Anita Dr. Helbig GmbH celebrated their 10th birthday in Canada. Anita is a specialist for lingerie and swimwear. We wish you continued success in your pursuit of the perfect fit for women! Read More Bosch's presence grows in Waterloo: Bosch marked a significant milestone with the inauguration of its latest expansion through a grand opening event at its new office in Waterloo. The team in Waterloo specializes in pioneering software development, delving into the realms of AI, autonomous driving, automated parking, and advanced steering technologies. Read more Hörmann North America continues to invest in growth: This month, the groundbreaking event for a new, state-of-the art facility in Canada takes place. The site is in Oro-Medonte, Ontario, just a few kilometers from the company’s current manufacturing facility located in Barrie. In 2024, the Barrie operations will move to the new 120,000 sq. ft. facility. In addition to producing Hörmann North America’s high-performance rubber door line, Oro-Medonte will house sales and administration offices and is anticipated to employ over 120 people to start. Read more Phoenix Contact turns 100! Phoenix Contact is an independent, global market leader with headquarters in Blomberg, Germany. More than 20,000 people around the world develop, produce, and sell creative solutions in connection technology, electronics, and automation. The Phoenix terminals and Phoenix connectors are known worldwide. The Canadian subsidiary established its headquarters in Milton, Ontario, in 1983. Congratulations on this very special birthday! Read more PWO Canada is a German manufacturer of advanced metal components and systems in lightweight construction for automobile safety and comfort. Recently, PWO Canada unveiled a provincial funding of nearly $1.5 million to support their investment of $9.6 million when adding a new assembly line to their Kitchener facility. PWO's multi-million investment has not only helped to build a state-of-the-art assembly line but is also creating 27 jobs. Read more GOLDBECK SOLAR North America has announced the completion of a solar project in Youngstown, Alberta. Together with their joint venture partner Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE) Limited, they’ve created a solar park that will power ~1,900 four-person households with sustainable energy – a significant step towards renewable energy utilization in the region. Read more
BASF and StitchCrew announced the launch of the Indigenous Beauty Bootcamp, a program built to help empower Indigenous-owned brands, while fostering innovation and inclusivity in the world of beauty. Inspired by BASF Corporation’s Inclusive Beauty Accelerator, the program will provide hands-on coaching from experienced industry professionals in the personal care space and access to non-dilutive capital to support First Nations, Métis, and Inuk (Inuit)-owned brands in Canada while aligning with BASF’s progressive Aboriginal relations strategy. Read More The BURGER GROUP announced the launch of their new brand identity! As one of the leading system partners in the field of gearbox technology and mechatronics, the company solves drive tasks at the highest level. Click below to explore the website and discover the essence of BURGER GROUP. Read more A Heart for Science (AH4S) is an initiative launched by the Zeiss Group one year ago to awaken enthusiasm for nature and technology among young people. Since its launch, AH4S has witnessed remarkable growth, with the participation of over 300 ZEISS employees across more than 40 locations worldwide in over 30 projects. This month, German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier acknowledged and celebrated this remarkable voluntary commitment during the Bürgerfest (Citizens' Festival). Read more
Our member company, Miele Canada announced their 2023 impacts of the second annual Miele Forest initiative: Every Miele dishwasher purchase made between April 3 to June 30 contributed to the protection and planting of trees in local Canadian forests, resulting in the equivalent of 29,040 trees planted, or 2,904,000 kg CO2 captured. Read More In an interview, John Cappella, President & CEO of our member Porsche Cars Canada, introduced the Porsche Experience Centre, set to debut in the Toronto area next year. It will be the 10th in the world, but the first of its kind in Canada. It will provide Canadian Porsche enthusiasts the opportunity to experience Porsche products in spirited ways, and the design will include unique Canadian touches for a one-of-a-kind experience. Legacy Drives Innovation - An interview with John Cappella, President & CEO of Porsche Cars Canada (innovationstrategy.com) Our member company TeamWork, an internationally renowned group specializing in consulting, technological integration, and innovation, has taken a significant step by establishing a new office in Toronto. This strategic move aims to offer localized support to clients, prospects, and partners situated in Ontario. The new TeamWork Toronto office is conveniently situated at 77 Bloor Street West, Toronto. The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday, September 21, 2023, and you are invited! TeamWork Establishes New Office in Toronto to Provide Local Support German adventure driver, Rainer Zietlow and his cameraman, Elric Popp, achieved the Guiness World Record for the fewest charge stops to cross Canada in a Volkswagen ID.4 EV. They departed from St. John’s, NL on July 25th and arrived in Victoria, BC on July 31. Their journey covered a staggering 7,133 km in just seven days and a mere 18 charging stops to cross Canada. Read more
