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W‘A'l'ltRl.tM)CHRONlCLE . Monday November I!) 20H '17 ' IlldllStl'y leaders ' . - SWQIICO Ltd. proves local manufacturers can compete m tough markets BYBOB ViuMNAi: ‘ - “That‘s the reason we have the . 7 g Chmnlclf’ 51417 __ 7 big name brands in Nonh America. . It's not because we‘re the cheapest dvanced manufacturing is ‘ because we're not, but it‘s because Aalways touted as the wave ' we stand behind our product. ofthe future that will power we've been here forever, and we Ontario's export economy and knawwhat we'retalkingabout.” lead to prosperity. The plan is to expand the Steel- A Waterloo company called Flex product used In their over- Swenco ltd is proving that future ._ shoes that allow visitors and others Is now with Its innovative products 41% fit: ,. touring factories to simply slip on and its push into the European . at ,‘ their product overthe shoes they’re market with certification approval . : 5 '~ . ,ffvt', ' v“ - wearing and proceed through pro- tor its new Steel-Flex steel toe over~ f‘ »' Mimi , ' ~13, v; duction areas. shoe. ._ l n./ ~ “ ‘ Sweeny, who is an avid fisher, Swento ltd has been in busi- , 7: sees the technology someday ness loudly tor :32 years. and is one ” ‘ being incorporated In boots and oi the siile survivors of what was 5 ' waders that people put on when once a thriving loi'al shoe, boot , they go in stream, lt provtdes star ' and tootwear industry l-oiinded by , .. "9-. , ' bility to the footwear they‘re weary Derry and Una Sweeny in 1962, the i 1' i, . . '_.‘-_ ' mg while protecting them from ioinpany is now run by their son. i; ' by“: ,- 1' , 7‘ sharp rocks and other dangers. ' l’.iul Sweeny. who has brought , ~ 7 Mpg ’ i “We realized that a lot of our innovation and new product devel- ' ‘ , ‘ "t; f; ., ._ ' customers only knew us for the opiiietit to the manufacturer of ‘3’?” ”1;. » ' product they bought us for even protective footwear products . n»- ‘a ..j “ though we make a bevy of compo- Sweeny, president and owner of V -.2 ’, t " .41"; ”if 3? g b; 7 . nents.” said Rowlands. “We Wanted - the company, said the reason that ' 7 > "in g “a“ to show them everything we did they‘ve remained relevant was by ‘ . ' . ' ’ j ' ' " " ,V __ and for us to grow we took one of i)t'( inning Industry leaders in pro ' . . (A a; 3'3- our biggest Strengths which is our siding steel ioinponents for safety ‘ \ .112“ .1: Steel~Flex name and hopefully has shoes and boots to the big siippli ‘ “3‘33. ‘ “ \_ z ' ._ .. people coming to retail and asking * x‘ 1" . w ‘ f th tn e. (rs . m or a am "lhere was time a \‘lhrdnl show 3 ‘ "That in turn Will build our indiistn in this ltllllllilllllU that Swenco Ltd assistant general manager Matthew Rolands and President and owner Paul Sweeny Show offtheir brand and build the recognition." employed almost 10,000 people in newest product, the Steel-Fleur steel toe overshoe After receiving Certification Europe destgnation for the prod- "Even on a pair of boots. people the 1950s, with fat tones like Raul on, they're hoping it gives them a toehold in the important European market no: woman may) will ask if it has Steel-Flex. and man. Greb." said Sweeny “We ' retailers Will be able to say yes it started making steel shanks "We (hanged With our industry China. and still compete with so that‘s where our focus has been does." said Sweeny bet aiise our customers were right and started exporting to Philip- manufacturers over there," said "We put about [5 to 20 per cent The big test comes In breaking down the road and we supplied pines, Korea and Japan. Now 80 per fiweeny. “Now we're all about Inno- of our sale back into R&D because into the European market which is millions of products over the year tent of what we make here is vation and looking at new prod- we're trying to push this industry the last great untapped market for to Kodiak and the (.reb and ham exported out of(anada ' iitts and markets“ forward to levels where it's not the local advanced manufacturer man factories " l‘bere was also a constant ( om "For us to compete With the fly right now. " More than two million manufac~ but as those operations moved mitment to investing money hat k hyrnight Asia factories we have to That's all culminated in the turing enterprises operate In the offshore to take advantage of into researth and development at differentiate ourselves," said arms Steelâ€"Flex product the company European Union according tti stats theaper labour, Swenco kept spe the ionipany to (tintinue to be at rant general manager Matthew hopes to make synonymous With collected by l-iumstat iiali/Ing in iomponents for safvtx the t titling edge of industrial Holands, who joined the company safety footwear earn brand rerogr "icy hope their European certi- and opened up other markets for design and prot esses and lead the three years ago and has been lead- nition like Gore-Tex does in outer fication gives them a toehold In their produt ts «(inversation on safety advani e ing some of that innovation "That wear and apparel. that market "We started with steel shanks inents in the Industry means adding technology. or Rkl) "If we can become leaders in "We've got the sinker now. so and moved into steel plalt's and "We‘ve automated the heik out into produt ts that netessarily the technology Involved in our now it‘s a matter of how we can opened a venture in ( ltiiia in of our operation here, so we ( an haven't had them Industry that puts us in a good crack that egg," said Sweeny "l 200$," said \Wt‘t’tiV still make steel plates in Waterloo. “Steel toes haven't come anyr posrtion," said [lowlands ‘Naw we know they‘ve been pretty national “We do over six or sew-Ii million Ontario and export them to Viei where In H) or 40 vears, same with become a thought when people istit over the years. but this will pairs over there this year nam. Bangladesh. Cambodia and plates and non metallic materials, stan sourcing their product. give us a way in now," - - mm - w ' j d the M”- - ., "at, :7. _ a re ust aroun . grain/Him“ mmmmmhumu MormBodyomPant M“."’°'Km",,d “MMQMflnh-ndm . . . - '~ SNCEIVO “My, Speaalizin In 0,. “$ng ‘ Glanm o- EUROPEA ‘JnZerasso-d (ollision ' “inn“ ‘ ‘ i /" III-.4“ AUTOMOBILES QM” -‘ ”a" " Au” .1 "'9‘" L“ tumult-Ina