Corporate Markham In The News
Apr 30, 2009 – IBM Canada, headquartered in Markham, has been named one of Canada’s greenest employers by Mediacorp. The award is determined by reviewing performance measures in energy usage, water consumption, office waste and emissions. IBM also allows employees to telecommute from home thereby reducing the number of cars on the road. It has also installed showers and change rooms for employees who cycle to work. Additionally, IBM’s facilities are hooked up to Markham District Energy, the town’s environmentally friendly power, heating and cooling system. The company also tracks its own carbon footprint and has recently reduced it by 40 percent with a big focus on recycling programs. On receiving the award, Pat Morgan, IBM’s Vice President of Manufacturing, Development and Operations commented “It’s something we were just doing on our own and now we’re quite proud to be acknowledged from the outside”. IBM is Markham’s largest employer with over 4,000 employees in two major facilities in Markham.
Mar 21, 2009 – Premier Salons Canada Inc. based in Markham, has announced a $325 million acquisition of 717 salon and beauty product stores in the United States from Regus Corporation. The acquisition makes Premier Salons the second largest salon and spa operator in the world with annual sales of over $600 million. Premier Salons, a private company with 400 upscale salons and spas at Saks Fifth Avenue, Holt Renfrew, and upscale malls throughout North America including The Bay at Markville Shopping Centre, acquired the Beauty Care Division of Regis, a leader in the global beauty industry. Brian Luborksy, President and CEO of Premier Salons commented “The challenging economic environment benefits us by providing a far greater selection of talented people, who we can bring on to assist with this acquisition. Well-positioned companies can make far greater progress in this environment than might otherwise be possible.” The company will now have over 10,000 employees operating within 1,100 retail locations.
Feb 27, 2009 – The Town of Markham has won a prestigious economic development award for its “Markham 2020” plan. The award from the Economic Developers Council of Ontario, honours municipalities for promoting their community for location and tourism opportunities. Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti commented, “Our Markham 2020 plan strengthens Markham's position as a leader and innovator in the global marketplace. We are poised to face the challenges of the global economy because we have the talent, the place and the connectivity to compete on the international stage.” Markham 2020 lays out the foundation of the creation of an environment that fosters the development of new economy sectors like information technology, life sciences, entertainment and cultural industries, scientific services, finance and insurance. Markham is known as “Canada's High-Tech Capital” and continues to attract well-known international businesses into the area.
Jan 17, 2009 – American Express Canada, headquartered in Markham, has been listed in the recently released “50 Best Employers in Canada” study by Hewitt Associates and published in this month's Report on Business magazine as on of Canada's top employers. The company ranked 19 th on this year's poll which is based on results of surveys of their leadership teams, human resources and employee opinions. Since employee engagement is an important factor in the ranking, Peter Hagert, the company's vice-president of Human Resources noted “We try to move from satisfaction to engagement”. He stated that Amex works around a concept where they try to show the connection of everyone's work to the company's projects. This represents the third time that the company has made the 10 th annual list. American Express Canada is one of Markham's largest employers with over 3,000 employees.
Sep 21, 2008 – York Region has been named one of Canada's best places to walk or cycle. The Transportation Association of Canada awarded the region with the 2007 sustainable urban transportation award for its pedestrian and cycling master plan. The master plan intends to guide residents towards alternative commuter options such as walking, cycling, public transit and carpooling by giving pedestrians and cyclists priority. The plan was developed through extensive consultations with the regional staff, local municipal levels and the public. York Region is one of Canada's fastest growing municipalities and includes Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, King, Aurora, Newmarket, Whitchurch-Stouffville and Georgina.
Aug16, 2008 – York Region Transit has announced a major system upgrade to provide users with access to real-time schedules, transit system updates, Global Positioning System technology, automated stop announcements and on-board stop-display signs. All YRT buses are expected to be equipped with GPS systems by January 2009 with real-time technology upgrades following thereafter. In addition, website users will eventually be able to see the actual location of a bus along its route with the GPS technology.
Jul 28, 2008 – IBM today announced it has opened three centers of excellence in China, Mexico and India to provide clients with access to the latest technologies and processes in banking, retail and service management arenas. IBM's focus on emerging markets -- or countries with high economic growth potential -- has accelerated. These countries represented 18 percent of IBM's geographic revenue in the second quarter of 2008, and together grew 21 percent as reported. In addition, the Brazil, Russia, India and China subset grew 31 percent in the second quarter and were led by explosive growth in India. "These results demonstrate that IBM has the ability to thrive in emerging markets," said Bruno Di Leo, IBM general manager, Growth Markets. "Our continued investments give IBM a competitive edge; global reach and scale; and services and products that deliver genuine value to clients wherever they do business." IBM Canada is headquartered in Markham and is the Town's largest employer.
Jun 30, 2008 – The Town of Markham has been awarded Ontario's highest waste management award – the coveted Recycling Council of Ontario Sustainable Municipality Platinum Award. This award recognizes that Markham's “Mission Green” program has achieved over 70% waste diversion. Submissions were judged by a panel of experts from the public and private sectors using criteria such as current diversion rate, the establishment of measurable and achievable targets, broad community involvement, and the development of by-laws and policies to support the plan. Markham is also recognized in North America as a model community and leader for recycling programs.
