By Alan Johnson
In case you missed it last week, the Colchester Regional Development Agency (CoRDA) and the Truro and District Chamber of Commerce recently forwarded to the media the names of more than 50 new businesses which have set up shop in Truro and Colchester County in the past couple of years.
Starting this month, and in most of my columns in the Truro Daily News from now on, I will take the time to introduce you to one and sometimes two of these new companies.
Today, I'd like you to hear about two gentlemen who would qualify for the dual titles of entrepreneur and established business operator.
Tom van Oirschot and Jeff Currie have been in business together since last summer, but both men had successful business backgrounds before they decided to pool their collective business intelligence.
Tom has been a residential and commercial recycler for years. Jeff has a successful track record in accounting, logistics and freight brokering.
Together, they have formed ‘Start to Finish Logistics Inc.' and ‘Your Waste as a Resource Limited.'
Their idea is to operate both companies from three buildings they are refurbishing, which is more than 13,000 square feet of warehouse space, plus an office facility, located next to the West Colchester United Arena in Debert. They also have another 14,000 square feet available in Onslow.
Tom says ‘Your Waste as a Resource Limited' already ships more than six million pounds of recyclable plastics from businesses across Atlantic Canada each year and is poised for growth using their central location at Debert.
The logistics firm, which is Jeff's brainchild, will offer warehouse space to firms across the Atlantic region.
But it's more than just that.
"In my previous life (as a freight and logistics broker based in Halifax) we were always struggling to find a short-term or long-term spot in Truro at or around 10,000 square feet," says Jeff. "We're now equipped for customers' needs. From Debert, we can service Sydney, Newfoundland, Moncton, Halifax and points west.
"If they want us to stock their material, pick it and ship it direct on their trucks or since we have the freight side as well, we can line up all the way from truck to shelf, back to their distribution centre or their direct customers ... whatever they require."
This is great news for Atlantic companies who need to get a shipping presence set up quickly in Colchester County.
I can tell you from experience that more and more companies looking to take advantage of the giant Halifax shipbuilding contract will greet this company's location in Debert with open arms.
On the recycling side, Tom is confident about its growth, as more and more Atlantic Canadian firms realize that we shouldn't be clogging our landfills with materials that can be turned into something useful.
So if a private firm can recycle that material and make a profit, why not continue their success in Debert?
They key word, say Tom and Jeff, is being versatile enough to allow both companies to use their eight-acre site in Debert to its maximum efficiency.
The two partners say eventually they're going to need warehouse workers, forklift drivers and material handlers. They're impressed with the number of local workers in the Debert and Truro area who have these skills. They've already hired carpenters and electricians to do their remodelling, and hope to be open for business by March 1.
Here's wishing these two men the very best of luck, in what appears to be an intelligent and logical business plan, complimented by an experienced local workforce.
Alan Johnson is the director of marketing and communications for CoRDA, which is based in Truro. His column appears monthly in the Truro Daily News.
