cake, the kind your mother used to bake. We are a single layer, and very responsive. We can make things happen in the amount of time it takes you to figure out who to speak to at a larger company. Flex-Line is a ‘turn on a dime’ integration company known for customer service—we can even find a courier if need be.” A real business in the traditional sense, customers can call Flex-Line and get a real person, not a machine.

Friendly and attentive, the company likes things the way they are. This includes some main competitors also being among Flex-Line’s vendors, such as FlexLink. “They are both a competitor and a supplier for us,” Cathy shares. “What makes us stand out is, if you need something on a weekend and you call our office, it goes to our cell phones. Someone’s going to drive in, get a courier, check something, or get information for you. If you call a large company, you’re going to get an automated phone system saying, ‘Sorry, call us back on Monday,’” she says.

“Being small, and a family business, makes us able to respond, and that’s a significant advantage. You don’t do business for 40 years without figuring some things out.”

The post Rural Roots, Global Reach: Ingenuity & Innovation in Integration<p class="company">Flex-Line Automation</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

ESC began in the early 2010s as Energy Storage Ontario and was brought to life by various innovators in the sector who felt that national decision-makers should be more educated on energy storage technologies.

In the time since Rangooni signed on to his position in 2019, ESC has seen new energy storage projects announced across the country, both big and small, as well as ongoing energy storage procurement targets including contracts awarded up to 3000 megawatts in Ontario. He says the phenomenal growth in such a short period of time is indicative of the hard work of ESC and its members as they continue to strive to cement Canadian leadership in the industry.

While ESC focuses exclusively on energy storage—of all technologies and durations—it supports the industry through a range of services, including advocating for policy, providing education and resources, as well as offering networking opportunities for those involved in the conversation. “We think energy storage is central to Canada’s energy transition… without energy storage, it cannot happen,” Rangooni says. ESC is advocating for energy storage to be integrated to the grid at all levels—utility scale, distributed energy resources (DERs), vehicle-to-grid, and behind-the-metre (BTM), of all durations.

Rangooni says that energy storage does more than just storing renewable energy like solar, wind power, or tidal power; it also helps optimize sources like hydroelectricity, nuclear, hydrogen, and more. He believes that the ability and use of energy storage covers the entire energy landscape, not just certain areas, which is why energy storage resources are an increasingly attractive option.

The energy storage industry in Canada is strong. The growth and momentum of the industry has been exceptional in the past five years, reflecting the larger global trend of energy storage installations exceeding projections at every turn. The growing number of companies engaged in the energy storage industry across Canada is further evidence of the ever-expanding breadth of the sector. It is not just storage developers and battery manufacturers driving the scale of energy storage development, but the full end-to-end value chain, from utilities to electric vehicle manufacturers, EPCs to municipalities. Indeed, many more provinces and entities are seeing the growth of energy storage and viewing it as a critical tool.

ESC has over 100 members, a significant milestone considering that, only five years ago, the number of organizations under its banner was less than half of that. This growth is a reflection of the work ESC and its members have done to provide resources for energy stakeholders, including a report in 2020 providing an assessment of the value of energy storage to the Ontario power grid, a paper that set the stage for current procurement.

The organization has also done seminal written work on the contribution of energy storage resources to achieving Canada’s net zero goals by 2035, outlining how much energy storage would be required (around eight to twelve gigawatts), as well as providing Canada’s first estimates of that potential provincially. This year, ESC released its first long-duration energy storage (LDES) paper, analyzing the substantial potential of LDES to contribute to the realization of Ontario’s goals of economic development and decarbonization.

Advocating for energy storage is not without its complications, and ESC must contend with the simple reality that every province has its own energy policies and market regulations. Often the organization starts from the beginning to educate stakeholders, government representatives, and regulators on the benefits of energy storage through policy submissions, white papers, and advocacy to provincial governments and potential customers. The result is seeing some provinces such as Ontario, Alberta, and Nova Scotia setting procurement targets, where ESC and its members can continue to serve as a resource throughout the deployment and implementation.

Every province is essentially its own country in terms of energy policy and system planning, and as Rangooni says, not everyone is aligned on how to meet energy goals despite agreeing on issues like decarbonization. The challenge for ESC is to ensure that Canada maintains its clean energy advantage, while respecting each province’s responsibilities toward their own energy policies. It is an interesting balance to achieve, especially considering the diversity of energy resources deployed in each province.