May 13, 2008 – Toshiba Corporation and MasterCard Worldwide today announced the launch of MasterCard PayPassTM enabled chip module. PayPass is a contactless payment feature developed and deployed globally by MasterCard. With this collaboration MasterCard and Toshiba plan to introduce the chip module in Japanese market by the end of 2008. Designed using globally interoperable standards (ISO/IEC7816 and ISO/IEC14443), the chip module will be enabled with dual interface (EMV contact / PayPass contactless). The price gap will be kept to the minimum from the single EMV contact interface chip so that companies who currently adopt and deploy EMV contact chip can easily add and issue PayPass enabled cards with costs saved. For MasterCard customer companies, adoption of the chip module is easy, as it is enabled with M/chip 2, which is the most accepted version of M/Chip (application for IC card of MasterCard) among MasterCard customer companies in Japan. Since its first launch in 2002, PayPass continues to gain strong momentum worldwide. As of Q108 there are over 28 million PayPass cards and devices and MasterCard PayPass enabled cardholders can enjoy their 'Tap &Go' shopping in use at more than 109,000 merchant locations worldwide. There are a number of PayPass trials and rollouts currently underway in 24 countries. Toshiba of Canada Limited is a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, one of the world's largest integrated manufacturers of electronic products and semiconductors. Headquartered in Markham, Ontario, Toshiba of Canada is a digital technology leader with a wide range of Audio Visual Personal Computers, notebook computers, high definition home theatre systems including televisions, DVD players, multi-media projectors, and portable media centers.
Apr 30, 2008 – Times Group Corporation has announced a $500,000 donation to the expansion of Markham-Stouffville Hospital which is slated to begin in 2010. “We think we are a part of the community and the hospital is the most important part of it. When you need it, it has to be there” commented Times Group President Hashem Ghadaki whose company has also been involved is several major land development projects in the Markham area. Markham-Stouffville Hospital has seen a tremendous increase in patient visits as Markham continues to attract families and businesses into the area.
Mar 17, 2008 – The Town of Markham's Civic Centre and its 400 employees are on a mission to accomplish zero waste. While Markham residents have already achieved an astounding 70% diversion rate, Markham Council thinks Town staff can do an even better job so they've challenged the staff at the Markham Town Centre to achieve zero waste. The Civic Centre, located at Warden Avenue and Highway 7, already has an aggressive blue box and organics recycling program. In 2007, over 400 work station garbage containers were replaced with blue box and green bins. Only clear bags are used throughout the building to encourage recycling. The site's onsite cafeteria also uses biodegradable disposable cutlery and paper plates, keeping actual waste to a minimum. The Town is leading municipalities across Canada in terms of the results of its innovative recycling programs
Mar 03, 2008 – Centennial Community Centre in Markham will soon have its swimming pool powered by solar power. Markham Town Council approved the installation of a solar water heater to replace the pool's gas-fired boilers at the busy fitness facility. The initiative is expected to save thousands of dollars in energy costs as the Town continues to investigate technologies to save energy at arenas and pools in the town's expanding list of community centres. The Markham Energy Conservation Office will officially track the energy saved by this new initiative.
Feb 28, 2008 – The Town of Markham has won the 2008 Canadian Society of Landscape Architects National Citation Award for it small streams study initiative. The study was undertaken by Mark Schollen of Schollen and Company Inc. to recommend strategies to protect and manage the town's small streams. The study is the first of its kind within a Canadian municipality and other municipalities and conservation authorities throughout Canada are using and adapting the principles of the Markham study for their streams and watercourses. The Town of Markham has been promoting environmentally friendly policies for several years and has been recognized as the leading municipality in Canada for recycling programs.
Jan 12, 2008 – Sun Microsystems of Canada, headquartered in Markham, has won a major contract to be the technology supplier for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. The company will provide technology that sends information, such as athletes' times and standings, to the public, athletes and over 10,000 media outlets. Sun Microsystems has worked with major sports leagues and events including the N.H.L., C.F.L. and the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games. “Each Olympics has brought technology to new frontiers. You will find we will push to bring information faster, making things available more quickly as people need them” commented the company's president Andy Canham. Sun Microsystems of Canada employs over 640 staff in offices across Canada and develops technology for computer systems, software and related services.
Dec 15, 2007 – Markham Village Library was officially re-opened after a major expansion and is the first public library in Canada to abandon the Dewey Decimal System in favour of more customer-friendly retail model. The library features a popular materials area that serves as a one-stop shop for the latest bestsellers as well as a media centre with the latest movies, audio books, music and games. An innovative SmartCheck system provides real-time check in and issues a print-out for returned items. The facility also houses an expanded collection of over 120,000 items, 30 computer workstations, wireless Internet access throughout the building, a Children's area, a Teen area, individual and group Study Rooms as well as community Meeting Rooms. The library's expansion has doubled its space to keep pace with Markham's increasing population and resurgence in the public use of community libraries across Canada.
Nov 12, 2007 – La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries opened its newest store at 3083 Highway 7 East in Markham. The new 20,000 square-foot facility located just east of Woodbine Avenue offers a full selection of La-Z-Boy chairs and sofas, cocktail tables and decorative accent pieces including lamps, area rugs, wall art and accessories. A professionally staffed design centre and free interior design service will also assist customers with their choices. La-Z-Boy also offers hundreds of fabric and leather choices for custom made furniture. The new store is the eight location in the Greater Toronto Area and will cater to a growing upscale residential market in the Markham-Richmond Hill area.
