Spearheaded by the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME), it’s a time for Canadians coast-to-coast to support the more than 10,000 companies who proudly make things in this country.

While a vast array of goods enjoyed globally are made by Canadians in sectors ranging from packaging to aviation, the CME points out that, “in typically Canadian fashion, we often shy away from taking pride in our contributions that range from aerospace ingenuity to recreational envy.”

This month, the CME is raising awareness about Canadian made products through a social media campaign with the hastag #madebycanada. From tweeting a photo of something you know is #madebycanada, to sharing an anecdote on Facebook about how manufacturing has impacted your family, let’s share our pride in making things in this country – as our 5,400 employees in Hamilton do day-in-and-day out.

Recently ArcelorMittal Dofasco hosted the CME’s management team for a tour of our facilities and a conversation about the future of Manufacturing in Canada. Graham Reid, Vice President Technology, spoke about the need for Canadian manufacturers to increase productivity through innovation in order to combat some of the challenges faced by Canadian firms.”At ArcelorMittal Dofasco we are working on implementing a continuous improvement system where everyone from the shop floor to the corner office plays a role” Graham told the group. “Combined with the relentless pursuit of world class performance, we know that if we don’t work together as a company top to bottom, and as an industry – including academia and government – we won’t be able to overcome the challenges we face. We need to be high value manufacturers and do things plants further south can’t. We’re doing this by partnering with customers and suppliers aiming to achieve greater productivity as a sector”.

Over the month of October, CME will also be:

  • Hosting a video contest for students in grades 8 through post-secondary. The theme of the videos will focus on how manufacturing will impact the next generation;
  • Engaging government officials in Ottawa on October 6-7 to promote policies that grow Canada’s manufacturing base;
  • Organizing a North American Competitiveness and Innovation Conference in Toronto on October 30 and 31; and
  • Engaging with a diverse range of manufacturers to highlight #madebycanada products.

For more information visit the CME’s #mfgmonth website.