Rangooni says that Ontario is currently the country’s leader in procuring energy storage, with a target of approximately 3,000 megawatts of short-duration energy storage to support its capacity needs, garnering worldwide attention. Alberta is another leading province, with over 100 megawatts of its first energy storage projects energized, connected, and providing value to the system. Rangooni says that Alberta was the first out of the gate for energy storage in Canada, but in a free market system like Alberta’s, it’s important to ensure market rules create a level playing field for energy storage resources to compete with other forms of energy generation.

Rangooni says that, with any infrastructure, there will always be questions to answer, and energy storage is no different. Currently, the most common questions ESC addresses are related to fire safety for battery energy storage systems (BESS). He explains that ESC has been able to bring in safety experts, including firefighters, to provide test data and regulations for battery source systems in North America, as well as Canada specifically, to reassure interested parties that, if these batteries are kept up to code, the risks are minimal and can be contained by safety features inherent to the containers.

Generally, Rangooni says, the Canadian public understands the advantages of energy storage, especially as an offset for intermittent resources such as solar or wind power. Energy storage resources enable excess inexpensive energy produced in the electricity system to be stored until later when the system demand is higher. Energy storage is also proving to be a bipartisan political issue, with both sides of the aisle interested in the value it provides.

ESC is working with governments and regulators to increase awareness of energy storage as a mainstream resource and tool for the energy system, normalizing the key role it plays. Long-term, the organization wants to ensure that emerging energy storage technologies such as longer duration solutions or different battery chemistries are being considered as well.

In the immediate term, ESC is looking forward to the upcoming Energy Storage Canada Conference, the biggest energy storage-dedicated conference in Canada, hosted October 8 and 9 at the Beanfield Centre in Toronto. The conference is focused exclusively on energy storage topics and provides a range of networking opportunities with the industry’s key stakeholders. “You need a dedicated organization like this to advance energy storage across the country,” Rangooni says, and ESC remains as steadfast as ever in its vision.

The post Expanding Energy Storage Nationwide<p class="company">Energy Storage Canada</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

At its core, sustainability is about using less. How many of us grew up with parents (apologies to all the dads) who scolded us for letting the faucet run while brushing our teeth instead of shutting it off or suggested—rather impolitely—we ‘put on a damn sweater!’ instead of turning up the thermostat? Likewise, leaving on the lights in an unattended room usually resulted in a lecture starting with, ‘Do you know how much our electric bill is every month?’

Fast-forward decades, and our parents are replaced by all levels of government. And although some of the ‘reduce energy’ lectures are about money, they are mainly about reducing our carbon footprint and saving the planet.

When basics became luxuries
Back in the ’70s, few of us worried about the essentials: water, food, and gasoline. Want a glass of water? Turn on the kitchen tap. Lawn looking a little dry? No problem. Put on the oscillating sprinkler for a few hours. And gasoline for massive, eight-cylinder cars? No issues. In America, a gallon of gas went up a mere two cents between 1969 and 1973, from 34 to 36 cents. All was good… that is, until the OPEC crisis, sometimes referred to as the Arab oil embargo.

Now relegated to history books, the October 1973 Arab-Israeli War saw Arab members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) introduce an embargo against the United States, South Africa, Portugal, and other nations in retaliation for America’s re-supplying Israel’s military. International relations were strained, along with supplies of oil. The price of oil almost quadrupled, from $2.90 USD a barrel to $11.65 USD in just a few months. Fuel was rationed, lack of supply was evident at the pumps, and the ripple effect kept on going. Gasoline prices between 1974 and 1975 skyrocketed from 39 cents per gallon to 53 cents, and kept on increasing. Only after months of negotiations did the embargo end in March 1974.

The OPEC crisis sent a clear message to North Americans: the days of dependence on cheap fuel were over, never to return. Many began questioning their massive, gas-guzzling vehicles. Almost overnight, mopeds—cycles with a small engine and pedals—were seen on city streets. Able to get over 100 miles (161 km) to the gallon, mopeds soon became best sellers as drivers realized how dependent they were on now-costly gasoline. Homeowners, paying more attention to their electricity and home heating bills, started exploring alternate sources of power, particularly solar energy.