Nov 01, 2007 – Markham Infiniti officially opened its new facility in Markham at 4340 Highway 7 East between Kennedy Road and Warden Avenue. For the past 17 years the company operated in Toronto as Agincourt Infiniti and moved to an expanded facility in Markham to better serve its growing customer base. The new building is better designed to showcase luxury automobiles brands and includes 14 modern service bays, inside delivery bays, a well-lit showroom an wireless Internet access for customers. Bob Stephens, dealer principal stated “We look forward to servicing customers from our new location. This is a socially dynamic and ethnically diverse community with strong growth potential, and we plan to grow with it.” The company continues to increase market share with its hugely popular G35 sedan and all-new G37 coupe.
Oct 18, 2007 – Honda Canada Inc. made a surprise announcement of its planned relocation to Markham within two years. The company's new Canadian headquarters will be located at Highway 404 and Elgin Mills Road in north Markham and will consolidate its 700-strong workforce from several satellite offices across the Greater Toronto Area and hire another 300 new employees. Commented Honda Canada president Hiroshi Kobyashi, “We considered many options, but Markham best complemented our business philoposhy. It was a natural choice for Honda to settle here.” The 500,000 square-foot Honda campus will include three buildings; a four-storey environmentally friendly head office, a technical centre for research and development and a single-storey parts warehouse. Honda is Canada's fourth largest privately held company employing over 5,100 Canadians and continues to build market-share worldwide.
Oct 15, 2007 – Miller Waste Systems officially opened the Earl Turcott Waste Management Facility in Markham. The 11 acre site at Woodbine Avenue and 14 th Avenue in central Markham houses a 94,000 square foot state-of-the-art $20 million facility that is one of Canada's most efficient recycling centres boasting a 70% waste diversion rate. The operation is a partnership between Miller Waste and the Town of Markham with a 20 year agreement whereby Miller will pay for the facility and process the Town's waste. In addition, Markham, Richmond Hill and Vaughan will all commit to have municipal waste handled by Miller as part of the deal. The facility will operate 24/7 with 18 employees and will accept both residential and commercial waste which includes organic, construction and demolition material. The site will process 2,600 tonnes of garbage per day and includes three weight scales, each with radiation detectors, three hydraulic compactors and simultaneous loading for five trailers.
Sep 30, 2007 – Pfizer Canada Inc., based in Markham, Ontario announced the establishment of a new research Chair at the University of Toronto. The first holder of the Pfizer Chair in Rheumatology is Dr. Claire Bombardier, Director of the Division of Rheumatology Research at the University of Toronto. The Pfizer Chair in Rheumatology will support new and ongoing research at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine's Rheumatology Division. Pfizer Canada is donating $1.5 million toward the funding of the $2 million Chair. This Chair will bring together University of Toronto affiliated researchers and trainees to provide innovative approaches to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic diseases. "Pfizer Canada has been committed to the area of research and treatment in arthritis for many years. We are pleased to further build the pipeline of Canadian researchers in arthritis by partnering with the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine's Division of Rheumatology, the oldest and largest program of its kind in Canada and one of the most respected in the world," says Paul Lévesque, President and Chief Executive Officer, Pfizer Canada Inc. Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases are among the most prevalent chronic health conditions in Canada, and are a major cause of morbidity, disability and health care utilization. One fifth of the Canadian adult population suffers from arthritis. It is estimated that it affects 4.5 million people in Canada and this number is expected to climb to 6.4 million by 2026. The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto is home to Canada's pre-eminent medical school. Founded in 1843, the Faculty of Medicine catapulted onto the world stage with Sir Frederick Banting and Charles Best's discovery of insulin in the 1920s. Today, the Faculty of Medicine ranks among the top institutions in the world, with 10 fully affiliated hospitals and 15 community affiliated sites.
Aug 01, 2007 – Johnson & Johnson Consumer Group, newly expanded from the acquisition of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, has joined the Johnson & Johnson Medical Products division in Markham, Ontario. This recent acquisition has created one of the world's largest healthcare and consumer companies, adding products such as Listerine, Sudafed, Nicorette to its existing portfolio which includes Band-Aid, Tylenol, Splenda and Neutrogena. “The completion of the acquisition builds upon our broad base in health products,” commented Johnson & Johnson's Chairman and CEO William C. Weldon. Johnson & Johnson's expanded Canadian headquarters in Markham adds to the growing number of life sciences companies re-locating their headquarters to Markham.
July 20, 2007 – IBM Canada Ltd. has announced the acquisition of DataMirror Corporation, based in Markham, for $170 million. The company has over 230 employees and 2,200 customers and moves high volumes of data directly between databases, message queues and other data stores. The purchase is subject to regulatory approval and at least two-thirds of DataMirror's shareholders must endorse the sale at a special meeting on August 24. IBM, with its Canadian headquarters in Markham, is also Markham's largest employer with over 7,000 employees spread across two major facilities.
June 13, 2007 – Audi Uptown Markham held its grand opening at its new location in Markham at 4080 Highway 7, just east of Warden Avenue. The 32,000 sq. ft. full-service facility is owned and operated by Downtown Fine Cars, a long-time up-scale auto dealership located in downtown Toronto. Customers can view the latest models or can sip gourmet coffee at the Quattro Café, watch HD TV or use the Internet while waiting for their vehicle to be serviced at the state-of-the-art dealership featuring a glass viewing service area. The German-based auto-maker has established itself as a premier international luxury brand and continues to gain market share against rivals such as BMW, Cadillac, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, all of which are also located in Markham.
May 1, 2007 – Hilton Suites Toronto/Markham Conference Center & Spa has announced that the luxury facility is now 100% smoke-free. This decision was based on customer feedback. The landmark luxury hotel was opened in 1989 and has since doubled in size to over 600,000 square feet and currently employees over 450 staff. The popular hotel is officially ranked as a “4-Star” facility and features a state-of-the-art conference center, luxury spa, fully-equipped gym, indoor pool, several restaurants, and a popular jazz lounge.