Our member company, Baymag, is thrilled to announce that they have financed and installed the largest solar array in the Municipal District of Bighorn at the Baymag plant in Exshaw, Alberta, together with the Bow Valley Green Energy Co-op (BVGEC) and KCP Energy. Read More Our member company Bosch plans to acquire Paladin Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Vancouver, Canada – a leading provider of security and life safety solutions and system integration services in North America. With the acquisition of Paladin Technologies, Bosch Building Technologies expands its system integration business by entering the Canadian market and increasing its US operations. Acquisition of Paladin Technologies: Bosch plans to expand its building services business in North America (bosch-presse.de) Our member company Condor celebrates one of the most significant milestones in the company’s 65-year history: the arrival of the long-haul A330neo aircraft in Toronto. The A330neo's eco-friendly design marks a significant stride in minimizing environmental effects. Condor's adoption of cutting-edge technology demonstrates its commitment to a more sustainable future in aviation. The new Airbus A330neo Cabin Design (condor.com) Our member company GOLDBECK SOLAR North America has secured a loan for the construction of new solar PV projects in Canada and Chile. The Canadian projects, situated in Alberta, boast capacities of 61 MWp and 8 MWp respectively and form part of a joint venture between GOLDBECK SOLAR and Pathfinder Clean Energy. GOLDBECK SOLAR secures €44m loan from RGREEN INVEST for 93 MWp in Canada and Chile (na.goldbecksolar.com) Seven of the world’s leading automakers, including our members BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz Group AG, are creating a joint venture to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles in North America. They are planning to develop a new, high-powered charging network with at least 30,000 chargers in urban areas and along travel corridors of Canada and the US by 2030. The first stations are scheduled to open in the summer of 2024. The stations will focus on an elevated customer experience with various amenities and use renewable energy. Seven Automakers Unite to Create a Leading High-Powered Charging Network Across North America (prnewswire.com) Pierre Boutin, CEO of our member company Volkswagen Group Canada, discussed the company's decision in an interview with the Toronto Star to establish their first EV battery plant in St. Thomas, Ontario. He emphasizes partnerships, sustainability, and job security, while addressing concerns about government subsidies and expressing confidence in the positive impact on manufacturing and carbon emissions. Volkswagen Group Canada’s CEO on why Ottawa’s $13.2-billion EV plant investment is worth every penny (thestar.com) Our member company SAP SE has recently made a groundbreaking move by investing into Canadian AI platform Cohere, a formidable rival to OpenAI's ChatGPT. This strategic direct investment in Cohere, along with similar investments in Aleph Alpha GmbH and Anthropic PBC, signifies SAP's dedication to embedding cutting-edge AI technology across its extensive portfolio and to enhancing its transformative impact. SAP Advances Vision of Business AI with Investments in Aleph Alpha, Anthropic and Cohere to Complement $1+ Billion AI Commitment from Sapphire Ventures (sap.com) Our member company, Siemens Canada, introduced its global open digital business platform, Siemens Xcelerator, in Toronto at Collision Conference 2023, aiming to rapidly and extensively leverage the benefits of digitalization for its Canadian customers. Siemens launches Siemens Xcelerator in Canada: an open, scalable business platform to accelerate digital transformation in industry and infrastructure (siemens.com)
Our member company, The Cultivated B, recently had an exciting interview with the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel about their bioreactors produced in Burlington, Ontario that enable a large-scale production of cultivated meat. Lebensmittel aus dem Bioreaktor: „In zehn Jahren kaufen wir kultiviertes Fleisch im Supermarkt“ (tagesspiegel.de) Our member company GOLDBECK SOLAR, a German-based leading provider of solar energy solutions, recently announced the rebranding of its North American EPC Division, formerly known as GP JOULE EPC North America. The rebranding is part of the company's efforts to better reflect their values, vision, and unique value proposition. It also marks the final step in the integration process following the acquisition of GP Joule North America by GOLDBECK SOLAR last year. Read the Press Release Steve McKersie, CEO of our member company Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP, talked about his people-focused strategic plan in an interview with Canadian Lawyer that has led the firm through dynamic changes in the legal industry. With a focus on strategic planning and prioritizing their people, Gowling WLG adapts to macroeconomic trends while addressing challenges such as mental health and burnout. Steve McKersie, CEO of Gowling WLG, on his firm’s people-first strategic plan | Canadian Lawyer (canadianlawyermag.com) Our member company SAMSON Controls Ltd celebrated its 40th-anniversary milestone - four decades of excellence, innovation, and valuable contributions to the industry and the city of Markham! Yvonne Denz, President and CEO of the Canadian German Chamber, Joseph Ferraro, CEO and President of SAMSON Controls Ltd and the City Mayor of Markham joined the celebration in the city of Markham on June 9. Here's to the next 40 years of continued success! SAMSON Controls Inc. Celebrates 40 Years of Excellence in Canada! (samsongroup.com) Pierre Boutin, President and CEO of our member company VW Canada, discussed Volkswagen's intention to manufacture their own batteries, highlighting the increased engagement with the global mining industry to secure the necessary materials for battery production in an interview with Electric Autonomy. He also emphasized the importance of adapting to new relationships with mining companies and charging networks. Exclusive: Pierre Boutin on the future for VW in Canada (electricautonomy.ca)
Joint Statement On the occasion of the second meeting of the German-Canadian High-Level Steering Group on Bilateral Cooperation in Ottawa on June 6th, and following the recent state visit to Canada by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Transatlantic Business Initiative (TBI), the Business Council of Canada (BCC), the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and the Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CGCIC) reaffirm the following policy priorities shared by the German and Canadian business communities. Germany and Canada have been close economic partners for many years. In these uncertain times, it is more important than ever for our two countries, and the European Union, to work together to strengthen economic and political cooperation and defend our shared values. Support for multilateral institutions and rules-based international commerce must remain at the core of European and Canadian economic and trade policy. Our countries are contending with serious challenges. The pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine disrupted international supply chains and revealed dangerous dependencies. The conflict in Ukraine threatens peace and stability in Europe and has disrupted energy supplies. However, Russia’s belligerence has fostered international