20 - Sunday, July 30, 1989 - North Shore News ee ee ee Ou SLANE TT EATER YOUNG COMPANIES ARE ON THE LEADING EDGE eM STINT FEELERS ae NR ENO SE OW NORTH SHORE know-how is turning North and West Vancouver into a high-tech haven for young companies powered by fresh and innovative ideas. Take a walk through almost any industrial or commercially-zoned block in either community and you'll find pockets of leading edge enterprises nestled in among the more traditional service and manufacturing concerns. For example,over on East First Street in North Vancouver, PCP Plasma Computer Products Cor- poration is fine tuning the devel- opment of a revolutionary new in- teractive digital computer display screen. On West Esplanade, The Canadian Liposome Co. Ltd. is pioneering research of an_ in- novative new method of delivering cancer-fighting drugs. Meanwhile on Marine Drive in West Vancouver, Octopus Precision Products is supplying locally- developed miniature hydraulic pumps to international automatic pilot manufacturers, On Clyde Avenue, Canflex Manufacturing Inc. designs and markets large air-filled lift bags used to raise sunken ships and structures from C.G.M. You remember, don’t: you? Ed Sullivan on Sunday — nights. Eddie Haskell was charming Wally's parents on ‘Leave It To Beaver’ Jackie Gleason was very big. And your TV. probably had arabbit car antenna on top. A: C.G.M_ we've technology in’ clectronics change dramatically .over 33 years. And we've managed to stay in tune with the times. Many of our current: products seen in North Vancouver when television sets _ had ears. 33 YEARS OF SOUND ADVICE ON THE NORTH SHORE C.G.M. SOUND & COLOR 1285 MARINE DRIVE, NORTH VANCOUVER — ACROSS FROM SAVE-ON-FOODS OPEN 6 DAYS A WERK, FRIDAY ‘TIL 9, 987-4323 or 987-3121 By MICHAEL BECKER News Reporter the ocean floor. An_ estimated 250 high-tech companies are active on the North Shore. The just completed North Shore Economic Development Commission’s (NSEDC) Science and Technology Company Project study reveals a thriving and ex- panding business sector. Said NSEDC economic devel- opment officer Bonnie Pyplacz: “The thing that surprised me is the wide variety of leading-edge com- panies we do.have here.”’ Of the companies interviewed for the study, 20 per cent produce computer hardware or electronic components, 13 per cent are active in the field of computer software, 13. per cent are involved in the chemical industry or are testing labs, 13 per cent are active as machine shops or as producers of precision instruments, 10 per cent opened such as VCR's and compact dises weren't even dreamed of in 1956. Some things never change though. Like the way we creat our customers. Never ina rush, Always with expert advice. And we always have the items we advertise or you peta rain check. Our success and growth is based on competitive pricing and the best service anywhere. We listen to our customers. NEWS photo "Mike Weekefield DBA COMMUNICATION Systems Inc. director of marketing services Maureen Hunter displays one of the North Vancouver company’s SmarTatk business telephones. The product, researched and developed locally, is one reason the high-tech telecommunications compary is locking forward to $10 million in revenues this year. produce manufacturing technology products, eight per cent are con- sulting services, eight per cent are involved in maritime services and products, five per cent make medi- cal products and five per cent are involved in importing technology products. Collectively, the companies market globally, empioy hundreds, and generate big money. Said Pyplacz: ‘‘A lot of these com- panies are world competitive and relatively invisible. They don’t just serve the Canadian market — it’s not big enough.”’ But the NSEDC survey also brought to light the need for more industrial and business space to , accommodate the growth antici- pated by companies already active on the North Shore. ‘‘It makes a lot of sense to put aside some land on the North Shore for high-tech,’ said Pyplacz. DBA Communication Systems Inc. is a homegrown, successful and growing company. Founded on the North Shore in 1979 by David Bensted, DBA is ‘‘bursting at the seams’’ at its present loca- tion. The telecommvnications company will be moving from its 8,000 square foot East 4th Street See Local Page 24