April 20, 2007 – The Town of Markham has been rated as one of the top 10 real estate markets to invest in Ontario by The Real Estate Investment Network. Based on detailed research and forecasting, the organization ranked Markham as the fourth-best market in the province while Kitchener-Waterloo was ranked first, Toronto was eight and Whitchurch-Stouffville was tenth. The report lauded Markham for its untapped potential and noted, “With low vacancy rates, no substantial increase in the number of rental units planned for the future and a rising demand for the ‘country in the city' lifestyle, the town's biggest problem will be dealing with its growth”. The town's residential market features many upscale residential homes and estates, with prices typically rising well above the national average. The town has won many major awards for its innovative developments including those in the up-scale Unionville, Cornell and Angus Glen communities. Markham is also currently the most ethnically diverse and one of the fastest growing municipalities in Canada.
April 5, 2007 – Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) will be down-sizing one of its Markham offices by 130 employees in light of a recent takeover of Markham-based ATI Technologies Inc. and a continuing price war with archrival Intel Corp. AMD spokesperson Dave Erskine commented, “We didn't need two finance departments or two human resource departments”, adding that the core businesses of the two companies have very little redundancies. AMD bought ATI in late 2006 for U.S. $5.4 billion in a move to gain a competitive advantage over U.S. based Intel by combining traditional processing functions with ATI's market leading graphics capabilities in one chip. However, Intel initiated a price war that has squeezed margins and forced both Silicon Valley companies to operate on a leaner scale. AMD remains one of Markham's largest employers with over 2,000 former ATI employees.
March 30, 2007 – Costco Wholesale officially opened its second location in Markham, only the forth community in Ontario to have two locations. Markham's growing business sector has attracted residential development and a growing residential population which has in-turn attracted large-scale retailers into the community. The new state-of-the art store is located at 65 Kirkham Drive just south of 14 th Avenue and east of Markham Road. The U.S. based wholesaler of groceries and other household goods offers discounted prices to annual members which has proved highly successful as it competes head-on other wholesalers such as Wal-Mart's chain of Sam's Club outlets. The new outlet attracted thousands of shoppers on its opening day and exceeded Costco's expectations.
February 15, 2007 – The Town of Markham has become one of the first municipalities to convert its fleet of diesel vehicles and equipment to biodiesel. A derivative of vegetable oil or animal fats, diodiesel can be blended with any level of petroleum diesel or used in pure form to create a cleaner burning fuel that is sulfur-free and more environmentally friendly. Anything that runs on diesel in Markham's fleet, from lawn mowers to fire trucks, have already been converted to biodiesel. The Town is also using nine hybrid vehicles with another four on order. Laurie Canning, Markham's manager of fleets and supplies commented, “I think we have to show our taxpaying public that we're on the right track. We have to lead by example and if there's opportunities to save our environment, we do what we can.” Several other municipalities in York Region are also considering the biodiesel program.
January 18, 2007 – Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham announced that it will be taking over the management of Markham Green Golf Club from the Town of Markham after winning a bidding process held by the Town last fall. The course, located at Ninth Line and 14 th Avenue in east Markham, will benefit from new kitchen equipment, an expanded menu and improved pro shop merchandise. Plans are also in the works for the course to hold more community-oriented events and will also allow the prestigious Angus Glen club to train their staff with more hands-on experience. Angus Glen Golf Club will host the 2007 Canadian Open July 23-29, 2007.
January 5, 2007 – CoolBrands International Inc. of Markham, announced that it has sold its CoolBrands Dairy subsidiary for US $50 million to an American equity firm. The move followed months of heavy financial losses and the loss of a significant contract with Weight Watchers . Proceeds will be used to pay down the company's debt after several years of aggressive expansion, making it the world's third largest manufacturer of specialty ice creams and desserts. CoolBrands markets Godiva Ice Cream, Whole Fruit Sorbet, as well as Eskimo Pie, Chipwich, and Fruit-a-Freeze branded frozen novelties and frozen desserts. The Company also markets a broad range of ice cream, frozen novelties, and frozen desserts under the Tropicana Welch's Yoplait Betty Crocker and Trix brand names. The company is expected to shed more of its assets including real estate holdings in an effort to restructure.
December 7, 2006 – Seneca College's Markham Campus held its official opening ceremonies at its newly renovated facility at the former Allstate Insurance Canada headquarters at 10 Allstate Parkway in Markham. The 10-story campus features high-tech classrooms with computers at every desk, a state-of-the-art fitness centre, student lounge and Seneca's corporate training centre which offers skills training to private industry. It is also home to the office of research and innovation and the business research and intelligence centre, which partner with businesses to integrate students into real world business research. The project recently received $500,000 from the Town of Markham in addition to $40 million in provincial funding. Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Chris Bentley attended the ceremonies and emphasized the value to local business by having post-secondary education in a booming part of the GTA. Jean Anne McLeod, chairperson of the Seneca College board of governors commented “Our vision is to create a place where people from York Region and the GTA could come for lifelong learning opportunities.” Seneca College is Canada's largest college with over 100,000 full and part-time students and more than 260 programs.