Starting small
Today, it is impossible to discuss energy consumption without using words like “green” and “sustainable.” What was once the passion of environmental activists is now everyday conversation, especially in business.

There are many ways companies can reduce their carbon footprint. Some are modest, while others require massive investment. The simplest, and least costly, involves The Three R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Many enterprises, such as manufacturing, generate waste, but that doesn’t mean companies have to be wasteful.

Even small things, like repairing office furniture instead of buying new, keeps desks and chairs out of landfill. Likewise, purchasing supplies and products from local providers in large quantities means less fuel used for transportation, reduced carbon emissions, and fewer trucks on the roads making multiple trips. Some initiatives, like replacing light switches with dimmers and swapping out older, inefficient lights for LEDs, require investment, but it is one that pays off in the long run.

Another way to reduce one’s carbon footprint is with ESG software. Short for Environmental, Social, and Governance, such software programs are designed to help businesses measure and monitor their carbon emissions and implement ways to improve sustainability.

And although the COVID-19 pandemic caused chaos, it also forced companies to re-think how to conduct business, with many adopting hybrid work. Working and taking meetings from home became popular, and for companies, off-site workers often mean less energy wasted, since there is no point having lights, heating, and air conditioning on in every office if no one is there.

Investing in efficiencies
For business and commercial property owners seriously considering investing in long-term solutions, there are many options, starting with energy audits. While there are various ways of approaching these audits through registered organizations, the goal is to evaluate, test, and make recommendations to improve efficiencies by revealing ways properties are wasting energy. Many larger businesses today have designated sustainability officers, who often lead a team focused on identifying carbon emissions and achieving reduction targets.

Businesses and commercial property owners seeking to reduce their environmental impact can take advantage of various subsidies, grants, and other incentives. Likewise, homeowners can tap into programs like the Canada Greener Homes Initiative for transformative products, like switching from oil to heat pump technology. The Canada Greener Homes Loan provides up to $40,000 in interest-free financing, depending on eligibility criteria, for pre-retrofit stage renovations.

Commercial property owners can search various energy efficiency incentives via the Natural Resources Canada website. Described as “an online inventory of programs to promote the efficient use or conservation of energy at the end-use level and/or of the use of alternative energy in Canada.” Along with searching through ENERGY STAR® Rebates, an Incentives Directory, and specific Energy Efficiency Programs for Industry, businesses and property owners can find programs covering awareness and information, financial incentives, research and development, new construction, rebates, and more.

In Canada, there are also incentives for businesses making clean tech investments to improve energy efficiency and reduce their environmental impact. Depending on the level of government, these can include tax credits, wage subsidies, loans, funding, opportunities for collaboration, and more. Canada’s federal government also provides over two dozen Environment and Climate Change funding programs. Depending on eligibility, recipients can sign up for emissions reduction advancement programs, zero plastic waste initiatives, and other programs.

In the United States, President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan addresses several environmental goals, including reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 52 percent (from 2005 levels) by 2030, and limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The aim is to support clean energy industries, foster a climate- and sustainability-focused workforce, create more climate-resilient infrastructure and operations, and other green initiatives. Depending on need, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funds over $4 billion in grants and various assistance agreements.

For businesses big and small, much can be done to protect and preserve the environment. Basics like recycling, conserving and re-using water, adding insulation, and switching to energy-efficient lighting can be done without breaking the budget. And organizations who take up such initiatives will reap the benefits for years to come.

The post Balancing Sustainability and Profitability<p class="company">How Businesses Can Cut Their Carbon Footprints on a Budget</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

“Rural doesn’t equate to isolated,” Ann Broadwater, Director of Economic Development, points out. The county may only have 20,000 residents, but employers are able to draw from a workforce of around 1.3 million people from the surrounding area, which is easily accessible by Interstate 77. There are plenty of development spots—many of which are empty parcels owned by the county—within a mile of an interstate exit.

Indeed, “ease of access is one of the biggest selling points for us,” says Fairfield County Public Information Officer Gene Stephens.

