News Release Archive

ECONOMIC RENEWAL AGENCY--SYDNEY COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS LIGHTS
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When Bay Industrial Mine Tech Ltd. celebrates its 10TH anniversary this month,
there will be no shortage of party lights. In fact, if they use their own
products, they could still be celebrating next October! The Sydney company
produces innovative safety light equipment, and with expansion help from the Nova
Scotia Economic Renewal Agency, its future looks increasingly bright.

Founded as a research and development company to design long lasting safety
lights for the coal mining industry, Bay Tech more than fulfilled its mandate.
When the traditional miner's lead-acid powered cap lamps (connected to the belt
battery unit via a cable) faded after 8-10 hours, the Bay Tech products literally
"kept on going....."

"Ours went 10 months, 24 hours a day; it was a big jump in technology," explained
Robert MacKenzie, who has operated Bay Tech for the last seven years. 

The new light featured high intensity LEDs which had lower power consumption than
regular bulbs. They also used a lithium power source designed by Bay Tech and
everything was contained within the same 4"x4"x3" unit.

Once patented and certified for use in coal mines, the high-technology strobe
warning lights became best-sellers in Canada. This prompted a search for
additional applications and by June 1994 new Bay Tech hardware was available to
be targeted at hardrock mining as well as coal.

The new range of products can be mounted on vehicles, in work areas and in
hazardous underground areas, increasing mine safety. The new capabilities,
however, presented the company with a couple of problems. They had to define
target markets, promote the products and gear up for increased demand. "We had
it ready, but we had to go out and tell people," Mr. MacKenzie said.

He learned of the Economic Renewal Agency's Community Business Loan program
through a newspaper advertisement and applied for a Small Business Growth Loan.
"The loan was to expand our capability, look at new markets and acquire data to
sell in Canada, the U.S., Australia, South Africa and India," Mr. MacKenzie said.

As a result, Bay Industrial Mine Tech Ltd., has indeed managed to place its
products in the spotlight. Mr. MacKenzie has recently returned from Toronto,
Sudbury and Timmons, having secured a distributor for Canada, the U.S. and
Australia. 

"It [the loan] has enabled us to expand our horizons  - in product, technology
and new markets," he said.

Better yet, the huge markets of South Africa and India are ever closer - the
first shipment for South Africa went out this past December, even though Bay Tech
is still awaiting certification for use in explosive areas in those
countries."The main Gross Domestic Product in those countries is still in mining,
whether gold, diamonds or coal," he said. 

Bay Tech currently employs four people. Selling in the new markets will likely
mean a doubling of the workforce; possibly as soon as next summer, depending on
how long the certification process takes in the new countries.

"In this instance, a small business growth loan has simply allowed the company
to respond positively to market demand, resulting in exports of a quality Nova
Scotian product," said Economic Renewal Agency Minister Ross Bragg. "We are
pleased to be of assistance in developing growth among small innovative
businesses such as Bay Tech Ltd.," he added.
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Contact: Joe Cottreau, (902) 424-3970