November 15, 2006 – BMW Group Canada Inc. has announced that it will relocate its Canadian headquarters to Markham in late 2008. A new 60,000 to 70,000 square foot building in the Highway 404/407 area in central Markham will house up to 300 employees. The firm stated that it has outgrown it current Whitby, Ontario facility and the move will allow it to expand its space as the company continues to build on its position as a leader in the luxury automobile market. The German company's famous 3 series models have been ranked in the world's top 10 automobiles for 12 consecutive years. BMW AG, the parent company based in Munich, Germany also controls the popular MINI and Rolls Royce brands worldwide.
November 1, 2006 – Longo's Markham was selected as the best independent grocery store in Canada by the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers. Store manager Vince Tortorici was presented with the prestigious award at an industry gala attended by 800 of his peers. Longo's has been in Markham since 1962 after the first store location was successfully established in 1956 on Yonge Street in Toronto by brothers Tommy, Joe and Gus Longo. The Longo family is still running the operation and the popular Markham store underwent a major renovation that saw it expand from 18,000 square feet to 30,000 square feet in 2002. Mr. Tortorici commented, “Our customers had to put up with our renovation, but we worked hard to win them over.” The store is known for its exceptional customer service, fresh produce, and its ability to meet the demands of a culturally diverse community by continuously updating its products. The Markham store is located at the south-east corner of Woodbine Avenue and Highway 7.
October 25, 2006 – (Update) Markham Bypass extension from Highway 7 to 16 th Avenue was officially opened today. The $10.8 million section was the third phase of the project and is expected to ease traffic in eastern Markham where the popular Cornell area continues to expand and attract developers and homeowners. Cornell has been rated as one of the best neighbourhoods in the Greater Toronto Area and has fuelled the need for upgrading the surrounding roads network. A fourth phase of the Markham Bypass is currently underway and will link Major Mackenzie Drive to Highway 48. The Markham Bypass was opened in 2003, with the first phase linking Major Mackenzie Drive to 16 th Avenue at a cost of $19.3 million. Long-term plans are in place to expand Markham Bypass to Scarborough's Morningside Avenue.
October 13, 2006 - (CCNMatthews via COMTEX News Network) Markham-based ATI Technologies Inc.'s (TSX:ATY)(NASDAQ:ATYT) shareholders voted overwhelmingly today to approve the proposed acquisition of all outstanding common shares of ATI by an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD). More than 99 per cent of the votes cast by shareholders were in favor of the transaction. No ATI shareholders have exercised rights of dissent in connection with the proposed acquisition. ATI will seek final court approval for the arrangement at a hearing on October 17, 2006. The transaction is expected to be completed during the week of October 23, 2006. ATI Technologies Inc. is a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative 3D graphics, PC platform technologies and digital media silicon solutions. An industry pioneer since 1985, ATI is the world's foremost graphics processor unit (GPU) provider and is dedicated to deliver leading-edge performance solutions for the full range of PC and Mac desktop and notebook platforms, workstation, set-top and digital television, game console and handheld device markets. With fiscal 2005 revenues of US $2.22 billion, ATI has more than 4,000 employees in the Americas, Europe and Asia. ATI common shares trade on NASDAQ (ATYT) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ATY).
October 6, 2006 – BMW Group Canada has announced that it will be a major sponsor of the 2007 Canadian Open to be held at Angus Glen Golf Club in Unionville. BMW signed a three-year agreement with the Royal Canadian Golf Association to become a major Platinum sponsor of Canada's only PGA event. Rick Desrochers, RCGA chief operating officer and managing director championships division commented “BMW holds a legendary tradition of high performance. We look forward to partnering with them as Canada's national open championship enters an exciting new era on the PGA Tour”.
September 1, 2006 - CoolBrands International Inc. , based in Markham, announced that its Eskimo Pie unit has agreed to sell is Value America flavours and ingredients division to an undisclosed buyer for US $10 million. Proceeds will be used to pay down company debt after several years of aggressive expansion, making it the world's third largest manufacturer of specialty ice creams and desserts. CoolBrands markets Godiva Ice Cream, Whole Fruit Sorbet, as well as Eskimo Pie, Chipwich, and Fruit-a-Freeze branded frozen novelties and frozen desserts. The Company also markets a broad range of ice cream, frozen novelties, and frozen desserts under the Tropicana Welch's Yoplait Betty Crocker and Trix brand names, pursuant to long-term licensing agreements. CoolBrands franchises and licenses frozen dessert outlets operated under Tropicana Smoothies, Juices & More, with company-owned, franchised, and non-traditional partnership locations around the world.
August 21, 2006 - Bob Hunter Park, located in Markham, was officially opened by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. The 500 acre park is bordered by Hwy 407, Steeles Avenue, Little Rouge Creek to the east and a CP rail line on the west, and is on land protected by the Greenbelt Act. The park is also an addition to Rouge Park, North America's largest urban park. Named after Bob Hunter, past president of Greenpeace, an environmental activist and a local media figure who died of cancer in 2005, the park has two cold water streams feeding the Little Rouge Creek and is home to more than 380 plant and 92 bird species. Markham Councillor Erin Shapero commented "He would be thrilled with this; he was a man who was always looking for solutions and pieces of protected land like this will help us navigate the problems of climate change."
Jul 24, 2006 - Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) and ATI Technologies Inc. of Markham , Ontario announced a plan to join forces, in a merger transaction that will combine AMD's technology leadership in microprocessors with ATI's strengths in graphics, chipsets and consumer electronics. The result is a processing powerhouse: a new competitor, better equipped to drive growth, innovation and choice for its customers in commercial and mobile computing segments and in rapidly-growing consumer electronics segments. The transaction, valued at US $5.4 billion, is expected to close in Q4 2006 subject to approval by ATI shareholders, court approval, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Headquartered in Sunnyvale , California with centers of excellence around the world, the new company will have a combined workforce of approximately 14,900 employees. This transaction breaks new ground for both companies and is expected to provide increased customer benefits in four key technology areas:
Commercial Clients
As a combined company, AMD and ATI will develop commercial platforms that deliver simplicity, stability, and manageability in graphics-rich and mobile environments.