Local leaders are taking an active role in attracting and supporting incoming employers. “Fairfield County is actively engaging in site preparedness and can offer a plethora of incentives in addition to a sense of place along with the pro-business attitude of the state,” Broadwater says. “We are active participants within the state’s Launch to Legacy program, helping businesses that locate in South Carolina continue to grow here. In fact, we had the first economic development announcement of the year, with Capital Concrete choosing a location that is currently undergoing construction in our Walter Brown II business park. We have had numerous industries expand within our county, showcasing how our county and state are ready for business,” she shares.

“Our community is coming together to invite growth—our council and administration and the community as a whole,” adds Stephens. “We’re just in the position where we want to welcome growth with open arms, and we want to be smart in how we navigate and direct the growth here in Fairfield County.”

One of the county’s most exciting new developments is the SCOUT Motors facility currently under construction. “Since the announcement of SCOUT, Fairfield has been launched to the top of mind of site selectors and prospective investors alike,” says Broadwater. “With the announcement of a potential 4,000 jobs nearby, there is a lot of interest in industrial and residential development within our county.”

The county is developing a 1,500-acre megasite that will include rail access and a new interchange for easier access to Interstate 77. “The I-77 megasite sets Fairfield apart because of the access a company would get from locating there,” Broadwater says. “It could also increase revenues for the county in an area that has room for manufacturing growth.”

Recently, the County completed a speculative building located in Fairfield Commerce Center. This 91,000-square-foot tilt-up structure is designed to expand to 250,000 square feet and has four dock doors, one of which is drive-in. Located in a class A, County-owned and controlled industrial park, the site is just three miles from Interstate 77 and has one-day ground access to 70 percent of the United States market. The facility is ideal for a single user looking to purchase a ready-to-go facility. “We built that so a company could come in and go ahead and start doing what they need to do,” quickly and efficiently, says Stephens.

Fairfield County has already had great success filling available spaces. “We have managed to bring over six manufacturers within the past few years because of our commitment to product development, ensuring that we have sites ready for build-out or up-fitting,” Broadwater says. “Companies have a need for speed-to-market and when they find an existing building in an attractive market ready for occupancy, it helps get product out to customers faster. When companies come for site visits, we ensure that they have everything they need to make an accurate decision on whether they can be successful in their operations. We ensure that all our sites have due diligence completed, removing risk from the decision-making process.”

The County markets available sites through the Palmetto Sites program and through Locate SC, South Carolina Commerce’s database of available industrial spaces. “By participating in these programs, it allows maximization of visibility while demonstrating that industrial use is the best possible use of the land that we are developing, with proven strategies offered by a professional opinion and analysis,” Broadwater explains.

Local leaders are staying a step ahead by ensuring there will be enough housing for the County’s predicted growth. Designed to recruit and retain teachers, the rent-controlled Village in Winnsboro is a new housing development for faculty and staff of the County school district. “The Village in Winnsboro gives teachers a chance to live close to work, spend their money locally, and save for a down payment on their own house,” says Broadwater. “This project shows how corporations, local government, school boards, and state legislature can work together to provide adequate housing to those in need.”

The community has been an enormous success. “We had way more applications than we could have possibly filled with those 16 homes,” says Dillon Pullen, President and CEO of the Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce. In response, the County plans to build additional houses within the community as soon as possible. In addition, local leaders have also put notable effort into developing the Lake Wateree area.

Fairfield County is also improving its downtown areas, which will make the area even more attractive to newcomers. The State of South Carolina has provided $2 million for downtown revitalization projects in the town of Winnsboro, to include building renovations and landscaping. In addition, a private company has purchased the old country club, which includes a hotel, and an old bank building for development as a multi-use facility. The town of Ridgeway is currently developing a museum that will welcome visitors soon.

Fairfield County isn’t just a location for incoming business and development; it is also a destination for tourists, particularly for its pristine natural landscapes. “When we look at statistics that we get from our regional tourism agency, when we get statistics as far as local sales taxes and A&H taxes, they all tell us that people love coming to Fairfield County to enjoy the outdoors,” says Pullen. “And that’s wonderful for us because it’s sustainable.” In fact, the number of visitors is expected to continue to grow. “I see that number rising and rising and rising, and I don’t see a plateau anywhere in the future,” he says.

The county boasts two large lakes with amenities and a wide range of outdoor experiences and trails, including the most popular access point for South Carolina’s cross-state Palmetto Trail, and Carolina Adventure World, one of the leading ATV parks in the southeast with over 100 miles of trails. In 2023, Carolina Adventure World added an outdoor concert venue that will host a three-day music festival this month that expects to bring in 20,000 people.