cooperation among like-minded countries on a scale not seen since the end of the Cold War. Business leaders in Germany and Canada stand ready to do their part in helping to overcome these challenges. To that end, we urge closer cooperation between our countries in the following areas: Trade and investment: We welcome the German Bundestag’s decision in December 2022 to ratify the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). This sends an important signal to other EU countries. Once fully implemented, CETA will deepen economic integration and provide greater certainty for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. Meanwhile, recent investment decisions have brought Canada and Germany closer together. Energy and climate: Hydrogen and its derivatives will play a critical role in decarbonization efforts around the globe. While markets for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen are still in their infancy, increased Canada-Germany cooperation has the potential to accelerate the hydrogen market ramp-up in both countries and support international hydrogen trade. Although Germany has successfully eliminated its dependence on Russian energy and increased its capacity to import LNG, Europe’s energy crisis is not over. By speeding up the deployment of Canadian LNG export facilities, Canada could help keep European industry running and households warm next winter and beyond. The Hydrogen Alliance established in August 2022 is a strong example of how Canada and Germany can create the supply chains necessary to accelerate the energy transition. Business leaders stand ready to work with policy makers to develop the supply chains required to advance energy transition in Germany and the EU. Critical minerals: Germany and the EU are seeking to diversify their supplies of critical minerals by building resilient and sustainable supply chains with trusted and reliable partners. Canada is rich in mineral resources and has much to offer. The Government of Canada is committed to enhancing Canada’s capacity at every stage of the critical minerals value chain: exploration, mining, processing, manufacturing, and recycling. We strongly support these efforts, recognizing that German and Canadian competences and services can complement one another. Boosting the supply of critical minerals for the green and digital economy will require: detailed mapping of potential exploration and processing projects in Canada or with Canadian investment in other countries; a clear understanding of regulatory approval and permitting frameworks and infrastructure requirements; exchanges on the mutual recognition, referencing or equivalency benchmarks of sustainability standards in the mining sectors in Canada and the EU, both to facilitate self-assessments and to reduce costs for 3rd party validation audits; and Financing and de-risking instruments from both the German and Canadian governments. Key enabling technologies: Public and private investments in semiconductor production are urgently required to meet current and future demand. To this end, we welcome investments by the Government of Canada in photonics and semiconductor manufacturing, and those within the framework of the EU Chips Act. Semiconductors are essential to the world’s green transition and to a wide range of intelligent and energy-efficient technologies. In support of this transition, Canada and the EU should: refrain from any attempt to set up closed semiconductor value chains in their respective jurisdictions, instead fostering closer cooperation in this field; ensure equal market access and competition conditions that enable a level playing field, which is beneficial for companies both in Canada and Europe; and, promote international standardization efforts in the field of semiconductors. At the same time, Canada, Germany, and the EU should enhance research cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other key enabling technologies. We urge our governments to create a more favourable business environment by speeding up permitting processes for energy and natural resources projects and expanding opportunities for the funding of related infrastructure. As business organizations on both sides of the Atlantic, we know that closer international cooperation makes our economies stronger and contributes to a higher quality of life for all citizens. We will continue to support and defend the rules-based international order while working to overcome the many challenges we face. We look forward to working with our respective governments in pursuit of these objectives. About the BCC, CCC, CGCIC and TBI Founded in 1976, the Business Council of Canada (BCC) is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization representing business leaders in every region and sector of the country. The Council’s member companies employ more than two million Canadians, contribute the largest share of federal corporate taxes, and are responsible for most of Canada’s exports, corporate philanthropy, and private-sector investments in research and development. Through supply chain partnerships, service contracts and mentoring programs, Business Council members support many hundreds of thousands of small businesses and entrepreneurs in communities of all sizes, in every part of Canada. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC) is Canada’s largest and most activated business network — representing 450 chambers of commerce and boards of trade and more than 200,000 businesses of all sizes, from all sectors of the economy and from every part of the country — to create the conditions for our collective success. The Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CGCIC) is a not-for-profit organization that has been supporting German and Canadian companies in almost all areas of international trade for over 50 years. Recognized by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action as the official representative of German trade and industry in Canada, and the primary contact for Canadian and German companies wishing to do business in each other’s countries, we provide services, networking, and education to help these businesses thrive. The Transatlantic Business Initiative (TBI) was established in 2021 to support closer transatlantic economic relations. It serves as a link between German business and the governments of Germany, the United States and Canada as well as the EU’s institutions. The initiative is supported by four business associations: the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA) and the Association of German Banks (BdB).