Press release
The World Trade Centre Montréal presents the second edition of
the Large Buyers Series in association with Wal-Mart
Montreal, Tuesday November 1, 2005 The World Trade Centre Montréal, the team of international trade experts at the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, today presents the second edition of the Large Buyers Series in association with Wal-Mart Canada.
The Large Buyers Series is the expression of our desire to support Quebec's manufacturing sector so that it may take full advantage of business opportunities presented on the market. This is all the more important given that Quebec is the Canadian province with the highest manufacturing production, representing one quarter of its total economic activity. We are convinced that our companies, their expertise, and the quality of their products can profit greatly from the enormous potential of Wal-Mart Canada and that, by meeting some 200 entrepreneurs, this retailer will be able to offer more local products to its clientele, declared Isabelle Hudon, president and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
For the past eleven years, Wal-Mart Canada has been a leader in business relations with Canadian manufacturers and suppliers, declared Mario Pilozzi, president and CEO of Wal-Mart Canada. Our supplier fairs, such as the one organized in Montreal by the Board of Trade's World Trade Centre Montreal team, help us to further expand our network of Quebec suppliers. Moreover, Wal-Mart Canada has had business ties with more than 1,300 Quebec suppliers in the past year, or one supplier out of seven, for transactions totalling more than $1.5 billion.
During this half-day event, Quebec manufacturers and suppliers in sectors as varied as agri-food, electronics, hardware, automotive, jewellery, cosmetics, horticulture, toys, furniture, paint, household products, sporting goods, and textiles have a chance to meet one-on-one with buyers from Wal-Mart Canada. They may also attend a breakfast meeting during which Mario Pilozzi, president and CEO; Bob Brunet, senior vice-president, merchandising; and Sylvain Prud'Homme, vice-president, Quebec and Atlantic provinces, will present the company's procurement practices.
Through its experts at World Trade Montréal, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal offers international trade services to the greater business community. The organization is backed by Canada Economic Development.
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Sources:
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Sylvie Paquette, coordinator, Media relations
Tel.: (514) 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca
Wal-Mart Canada
Yanik Deschênes, manager, Corporate Communications, Quebec
Tel.: (514) 206-4619
Yanik.deschenes@wal-mart.com