Tourists and locals alike flock to Lake Wateree State Park, the only self-sustaining state park in South Carolina. “During summer months, reservations for camping spots are usually made a year in advance,” says Broadwater.

The South Carolina Railroad Museum is another popular destination. The only train museum in the state where visitors can ride a train, the museum offers barbeque dinner rides, Santa train rides, Easter bunny rides, pumpkin patch rides, and open-air cars, as well as basic train rides.

The Fairfield County Museum, too, is an active part of the local community. “They specialize in conserving history and telling the story of our county since its inception in 1785,” Broadwater says. “In doing so, the museum has worked to increase the signage of all of our historical land markers.” The museum is home to The Fairfield County Genealogy Society, which improves access to genealogical information by maintaining an educational research center and sharing cultural, genealogical, historical, and biographical information.

With so many assets already in place, as well as a wide range of development underway, there is plenty for Fairfield County to look forward to. “The future of our county is bright,” Broadwater summarizes. “We see a growing and prosperous economy that will stand the test of time.”

The post Ready to Grow<p class="company">Fairfield County, South Carolina</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

The city has numerous exciting projects planned, including its new business accelerator program, CO.STARTERS, a entrepreneurship development group that has helped more than 19,000 entrepreneurs since 2008 navigate their startup journeys via courses, peer groups, expert advice, and local partners.

“We’ve contracted with CO.STARTERS to come in and train local facilitators to then put on a boot camp and accelerator 10-week program,” explains Liz Hannum, Director of Economic Development. This includes a weekend ideation session—vetting the idea for a business—which Hannum hopes to get 20 people through, along with a 10-week intensive program for 10 people, which is essentially the idea or pivot point or new venture within an existing business. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a brand-new business, but [we focus on] younger or pivoting businesses, featuring speakers or mentors every week talking about different topics.”

Essentially, CO.STARTERS is building 10 different contacts within the community of business, and offering the program in English, Spanish, and Portuguese all at the same time. “We’ve got an interesting setup that we’re going to try and see if it works,” Hannum says. “But it’s going to be so that we don’t have to do it in English and then translate and then translate again. We’re doing essentially a Zoom version, so everybody’s in the class, but they put on their headphones and they get to hear it in their native language. I don’t know if it’s going to work, but we’re certainly going to try.”

Slated to start sometime in the spring, Hannum is currently hiring for the position of who will run the program, reaching out to a variety of non-traditional business owners who can offer the programs in multiple languages.

Other plans include a two-mile boardwalk along Nashua’s riverfront which will surely enhance beauty and bring in new visitors.

“I’m so super excited about this one,” says Hannum. “Essentially, the mills have owned the riverfront for 200 years, and we’re finally taking it back as public space. We have an entertainment pavilion and several parks, with the boardwalk looping all the way around the river. Open already is the ADA wheelchair ramp, and we’re hoping to do a River Fest. We have a kayaking group in town that puts on a parade in their kayaks, a light parade in the winter, and a Halloween costume parade in the fall.”

The goal is to activate that space, to get it going in exciting ways in order to urge people to come visit and patronize businesses downtown, she adds. There will eventually be a whole two-mile loop, but this is currently phase one, planned to be ready in spring of 2025, with approximately eight more months of construction.

“I’m really excited about it,” says Hannum. “Being able to use the riverfront is fairly unusual in New England. Most New England towns kind of built along a river, but then the riverfront was either used as a business, like the mill, or [the town was] built further away from the river.”

This means Nashua will be one of the first communities to boast such an attraction, along with Boston, Cambridge, and Providence, Rhode Island, who have also managed to reclaim their riverfronts. “But we’ll be one of the first ones in New Hampshire to reclaim that space and make it active for the public.”

The exciting recent restart of the commuter rail project has also had a significant impact on the city’s future and on the day-to-day lives of its citizens. The planned route will travel from Lowell, Massachusetts to Nashua, New Hampshire along around 10 miles of MBTA rail. In addition to bringing numerous beneficial economic and social effects, it is likely to reduce traffic on the southern New Hampshire roads that connect Massachusetts, increasing the likelihood that young professionals will relocate to the Granite State.

