GSDC eyes Europe as trade with U.S. reaches saturation.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: SPECIAL REPORT: GREATER SUDBURY - Greater Sudbury Development Corp

With Canada-United States trade activity approaching the saturation point, the Greater Sudbury Development Corp, wants to promote investment and technology transfer opportunities with eastern Europe.

Paul Finley, international trade adviser for Greater Sudbury Development Corp., says partnership opportunities exist for local hosts--"consortia"--to establish joint ventures with German firms looking to establish a beach head in North America.

Finley says the City of Greater Sudbury, which first ventured into the former East Germany four years ago and later signed an economic partnership agreement in 2002 with Barnim County, is expanding its "sphere of activity," as well as adding more partners across Northern Ontario.

"What began in Barnim (in Brandenburg state) extends to no less than four German states and is also leading us to some relationships in Poland."

Greater Sudbury's German initiative has attracted interest from other Northern Ontario partners, including Timmins, North Bay, Parry Sound, LaCloche-Manitoulin and the Waubetek Business Development Corp.

One of the best-known international joint ventures is the Re-Power initiative to build German-designed wind turbines in Sudbury for the North American market.

Finley says there are more potential international relations involving Neureka!, a Sudbury biotech company, and Science North Enterprises with some German investors.

"Science North has been doing a lot of prospecting over there and we're continuing to work with them."

Sudbury's Cambrian College and College Boreal are also working on various educational initiatives with potential deals in the offing.

One prospective opportunity involves a German company that has developed new aviation technology for monitoring aircraft performance systems.

The sensor system, that monitors an aircraft's operating systems, can be radioed back home using cell phone technology. Finley says it would be an ideal technology transfer product for aircraft charter companies or flight schools that can be built here for the North American market.

"We're talking to three or four companies in the North about hosting their technology and certifying it for the Canadian market."

Finley is working out the details to host a German trade delegation in March or April, while a Sudbury-Northern Ontario mission to Germany is tentatively scheduled for next fall specifically targeting sectors in biotechnology, information, communication technology...