Timmins looking to survive beyond Kidd Met: Timmins' task force looking to participate in Cliffs resources chromite plans.

• Author: Stewart, Nick
• Position: SKILLED TRADES

Like many in the Timmins business community, Novenco Consultants Limited's Erik Hoffman sees the impending May shutdown of processing facilities at Xstrata Copper's Kidd Metallurgical site as an "opportunity to diversify."

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

As a provider and servicer of acid refractory firebricks, specialty coatings, and industrial supplies, Novenco counted the Met site as one of its biggest clients. While the company will continue to do work related to the site's concentrator, and is under contract to provide slings and chokers to the mine, the move is motivating Hoffmann to look at alternative markets.

He expects to explore areas and industries that he has not quite considered, including potential clients in the red-hot gold market. He's also looking at concrete-related work for municipal clients, especially in southern Ontario.

"We always had enough here to keep us going, but unfortunately now we have to spread out a little bit," says Hoffmann.

"But make no mistake about it, though: our branch in Timmins is still going to be here, we're still going do the work, and we're still going to do what we have to do. I just have to travel a little more, that's all, and being a contractor, that's what life is all about."

Novenco, whose Sudbury headquarters are run by his father Norbert, has also been forced to put the brakes to some expansion plans. Although additional land was purchased in 2009, the company's plans to build larger facilities have temporarily been put on hold while it tries to remain "size-appropriate" in the wake of the economic uncertainty surrounding the Met site.

Still, Hoffmann is staying positive. Contracts are underway to complete infrastructure work for Timmins, and Novenco will continue to do work for Xstrata's Horne smelter in Rouyn-Noranda as it has for the last seven years.

"As a contractor, life is about ups and downs, but as long as you do your business well and you're honest, you'll always succeed," Erik says.

Although he's glad to see this kind of perspective from the business community, Mayor Tom Laughren is intent on doing something to make sure Timmins firms stay afloat. He's working on brainstorming ways to see the Kidd Met site used for something that could maintain local business and local jobs.

With access to rail, water and power, the plant still offers "huge opportunities." To examine those opportunities, a task force has been struck between the city, the Timmins Economic Development Corporation and...