By enhancing the current rail line and linking passenger service at Lowell, which currently provides MBTA service into Boston, the idea would effectively aim to restore passenger service. 10 miles of track between Lowell and Nashua would be studied.

“They’re actually doing a Nashua-first model,” says Hannum. “Its initial operating segment will be from Lowell to Nashua… The first segment is about 13 miles total, and we have engaged contractors to start looking at ridership opportunities and actual numbers of what it would cost.”

Phase two of that project is looking for grants and federal money to start actually building it. Initially thought to include a layover station in town, it turns out MBTA, who would be the operator, is going to build a layover station fairly close in Billerica, meaning Nashua wouldn’t have to do one of its own for this initial operating segment,” Hannum explains. “This will mean half the cost, maybe even less than half the cost. And we’re already estimating that we’ll have maybe 70 percent of the ridership that they thought would be all the way up to Manchester,” she says.

It seems like it’s going to be worth pursuing, she adds, especially since Nashua was just designated, with Manchester, as a tech hub by EDA, the Economic Development Administration. “We’re looking at potentially a new industry in the area that could represent 5,000 to 10,000 employees in the next 10 years. Public transportation is going to be the main support in that, because traffic is going to get worse if we don’t support public options.”

Rail travel is something that people in Nashua have been asking for, and an important factor in moving forward. With public transportation being such an important part of any development of an urban area, it’s especially vital to not put more cars on the road if it’s possible to avoid.

“Rail trail will be environmentally friendly. It will be less frustrating to drive yourself, I think,” says Hannum. “People, especially people from Nashua, will use it. We already have some data on it; we have a bus system, a $20 bus into the Boston Airport, and that is very well used. It goes straight into Boston. So I think that we’ll see a lot of users.” With a burgeoning population that travels for work, and a desire to avoid road traffic whenever possible, the commuter line is definitely something that will be well used for residents who both need and want it.

Other Nashua local tourism highlights for Hannum include the city’s recent $25 million, 750-seat Nashua Center for the Arts, built after two decades of planning. “It’s just about a year old now, and so we’re starting to see actual tourism, zip codes from outside of our community,” Hannum says. “We hope to keep building on that and see some tourist dollars being spent in our community, and I think that building that out in the future is going to be really important.”

The Center for the Arts was both a huge challenge and a significant accomplishment, she adds. Built to help create a healthier and stronger downtown economy, all while supporting local businesses and bringing in tourists, the Center’s planned venue for plays, music, and community events is geared for success.

Local challenges include housing, of course, adds Hannum. “But I think, for us, we have done a really good job of streamlining the process to build new housing. We’ve worked really hard to make that as smooth as possible and still provide the safety and infrastructure, all of those things that are required,” she says. “I think housing is huge, but it has been a good accomplishment. We have about 2,000 units that have been approved to build right now, and we have maybe 3,000 elsewhere in the process as well.”

However, the city has also seen spectators that go through the process and then want to sell their entitlements, so they’ve been sitting on those approvals. “If we can get developers that actually want to build, that would be good. I think housing is an issue everywhere; it’s crazy, so we really tried to make it easy. We would love to recruit new developers who actually want to do the project.”

With everything Nashua has to offer, there’s no doubt developers will continue to gravitate toward a location dedicated to not only improvement for its residents, but for businesses and local culture as well.

“Along with our smaller businesses, we have lots of really strong industry happening in town,” says Hannum. “We’re doing a lot of huge public improvement processes with the riverfront, which is a 20-year process. We’ve been investing quite a bit in making this a better place to be and I think we’re building a lot of momentum at the moment.”

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Conceived by CCRM as an ecosystem building strategy, combining manufacturing with access to capital and venture development, OmniaBio has spent the last year building greater capacity and capability. The proof of that effort is the October 2024 opening of a 120,000 square-foot plant in Hamilton, Ontario, to manufacture products for cell and gene therapies. The expectation is that this will be one of the most advanced biomanufacturing facilities in the world.

CCRM President and Chief Executive Officer Michael May says that CCRM is striving to be a global leader at the leading edge of cell and gene therapy, which represents the future of medicine. CCRM wants to “replicate what we’ve done in Canada with like-minded partners worldwide and facilitate a global collaboration between several CCRM hubs.” The introduction of CCRM Nordic last year in Sweden is a major step toward realizing a global network of commercialization hubs, coordinated from a headquarters in Canada that will ensure all hubs work together, synergistically, and that Canada benefits from its leadership.

