2009-11-19 - Even before the signs were installed, the word was out: ABB in Canada has put down roots in Newfoundland and Labrador with the opening of a permanent office in St. John’s.
Local customers will benefit from expanded support under the guidance of Clar Dwyer, senior manager, corporate development, and Don Belyea, regional account manager, Atlantic Canada, both located in the new St.John’s office.
“We are very serious about establishing a more significant presence in the area,” Dwyer said. “We now have excellent proximity to our existing accounts and are in a very strong position to serve new customers.”
ABB has played an important role in the offshore extraction of over a billion barrels of crude oil since 1997. In recent years, ABB has provided offshore customers with engineering as well as ongoing maintenance support from its Nova Scotia-based Dartmouth office. The new St.John’s office allows an increased local presence in a rapidly growing economy with several new major capital projects underway.
The company also supplies transformers and electrical systems to Newfoundland Power and Newfoundland & Labrador Hydro, and is a preferred supplier to other high-profile projects, including the Hydrometallurgical processing plant and Voisey's Bay project in Newfoundland & Labrador.
Belyea works primarily with oil and gas accounts, but said that he is also optimistic about the reemergence of the pulp and paper industry in the region, especially New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. “We are strategically focused on building our business across the industrial, utility and mining sectors, and have already acted on a number of opportunities,” he said.
“Clar and I make a good team with a great deal of experience between us, and a strong foundation to work from,” Belyea continued. “ABB’s market leadership for oil and gas in this region has been earned over many years. Customers are comfortable with our power and automation capabilities. The feedback about our recent move into the area has been very positive.”
Dwyer agrees, adding that, “ABB has always valued its customer base in Newfoundland and Labrador; now we are taking that commitment to the next level. By establishing an office in the province, we are able to bring ABB’s expertise and innovations directly to the doorsteps of our customers.”
The ABB St. John's office is available to support other ABB personnel when coming into the province to promote ABB products or solutions . The office number is: 709-722-6005 or 709-722-5962.