2014-03-25

Deloitte today announced the winners of Canada’s Best Managed Companies program. The award recognizes Canadian privately owned and managed companies for outstanding business performance and innovative management. Winning companies achieved success through investing in their people. They showed resolve and ability to build and grow sustainable businesses for the long term with double digit growth, outpacing Canada’s forecasted 3 percent economic growth rate. More impressively those that have significant exports, grew those export sales by over 40 percent.

“Best Managed companies lead the way with a clear vision focused on growth in new markets and product lines to drive profitability. They put the right people with the right skill sets in place, because that’s what drives financial results,” said John Hughes, Deloitte Canada’s Managing Partner, Growth Enterprises, and National Leader of Canada’s Best Managed Companies program. “Best Managed companies are willing to share insights that can help all private companies grow, and that’s important for Canada as a whole.”

Best Managed companies focus on their people through internal employee relations, investment in skilled talent, partnerships with external sources and strengthening relationships with customers. They communicate more and recognize individual contributions using key performance indicators to successfully move the business forward. Many of this year’s winners hired senior people with specific skill sets to accelerate their development and add value and deliver outcomes.

“Achieving the Best Managed designation speaks to strong corporate leadership. In looking at this year’s applicants, what stood out for us with the winners was that they are more dedicated than ever to pursuing profitable growth,” says Dino Medves, Senior Vice-President, Commercial Banking, CIBC, a long time sponsor of the program. “In the face of a changing global marketplace, these companies are building efficiencies and driving down costs. By growing aggressively and profitably, they are strategically expanding their operations, while making a significant contribution to the Canadian economy.”

Key areas of focus for Best Managed companies include:

Profitability

During the recession, many companies focused on cost cutting to match expected declines in revenue. As the economic picture improves, Best Managed companies are coming out ahead because they shifted their focus from cost cutting to growth and profitability. Best Managed companies concentrate their efforts on a specific segment or customer base which has generated on average higher revenue growth and profitability.

Talent

Best Managed companies engage their people in meaningful conversations to help their team members understand their organization’s overall purpose and vision. With talent being the most important aspect of success, working conditions, opportunities for growth, training and development, along with self-reflection through non-routine questionnaires have been integral to determining if organizations are doing the right thing to win. Employee surveys and discussions help a company define its “higher purpose” about why it exists and how it adds value to stakeholders, customers and employees.

M&A activity as a prime driver of growth

Deals that involve more risk and are greater in complexity can have a transformational impact as a growth strategy. Many Best Managed companies have taken an M&A mindset to further their market reach, find economies of scale for purchases and develop talent pools that can build strategies to reach new markets and customers.

Closing the productivity gap

Deloitte research found that lagging firm-level investment and risk taking by mature Canadian companies in areas like technology and machinery and equipment leaves Canada lagging behind the US and other developed countries.

Helping to close that gap, Best Managed companies made investments in enterprise resource planning systems and customer relationship management systems that help increase productivity to sell into their customer base and attract new customers more efficiently.

Investments made in technology and infrastructure have seen above average returns for greater employee productivity, accelerated growth and development in new products and services that offer a competitive edge.

Innovation

Continued investments in capital assets and technology help drive innovation to grow profitability. Best Managed companies are expanding operations to capture more complex and multi-national projects with multiple disciplines and partners to create a more compelling profit story.

2013 Canada’s Best Managed Companies Winners

Company Name

Sector

Region

Website

Global Relay

IT

British Columbia

globalrelay.com

Island West Coast Developments Ltd.

Construction

British Columbia

iwcd.ca

Purdys Chocolatier

Retail

British Columbia

purdys.com

Borger Group of Companies

Construction

Alberta

borger.ca

CCI Inc.

Oil & Gas

Alberta

ccisolutions.ca

Community Natural Foods Ltd.

Grocery

Alberta

communitynaturalfoods.com

Graycon Group Ltd.

IT Consulting

Alberta

graycon.com

Jersey City/Capz Canada

Retail

Alberta

jerseycity.ca

KUDU

Manufacturing

Alberta

kudupump.com

Sealweld Corporation

Manufacturing / Services & Training

Alberta

sealweld.com

Upside Engineering Ltd.