Mobile Computing
As a combined company, AMD and ATI will advance mobile computing by delivering integrated platforms that are designed to extend battery life while optimizing graphics and media processing.
Consumer Digital Media
As a combined company, AMD and ATI will empower users to create and experience rich, immersive digital entertainment across multiple consumer devices, including PCs, handhelds, and digital televisions.
High-Growth Markets
As a combined company, AMD and ATI will deliver highly-integrated, low-cost, power-efficient solutions to meet the expanding demands of billions of new users in emerging markets.
Jun 16, 2006 - Press Release (CCNMatthews via COMTEX News Network) Markham-based ATI Technologies Inc. (TSX:ATY) (NASDAQ:ATYT), a global leader in PC graphics, today announced that its RadeonR graphics processors family have been selected to power DEPO Computers' entire line of home and multimedia Ego PCs for the back-to-school season. Starting in late August, DEPO Ego systems powered by ATI's RadeonR X1300, RadeonR X1600, RadeonR X1800 and RadeonR X1900 GPUs will be available in major Russian retail stores as well as at DEPO.RU e-tail store. "ATI has provided leading graphics solutions to the world's largest PC manufacturers for 20 years. We're pleased to partner with DEPO Computers, Russia 's top PC manufacturer to provide advanced home multimedia systems based exclusively on ATI graphics. DEPO Ego PCs featuring ATI RadeonR X1K series GPU delivers the ultimate visual experience to customers across Russia ," said Dave Orton, President & Chief Executive Officer, ATI Technologies Inc. "Our customers have long benefited from the quality of ATI graphics and ATI's excellent support and customer service, and this ATI-exclusive lineup of PCs will enhance our leadership position in the Russian market," said Robert Lamson, Managing Director of DEPO Computers. "This signifies a landmark moment for ATI Technologies in Russia when a major system integrator in Russia decided to use exclusively ATI-based graphics in the back to school product lineup. The new DEPO Ego PC series will be available in all major retail networks across Russia, allowing a large number of PC buyers to experience the power of Radeon X1K series graphics," said Alex Zhavoronkov, Director Sales, Russia & CIS, ATI Technologies (Europe), GmbH. DEPO Computers Company (www.depo.ru) is the largest manufacturer of computer systems in Russia. The company's manufacturing facilities are certified to ISO 9001-2001 standards, and produce up to 2000 computers and 100 servers per day. Servers, workstations an
d personal computers are presently produced under the DEPO and DEPO Ego brand names. DEPO computer systems are supplied throughout the country through an extensive partner network. DEPO produces PC systems for a broad range of customers including small, medium and large businesses, state institutions and agencies and retail users. DEPO Computers is integrated into the DEALINE E-business Hub. With fiscal 2005 revenues of US $2.22 billion, ATI has more than 3,700 employees in the Americas , Europe and Asia . ATI common shares trade on NASDAQ (ATYT) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ATY).
May 28, 2006 (Press Release) - For the first time in its history, the highly acclaimed Guinness Book of World Records will acknowledge record-breaking golf attempt categories for women and children during Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation's Guinness World record Golf Day this summer.
“With the addition of new categories specifically for women and kids, we've got the potential to set at least 16 new Guinness World Records!,” says Scotland 's Paul Coffey, creator of the original Guinness Golf World Record. “Guinness are prepared to establish these new record categories especially for this event, so there's going to be a lot of new world records set at Angus Glen!” This landmark golf event, taking place on July 3 rd at Angus Glen Golf Club, will challenge a number of existing Guinness Golf World Records, including the most golfers to walk a course in a day, set in St. Andrews, Scotland, in 2003 when 491 players ventured out to raise money for a local hospital. Other unique golf records to be challenged (and never before attempted in North America) include:
• Most Golfers to Play a Medal Round in 24 Hours
• Fastest Four-ball Medal Round (family, men, women & children)
• Longest Drive Caught (men, women & children)
• Longest Single-handed Drive (men, women & children)
• Fastest Individual to Complete a 500 Yard Hole (men, women & children)
• Most Consecutive Golfers to Hit a Shot Into a Target Area (men, women & children)
“This is an incredible opportunity for people of all ages to try to set an official Guinness World Record,” says Bryan Dearsley of Event Ambassadors, organizers of the event. “Best of all, we're asking people to raise pledges for the hospital in order to play their part in golf history. That means anyone can participate, regardless of age, ability or income – no-one should feel they can't afford it.” A minimum $250 in pledges is required to participate, and incentive packages – including autographed copies of the Guinness Book of World Records – have been established. Alternately, businesses may choose to pay an admission fee in lieu of pledges (or a partial pledge amount) for individuals and foursomes (staff, clients etc.) as a “Team Building” exercise. For example, Starbucks has already committed to having 50 staff members participate as golfers and volunteers! “There's still plenty of opportunities for businesses and individuals to get involved,” adds Dearsley. “We're encouraging schools, golf clubs, junior golf academies, businesses and service clubs to sign-up for what promises to be an incredible day of fun and excitement on a holiday Monday… I mean, can you imagine your family setting a world record for the fastest family four-ball! That'd be quite a tale.” In order to accommodate players of all ages and abilities, tee-times are being allocated based upon proficiency and family participation. For example, more experienced golfers are being allowed to play earlier in the day, with families with younger children playing later in the day. In addition, opportunities exist for select groups to play in the evening using specially designed glow-balls and pins. In addition, the Town of Markham has proclaimed July 3 rd “Guinness World Record Golf Day”, and a special presentation will be made to Guinness Book of World Records' Editor Craig Glenday to commemorate the occasion. An Early Bird 9 & Dine event at Angus Glen on June 23 rd has been established for the first 100 golfers to commit to raisin
g $300 in pledges, and a website, www.worldrecordgolf.com has been established to allow participants to register online.
