Thomson report

Beginning in the early 1960s, entrepreneurs started companies in the Okanagan region to develop innovative products using composite materials. These entrepreneurs found that the combination of a low humidity environment, a network of readily accessible lakes for testing boats and other related recreational products, and a relatively low cost labour market created an attractive environment in which to manufacture products using composite materials.

The nascent composite industry in the Okanagan region received a significant boost in the early 1970s when the federal government provided financial incentives to establish a plant to manufacture materials to support the emerging composite industry. The Ashland Canada plant, located in Lake Country, remains an important component of the regional infrastructure supporting the composite industry in the Okanagan.

Today, there are 47 companies in the southern interior of British Columbia, the largest composite cluster west of Manitoba, engaged in the manufacture and distribution of products using composite materials.

Over 95% of the manufacturing activity occurs in the Okanagan Valley between Osoyoos in the south and Sicamous in the north, with lesser manufacturing activity in Cranbrook, Kamloops, Nelson and Trail.

The emerging cluster of companies in the composite manufacturing sector is greatly enhanced by the presence of an international airport in Kelowna and the educational and research infrastructure represented by Okanagan College, The University of British Columbia’s Vancouver and Okanagan campuses, and Thompson Rivers University.

Collectively the 47 companies represent:

Approximately 1 million sq ft (95,000 m2) of manufacturing capacity

Employing 1,278 full time employees

Total annual revenue of $258 million

Approximately 90% of production is exported outside of the region, resulting in an inflow of more than $232 million into the region, creating further employment and economic value. The gross economic benefit to the region is in the order of $690 million, using an economic multiplier of three typical of the manufacturing sector.

The idea of the Okanagan Composites Manufacturing Group came about as the result of work that was being done in parallel, but unbeknown to each other, by David Jones, then Industry Liaison Officer with UBCO, and Peter Jeffrey, the past President of FormaShape. This was over two years ago.

Jones was looking at companies in the Okanagan Valley that were in composite manufacturing from the point of view of research and development between the industry and the university. While individual companies may not have the resources on their own, perhaps working together common R&D projects could be tackled by pooling resources, expertise and equipment.

Jeffrey had the vision of establishing a composite industry cluster here in the Okanagan Valley, the largest in British Columbia, to be the center of excellence of composite manufacturing in Canada, as well as the creation of a composite research centre to champion innovation and change in the sector.

When Jones and Jeffrey met and discussed what each was doing, they immediately decided to pool their resources.

Industry clusters have been very successful in Europe and, closer to home, in Montreal. There is already a composite cluster in Manitoba known as the Composites Innovation Center (CIC).

With Jones’ and Jeffrey’s leadership, a Steering Committee was put together, named the Okanagan Composite Manufacturing Group or OCMG. It is this group of people who worked together to draft a very preliminary business plan to create a research network centre here in the Okanagan. With some initial funding from the local IRAP – NRC office, a detailed business plan has now been completed with the purpose of applying for material funding for a composites research network centre. So that brings us to where the industry at large has been consulted and is now involved, a detailed business plan written, and the first few research and development projects having been identified.

Interim funding has again been supplied by IRAP – NRC to launch the Composite Research Network. The next step in this process is to bring on a full-time Executive Director for the Composite Research Network and fund the first research project. A search is currently underway to fill this position of Executive Director and potential candidates can let their interest be known by sending their resume to [email protected].