PROMOTIONS ANDRÉ
 PAGEAU INC.

A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDUSTRIAL and MANUFACTURINC COMPANIES

By Jacques Bélanger

The 12th edition of the Salon industriel de Québec, which was held October 3, 4 and 5 at the Centre de foires de Québec, gave more than 500 companies, covering a surface area of 125,000 square feet, the opportunity to create more awareness for their new products. More than 9,000 people walked through the doors.

In the case of Scies Acme Ltée, a company specialized in metal cutting machinery, the clientele is very targeted. "Many visitors told us that they had come here expressly to see us to find out the latest developments in this field. We therefore brought with us six saws as well as a digitally-controlled wire bender, a digitally controlled tube bender and a manual tube bender with an electronic push-button stop," explained Mr. Michel Kannage, the president of this company that employs 25 people in Québec. "At the Salon industriel, we were able to meet with several potential clients. It is therefore a great opportunity for us to present the excellence of our products and the growing evolution of technology in this sector."

The Tradeshow: Staying Up to Date

Located on Godin Avenue, in Vanier, near Québec City, BOC Gaz is specialized in the sale of industrial and medical gases as well as welding products. For Mr. Marc Fontaine, head of the technical department, his participation in the Salon industriel de Québec allows him to maintain a follow-up with his clientele. Throughout the tradeshow, I saw well-ordered traffic where a large number of the visitors were customers who came to find out what new products have just made it to the market. We therefore have a lot of interest in participating in an activity such as this one." In addition to the industrial gases and welding products, BOC is also a distributor of workman's clothing, as well as first aid kits. The company has approximately fifty employees in Québec.

For Mr. Denis Poulin, sales director for Emballages Go Packaging, the Salon industriel allowed him to make some very interesting sales. "Tuesday was a rather slow day, but after that I sold four large pieces, which is quite rare. I also received 48 serious business opportunities, a number that should be in the fifties by the end of the tradeshow." Emballages Go Packaging, specialized in fastening systems, works notably in the wood processing and food processing sectors. "The company has a hundred or so employees in Canada, including twenty al its plant in Saint-Laurent, near Montréal.

We heard the same from Entreprises Larry, specialized in the leasing, selling and installation of compressors. Mr. Martin Gagnon, a technical advisor, appreciated the amount of traffic at the tradeshow and was able to establish some interesting contacts with certain companies that seem to be interested in Larry's products. “I met with numerous interesting potential clients, several of which are interested in our energy-saving program that we have in partnership with Hydro-Québec." Mr. Gagnon wanted to specify that this type of system is good for companies of every background. Entreprises Larry, which bas a subsidiary in Princeville, employs 85 people.

A Continuous Flow of Visitors

For Mr. Hugo Clarke, engineer and head of the Eastern Québec technical department for the company Lincoln Electric, the tradeshow presented a continuous flow of visitors, which allowed him to be more available to the people who came to consult with him. "Lincoln Electric is a company specialized in the designing and manufacturing of arc welding equipment, welding consumables, welding robotic systems and plasma cutters. And even though we sell directly to manufacturers and not to consumers, our clients come to see us to get information, which allows us to maintain our business ties."

Lastly, MCI met with Mr. Réjean Potvin, president of E.M.U./Ryder, a company specialized in forklifts and storage equipment, who enjoyed his experience. "There is a great atmosphere at the Salon industriel de Québec. I also noticed that the visitors were more informed and more serious than in the past. You can tell by the type of questions being asked. We also welcomed several students, especially at the beginning of the tradeshow, and we took the opportunity to establish a contact with them, since they will be our clients of tomorrow."

Several other presenters we met with also expressed their satisfaction with the results they obtained at the tradeshow and told us they were happy they had attended this event with their products and services.