Well-known local partners already committed to assist with the event include CorporateMarkham.com, Executive Limousine & Livery Service, Hilton Suites Hotel, Greg Salazar Junior Golf Academy, Markham Board of Trade, Starbucks, York Region Newspaper Group, EDR Physiotherapy, Athlete's Video, CarMagic, and Angus Glen Golf Club.
For further information – including interviews with Guinness Book of World Records Editor Craig Glenday, Paul Coffey or Bryan Dearsley – please contact Event Ambassadors at 1-866-360-8320 , or email bryan@golfathon.net
May 20, 2006 – Markham YMCA Rudy Bratty Centre held its official open house at 101 YMCA Boulevard in the Kennedy Road and Highway 407 area of Markham . The 60,000 state-of-the-art wheelchair accessible building has two indoor pools, a double gymnasium, active youth area, weights and cardiovascular equipment. A wireless café will also cater to parents waiting on their kids. Customers can also be connected to their personal trainers through an e-mail system accessible from the gym and home. Periodic progress reports can even be e-mailed to doctors. The Town of Markham partnered with the YMCA in 2002 with the expectation that the new facility would cut waiting lists for various town programs as the local population continues to grow. The new Y will also act as an anchor of the Downtown Markham Centre plan, designed to attract thousands of new residents to a high-density area between Hwy. 407 and Hwy. 7 west of Kennedy Road . Cathyann White, the centre's general manager commented, “The Y offers a diverse blend of programming – not every place you go has a gymnasium. We also make a point of programming for the whole family.” The Markham YMCA will offer some assistance to those who are unable to afford membership. The new facility will soon be open 365 days per year: Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 11p.m. and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.
April 4, 2006 - IBM Canada Ltd., headquartered in Markham, and the University Health Network are creating a new research centre that will use a supercomputer to help discover treatments for ovarian, lung, colon and prostate cancer. The Life Sciences Discovery Centre, located within the University Health Network's facility at MaRS in Toronto, will focus on analyzing protein interactions, a crucial component in understanding cancer biology, disease progression and treatment. The Life Sciences Discovery Centre received an IBM eServer p595 supercomputer along with IBM WebSphere and DB2 data management software valued at more than $2.5 million under IBM's Shared University Grant program. The grant also enables researchers to work with leading computational biologists at IBM's T.J. Watson Research Lab in New York . "One of the biggest challenges with cancer research is being able to sort through large volumes of data, identify cancer-specific signals, and understand how tumors grow," said Dr. Igor Jurisica, of the University Health Network and a professor at the University of Toronto . "The new Life Sciences Discovery Centre will speed our ability to analyze data in a systematic way, which will eventually allow us to detect cancer before symptoms are visible, essentially developing approaches for early diagnosis." "This research center is a remarkable intersection between computer science and medicine" said Don Aldridge, IBM Canada's general manager for Higher Education, Research and Life Sciences. "By applying supercomputing to advanced cancer research, the University Health Network will be able to develop new treatments and understand which work best for individual patients, based on their unique genetic make-up." IBM has contributed more than $3.5 million in technology to cancer research at the University Health Network since 2000 through programs such as Shared University Research grants. The program supports collaborative research in areas of mutual interest to IBM and the rese
arch community. The ultimate goal is to develop technical talent and technology leadership that fuels economic growth through fostering great science with great people.
March 6, 2006 - ( Business Wire) ATI Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:ATYT) (TSX:ATY) today announced the acquisition of Shanghai-based Macrosynergy, an XGI Technology alliance company, as well as related personnel working out of XGI Technology's Santa Clara, California location. With the acquisition ATI immediately increases its presence in Shanghai , China , considered to be the epicenter of China 's burgeoning technology market. At the same time the company acquires the research and design expertise of an organization best known for its multimedia add-in boards for personal computers. "This transaction brings ATI two important elements - presence in a country that is emerging as the next big technology market, and a team of engineers that are highly skilled in our key product areas," said Dave Orton, President & CEO, ATI Technologies Inc. "The XGI and Macrosynergy people bring additional breadth of knowledge and experience to an ATI team that is leading the graphics processor market." The acquisition will see approximately 100 Shanghai-based employees join ATI. An additional cadre of XGI employees in Santa Clara will relocate to ATI's Santa Clara location. Currently, demand for computer hardware in China is setting a pace to achieve a 5% CAGR over the next five year period with spending on IT hardware hitting $20.3 billion in 2006, surpassing $23 billion in 2009(1). With the country expected to urbanize a billion people by 2010, strong markets for handhelds and digital televisions are also projected through the next decade. Shanghai , the country's largest shipping port and hub to China 's mainland transportation routes, is ideally suited for commercial opportunities. "From a worldwide perspective, China will continue to be the dominant manufacturing base as well as a major market for both computers and mobile handsets," said Oliver Xu, principal Shanghai-based analyst with Gartner Inc.'s Semiconductor Group. "Therefore the acquisition is important for ATI's furth
er success in China and will enhance the company's performance in the global market."
