During the Alstom networking days held on June 13 & 14, more than one hundred firms from across Québec and elsewhere gathered at the Auberge de la Rive to attend the networking days dedicated to the supply of the Montréal metro by Alstom and its suppliers. There was great excitement!

Organized to maximize the Québec content of the contract awarded by the Société de Transport de Montréal (STM) last November, these industrial networking days gave firms the chance to meet Québec suppliers of parts and components and major suppliers that qualified as such for Alstom. To organize the event, the Centre local de développement (CLD) of Pierre-De Saurel worked in concert with the Specialty Vehicles and Transportation Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (AMETVS) and directors of the interregional table for transportation ACCORD niches that have selected transportation equipment manufacturers as well as subcontractors of the industry who were seeking to join the supply chain of the Montréal metro.

Close to one hundred businesses attending the event had the opportunity to book one to three business meetings lasting 15 minutes each with buyers at Alstom. At the same time, many stakeholders such as the CLD, the city of Sorel-Tracy, the Centre local d’emploi, the Orienthèque and the Centre de formation professionnelle and Cegep of Sorel-Tracy, were promoting their region and answering questions that visitors from other regions had.

In his opening address, Mr. Jacques Larue, General Director for the Montérégie Region at the Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade (MDEIE) mentioned Alstom’s dynamism and dedication to invest in Montérégie and its will to team up with Québec suppliers. As a reminder, he also mentioned that 60% of the content of the metro cars will be Canadian which adds up to a project total of 1.3 billion dollars.

Mr. Sylvain Simard, Member of Parliament for Richelieu and President of the Commission de la culture said: “The region is ready to engage into the project but needs everyone’s involvement; it needs the business community to participate in its growth.”

During the event, Mr. Serge Mai, in charge of the contract for the Bombardier Alstom consortium and Mr. Claude Lambert, Vice-President, Alstom Hydro-North America were present and talked about the cooperation that will link both Alstom Power and Alstom Transport divisions to carry out this major project.

Mr. Daniel Gendron, President of the CLD concluded with these words: “I would like to thank Alstom for the economic expansion boost it gives our region, and our government partners – ACCORD Program and the MDEIE – as well as the AMETVS for bringing together all these entrepreneurs right here through this event. The CLD as host organisation and gateway to the region for companies wishing to implement their business, as well as companies of the region seeking to expand, proudly supports development projects and assists companies in meeting their different needs!”

In turn, Mr. Denis Robillard, Chief Executive Officer of the AMETVS, restated that “our Association works in concert with all major stakeholders of the industry to maximize the percentage of Québec content in this contract.”

Let us mention that the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) signed in October 2010 with the Bombardier-Alstom consortium the contract for the acquisition of 468 cars for the Montréal métro, for which certain parts of the new metro cars will be manufactured in Sorel-Tracy; this should create about a hundred jobs.