Engineering / Design

Alberta

upsideeng.com

Vista Projects Limited

Engineering

Alberta

vistaprojects.com

FourQuest Energy

Oilfield Services

Alberta

fourquest.com

Landmark Group of Builders

Construction

Alberta

landmarkgroup.ca

PrairieCoast Equipment

Retail

Alberta

prairiecoastequipment.com

Scandinavian Building Services

Commercial Cleaning / Janitorial / Maintenance

Alberta

scandinavian.ca

Westcorp Inc.

Real Estate

Alberta

westcorp.net

Arconas

Manufacturing

Ontario

arconas.com

Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited

Retail

Ontario

corp.canadiantire.ca

Charger Logistics Inc

Transportation & Logistics

Ontario

chargerlogistics.com

Deep Foundations Contractors Inc.

Construction

Ontario

deep.ca

Kids & Company

Childcare

Ontario

kidsandcompany.com

Maxium Financial

Financial

Ontario

maxium.net

Modu-Loc Fence Rentals

Construction & Events

Ontario

modu-loc.ca

Molinaro’s Fine Italian Foods Ltd.

Food Manufacture / Retail

Ontario

molinaros.com

MHS Inc.

Publishing

Ontario

mhs.com

Skyline International Development

Hospitality / Real Estate

Ontario

skylineinvestments.com

ASTOUND Group

Design & Fabrication

Ontario

astoundgroup.com

Napoleon Group of Companies

Manufacturing

Ontario

napoleonproducts.com

Deslaurier Custom Cabinets Inc.

Custom Cabinets & Millwork

Ontario

deslaurier.ca

J.L. Richards & Associates Limited

Engineering / Architecture / Planning

Ontario

jlrichards.ca

Voyageur Transportation Services

Transportation

Ontario

voyageurtransportation.ca

CenterLine (Windsor) Limited

Welding Equipment

Ontario

cntrline.com

Flanagan Foodservice Inc.

Food Service Distribution

Ontario

flanagan.ca

peopleCare Inc.

Senior / Long-Term Care

Ontario

peoplecare.ca

PointClickCare

Technology

Ontario

pointclickcare.com

Driving Change Automotive Group Ltd.

Auto Dealership (Automotive)

Saskatchewan

dcag.ca

FWS Group of Companies

Design-Build / Construction

Manitoba

fwsgroup.com

J. Sonic Services Inc.

Hardwood Flooring / Consumer Electronics

Quebec

jsonic.ca

Laurentide Controls

Automation Solutions

Quebec

laurentide.com

Lanctôt Ltée

Sporting Goods / Apparel / Ophthalmic Frame Distributor

Quebec

rlanctot.com

Lemay

Architects / Designers / Urban Planners

Quebec

lemayonline.com

Agri-Marché Inc.

Animal Feed / Breeding Farms & Grain Trading

Quebec

agri-marche.com

Momentum Technologies Inc.

Professional Services Automation / IT

Quebec

momentumtechnologies.ca

AMEC Black & McDonald Limited

Oil & Gas Services

Atlantic

amecblackandmcdonald.com

Cherubini Metal Works Limited

Structural Steel

Atlantic

cherubinigroup.com

J.W. Lindsay Enterprises Limited

Construction

Atlantic

jwlindsay.ca

About Canada’s Best Managed Companies

Canada’s Best Managed Companies continues to be the mark of excellence for Canadian-owned and managed private companies with revenues over $10 million. Every year, since the launch of the program in 1993, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies have competed for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates their management skills and practices. The awards are granted on four levels:

Best Managed winner (one of the 50 new winners selected each year).

Requalified member (repeat winners retain the Best Managed designation for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review).

Gold Standard member (winners that retain the Best Managed designation for four to six consecutive years).

Platinum Club member (winners that maintain Best Managed status for a minimum of six consecutive years).

Program sponsors are Deloitte, CIBC, National Post, Queen’s School of Business and MacKay CEO Forums.

The 2014 Best Managed program will introduce an Alumni Category open to past winners that no longer meet the current program ownership criteria. Nominations will be open for past Best Managed winners that are predominately managed in Canada that are in good standing with its reputation and results. The new Alumni Category will provide successful applicants with an opportunity to share in the program.

About Deloitte

Deloitte, one of Canada’s leading professional services firms, provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services. Deloitte LLP, an Ontario limited liability partnership, is the Canadian member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms.

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