February 1, 2006 - The United Way of York Region announced that it has surpassed its recent fundraising target. CEO Rahul Bhardwaj recently addressed a campaign celebration dinner at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham and announced that $7.65 million was raised, a 13% increase compared to 2004 and surpassed the goal of $7.25 million. Mr. Bhardwaj noted that the campaign's success was due in part to an increased recognition among residents of the relevance of the United Way of York Region. "The support they have given us has provided a lot of needed support for human service agencies that we fund in York Region". The campaign which began in September also relies heavily on workplace fundraising programs which were very successful in 2005. Major corporate donors included Amex Canada Inc., Johnson & Johnson Medical Products, Motorola Canada Ltd., Acklands-Grainger Inc., STAPLES Business DEPOT, The Town of Markham, ATI Technologies Inc., Apotex, Ceridian Canada Ltd., CGI and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
January 12, 2006 - Town of Markham Press Release: The Town of Markham welcomed today's announcement by Prime Minister Paul Martin to establish the central facility of a new and unique National Research Council "National Institute of Convergent Technologies (NICT)" in the new Markham Centre located at the junction of Kennedy Road and Highway 407. "We have been working on this project with the NRC and our partners for several years," said Markham Mayor Don Cousens. "We're very, very excited to see this project come to fruition. The project was initiated in early 2000 by the Town of Markham and York University and the Institute plan was further developed in collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). The plan gained the support and participation of the University of Waterloo, IBM Canada, sanofi pasteur Limited, Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Sciences Centre, with strong, additional partnerships among industry associations, private sector companies, community hospitals and educational organizations." Mayor Cousens went on to emphasize that the central facility will be located in Markham . There will be satellite operations at the University of Waterloo and other sites and close coordination with the Medical and Related Sciences Centre (MaRS) in Toronto . Deputy Mayor Frank Scarpitti explained " The lack of a meaningful NRC presence in Ontario between London and the National Capital Region represents a huge gap, particularly given how much research and development (R&D) and leading-edge manufacturing happens in this corridor. The NICT will begin to address that long-standing gap and contribute enormously to economic development, productivity, international competitiveness and our ability to attract the best scientific and managerial minds. We see the NICT being the catalyst for a whole new suite of products - event industries - through the first-ever convergence of information technology/software and biomedical technology". Councillor Joe Vi
rgilio, chair of Markham's Economic Development committee, emphasized "The information technology/software and biomedical convergence model is unique and the science behind it has been validated by the partners and by the NRC itself." The science that grounds convergent technology opens up new opportunities for research, commercialization, and international competitiveness. It draws together two cutting edge sectors, IT and bio-medical technology, which will benefit participating companies and will lead to start-up companies. The Town of Markham has set aside land for the facility. It has offered to lease the land to the NRC on a long-term basis and to build the building to NRC specifications, leasing a portion of it back to the NRC. York University , the Innovation Synergy Centre in Markham, York Biotech, businesses and other organizations will locate resources and conduct R&D and training of entrepreneurs in the facility. Mayor Cousens also indicated "We have discussed this proposal with officials of the Government of Ontario and hope that Ontario will be a tenant in the building and contribute to the Institute's creation as well." Markham is known as "Canada's High-Tech Capital" and York Region is home to numerous high tech and biopharmaceutical companies (15), and computer technology companies (700). More than 400 medical device companies are based in and around the area; a concentration of about 80% of all such companies in Canada . About 75% of Canada 's entire IT community is located within a 15 km radius of the NICT site. Key ITC and biotechnology associations, including the Health Technology Exchange, the Association of Ontario Medical Manufacturers and the Canadian-Chinese Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Association, are located in Markham. The Town of Markham , located in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area, is a municipality of more than 260,000 residents that embraces technological innovation, celebrates diversity and is characterized by healthy and vibrant communities. It i
s the eastern anchor of the 'Innovation Corridor' that stretches across the GTA to Kitchener-Waterloo.
January 2, 2006 - ATI Technologies Inc., based in Markham, recently announced that its Digital Television Business Unit has shipped more than 10 million chips destined for HD IDTVs (High Definition Integrated Digital Televisions). In calendar 2005 ATI expects to grow IDTV unit shipments of its TheaterT and NXTWaveT demodulators and XilleonR MPEG decoders and display processors by approximately 75 percent over 2004. This year over year growth confirms ATI's position as the leading technology provider for HD IDTVs. ATI's NXT, Theater and Xilleon lines of chips are offered today in a wide variety of consumer electronics devices, including HD TVs and set-top boxes from the following manufacturers: ALPS, Changhong, Coship, Funai (Sylvania), Hisense, Hitachi, JVC, Keratel, Mitsubishi, Matsushita (Panasonic), Philips, Scientific-Atlanta, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TiVo, Toshiba, Thomson, TTE (RCA), USDTV, Xoceco (PRIMA). "Once again 2005 was a year in which ATI lead the industry in shipments of components for IDTVs," said Daniel Eiref, director of marketing for DTV products, ATI Technologies Inc. "However, more importantly 2005 was a year in which we responded to our customers' requests for the best in analog and digital reception, exceptional image processing technology, and the most versatile and robust software stacks. With ATI's introduction of products like XilleonR 240, TheaterT 314, and CARD we believe our customers are in a position to have a banner 2006."
See our profile in the Markham Economist & Sun
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