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Papers producers beat path to N.

Measurex Devren dees business worldwide

By lan Nobje News Reporter

WHEN the world’s biggest paper mak- ers look for improvements to efficiency and quali- ty, they peer north or across the oceans to North Vancouver, home of Measurex Devron.

The Brooksbank Road company manufactures control systems to improve the quality and uniformity of paper prod- ucts, from the softest tissue paper to the coarsest card- board.

“This is what we help make better,” said enthusiastic com- pany general manager Ronald Powell, extending his hand and offering his business card

“Paper.” : » As sheers of paper churn through up to nine-metre wide machines at —-:1,700 metres .. a minute, Measurex sys- tems measure items such as the —_ paper’s weight, color, opacity, moisture content and thickness, to within less than one micron, said Powell.

To provide an idez of how exact that is, he said a sheet of newspaper is approximately 80 microns wide.

Paper. products must be uniform, said Poweil.

“That is a challenge. If you're way off what your specs

. are.for the paper you've gor to "scrap it,” he said. “That costs big bucks.” ~ By: constantly measurin the paper as it passes through machines: that require invesi- ments of up to $500 million, improvements can be made _and the finished product will ‘be produced faster and better, which is important in any tightly competitive marker, he said,

Measurex Devron’s sys- tems, which cost anywhere

_ from $250,000 to $1 million, “have traveled the globe and

found their way onto every

“world-class” paper making machine on the planet, includ-

“ It made the single largest order ever from. Japan for the growing local company. ”

ing Saudi Arabia, Europe, Asia, South America and) North America, said Powell.

In fact, said Powel, more than 85% of the 300 fully assembled systems made cac year by Measures means measurement vxcel- lence} move across Canada’s borders.

Powell is preparing to embark on his tweltth trip this year to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Nippon Paper, he said, is building the second-lurgest paper making machine in Japan, and Measurex is build- ing the measurement control devices.

It marks the single largest order ever from Japan for the growing local company.

The company’s export push

has been so successful, it’s drawn the attention of the Employment and Investment Ministry, which hands out the B.C. Trade Export Awards through the B.C. Trade and Investment Office. The awards, said the provincial government, honor and encourage the creativity and perseverance of local com- panies that show leader- ship in the export field. In 1996, Measurex Devron was one of seven B.C. companies receiv- ing the nod for the award.

“These companies have done more than _ increase export sales. They have put forward strategics for market- ing unique B.C. products and broached new markets with ingenuity and determination,” said Investment Minister Dan Miller:

Measurex Devron itself has demonstrated ingenuity mar- keting new products against competition from large mult- nationals, said B.C. Trade.

The exports originate from the 120,000-square-foot facili- ty on Brooksbank, one of four North Shore facilities the com- pany operates.

The Brooksbank factory includes research and develop- ment facilities, administration offices and an 80,000-square- foot manufacturing area.

Measurex Devron is a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Valley-based Measurex,

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a firm that pulled in US$335 million” in revenues in 1995. The 280 employees at the North Vancouver sub- sidiary — contributed US$60 million of that total.

“It started our as a small entrepreneurial operation —- basicaily a man and his wife working our of their basement —- and it’s grown into being the largest factory of a very large — multi- national operation,” said Powell.

Powell proudly added Measurex is registered at ISO 9001, the highest level of international quali- ty standard a company can be registered to.

NEWS photo Brad Ladwidge

MEASUREX Devron marketing director Michael Heaven (right) and general man- ager Ron Powell display their com- pany’s B.C. export award.

Sunday, November 17, 1996 — North Shore News ~ 33

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