While the goal is a considerable one in terms of size and effort, CCRM is confident that it can be achieved.

OmniaBio is an important part of this global hub strategy, particularly when it comes to enabling manufacturing capability and its critical role in establishing a sustainable ecosystem. The goal is to grow both CCRM and OmniaBio together into global players.

OmniaBio President and Chief Executive Officer Mitchel Sivilotti says that his organization will serve late-stage manufacturing in North America with differentiated capability and service offerings, aligning with CCRM’s global hubs to provide additional synergies. This is especially pertinent because the cell and gene therapy market is global, requiring creative solutions to complex manufacturing, logistic, and supply chain challenges.

“The gatekeeper to success in developing novel cell and gene therapies is manufacturability,” says May. Businesses succeed or fail on the back of their ability to make complex, living therapies in a robust and scalable way. This creates what Sivilotti says is a kind of churn—an ecosystem that leverages manufacturing capability into new companies that are developing faster and with more capital, which, in turn, will create future customers for OmniaBio. Tackling development gaps and creating a robust sustainable manufacturing pipeline is how CCRM and OmniaBio are working together.

A further collaboration between the two organizations saw the debut of LineaBio Inc. in July of this year. LineaBio will seek to develop and market critical source material for cell therapies through the launch of off-the-shelf induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines. Having these ready-to-use lines, which are Good Manufacturing Practices-compliant, will support domestic and international cell therapy developers by accelerating manufacturing timelines by > 12 months and reducing cell line development costs by up to 60 percent. In addition, these cell lines will be among the highest quality available in the industry.

May says that it has been a challenging couple of years for the cell and gene therapy industry. Access to capital for emerging companies has been limited, and the public markets in biotech are still recovering. He says, however, that the tide is turning, and both company development and the industry at large are improving. It is now a great time for emerging companies and scaling companies to access the capabilities of CCRM and OmniaBio.

Sivilotti says that sales pipelines are improving, but he predicts that growth and development will look different than it did before. Increased development and availability of advanced therapies in the market will lead to therapies that are more affordable and efficacious, which will drive further innovation in the industry.

Despite the economic downturn, CCRM and OmniaBio are attracting biotech and large pharma companies looking for late-stage manufacturing while they continue to support companies needing process development, analytical development, and clinical manufacturing. The OmniaBio facility, at McMaster Innovation Park in Hamilton, is the final destination of a “lifelong” engagement of these ventures in Toronto, Hamilton, and across the evolving global network.

May says that, when the regenerative medicine sector had more access to capital a few years ago, many companies invested in their own manufacturing before achieving pre-clinical data. Most of those companies are now trying to sell their unused facilities to pay for clinical development. “CDMOs like OmniaBio are the best way to mitigate manufacturing risk at early and late stages of development and even when products are approved for market,” says May.

The Canadian government has made significant investments into biomanufacturing this past year, particularly through grants to academia. CCRM is working diligently with several organizations to ensure that a collaborative, coordinated strategy emerges that leverages both government and private sector support, and the capability of CCRM/OmniaBio, which sits at the interface between both worlds.

CCRM looks forward to announcing the launch of new global hubs and several new companies this year, at the same time that OmniaBio plans to announce several strategic partnerships. Both are eager to see more risk capital enter the global markets, catalyzing further development of advanced therapies and a greater demand for biomanufacturing. To meet these demands, CCRM and OmniaBio continue to invest in developing innovative manufacturing technology platforms. In particular, OmniaBio is incorporating robotics and AI in its workflow to address market challenges and the high cost of cell and gene therapy manufacturing. These innovations will ultimately help to get lifesaving therapies into the hands of patients who urgently need them. The company is excited to launch its new Hamilton commercial site and onboard its first commercial customer with a ribbon-cutting and opening ceremony scheduled for October 17.

Through the ups and downs of catalyzing an industry at the frontier of medicine, CCRM and OmniaBio always keep today’s patient in mind. Both companies endeavour to continually emphasize the human end user of the therapies and treatments in all their current operations and future plans.

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