Business Retention and Expansion Study for Collingwood's Industrial/Employment Sector

Overall Findings

Manufacturing

The study finds that the majority of Collingwood industries who responded own their manufacturing facility, with a very small minority leasing their operational spaces. Those who rent do not anticipate any difficulties in the short term for lease renewal.

Primary manufacturing products were identified in their life cycle as growing (36%) and maturing (41%) with new technology changing how the primary product is produced by way of production and manufacturing innovation (100%). Those surveyed indicated their secondary product line is emerging (27%) and growing (47%).

Of the 70% who indicated research and development (R&D) is undertaken at their Collingwood locations, 50% of them spend less than 3% of their total annual sales on research and development. Of the remaining industries, 25% neither allocate nor spend funds on Research & Development.

Factors identified as being very important to the majority of the industrial future competitive condition include:

• Market development locally (55%)

• And outside of the local area (59%)

• Product research and development access (58%)

• Improving worker productivity (50%)

• Workplace skill development (67%)

• Energy costs (78%)

• Resolution of cross border issues (54%)

• Availability of telecommunication services (56%)

• Canadian dollar exchange rate (76%)


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