Winnipeg Technical College

Winnipeg Technical College, having delivered a successful pilot program in Appliance Service Technician in 2007-08, is planning on delivering this program again commencing September 2011. The program will include in-school theory and practical instruction as well as a paid work cooperative through industry partners. Further details will follow....

IMR is very grateful for the WTC support as well as the support of our local IMR Sub Committee and the Manitoba Apprenticeship Board.

Bill C 36 - The Canada Consumer Product Safety Act

The Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA), Bill C-36, was passed by the Senate on December 14, 2010. Health Canada has issued a press release announcing the passing of C-36:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/nr-cp/_2010/2010_224-eng.php

The new Act will get Royal Assent as a matter of course in the very near term.

The CCPSA will replace Part 1 of the Hazardous Products Act and introduces a new regulatory regime. The purpose is to modernize and strengthen product safety laws by overhauling rules. It will, in particular, give the Federal ministry the power to order recalls of unsafe products.

Electro-Federation Canada (EFC) has worked closely through a coalition of 12 like-minded associations over the past 24 months with ministry staff and governmental committees on C-36. The coalition identified those aspects of the Bill that are most likely to have an adverse impact on business, including those that would have imposed unrealistic and unreasonable operational burdens and risks. These included: definitions, reporting timelines, ad practices, search and seizure provisions, documentation requirements and handling of confidential business information.

EFC staff will continue to work with Health Canada through the policies and guidelines development phase of C-36. We expect our dealings with Health Canada over implementation issues will become more intense over the coming weeks and months.

EFC supports the principles of Bill C-36 and will continue providing updates on the status of the Bill as details become available. A Webinar will be scheduled early in the New Year to discuss how Bill C-36 will impact our industry and what protocols businesses will need to abide by.

EFC Centralizes Technical Services for Electrical & Consumer Markets

Effective January 3, 2011, Richard Martel will become Vice President, Technical Services, Consumer. Richard joined EFC in 2009 and will continue to report to Larry Moore, Vice President, Canadian Appliance Manufacturers Association (CAMA), a division of EFC. He will manage codes and standards development and related regulatory issues for the Consumer products division in such areas as product safety, energy efficiency, standards harmonization, environmental and health protection - namely those that impact the Canadian appliance, electronics and telecommunications markets - working with EFC's three consumer councils: CAMA, Consumer Electronics Marketers of Canada (CEMC) and the Installation, Maintenance and Repair (IMR) Sector Council. In partnership with the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), Richard will continue to work with code board agencies (CSA, UL / ULC, ESA and others) to ensure members' interests are duly represented.

A highly-experienced executive manager, Richard spent 28 years in the major appliance industry. Before joining EFC, Richard was Vice President, Technology and Officer at Mabe Canada (formally Camco Inc.), a General Electric affiliate.

Electrolux closes Quebec plant

Home appliance giant Electrolux AB’s factory in the Montreal-area town of L’Assomption can no longer compete in a world of low-cost production and will have to close, the company says.

An estimated 1,300 jobs are expected to be lost as a result of the closure of Stockholm-based Electrolux’s decision to shutter the facility, which makes cooking appliances.

It is Electrolux’s only manufacturing plant in Canada.

“This has been a very difficult decision to make but it has become a necessary decision,” Electrolux North America spokesman Tony Evans said As we make competitive analyses of our various markets and businesses, it became very apparent that in the cooking-appliance segment we needed to radically alter our cost structure to stay competitive,” he said.

Production at the plant in L’Assomption – east of Montreal – will be transferred to an unnamed facility starting in mid-2010, said Mr. Evans.

Production will be completely phased out by the end of 2013, he said.

Other major appliance manufacturers have shifted production to lower-cost markets over the years, Billy Benson, vice-president of operations for Electrolux Major Appliances North America, said in a statement.

“We are sensitive to the impact of this announcement on our employees and the community,” he said. “We are announcing this decision more than a year in advance of the first production moves – and in some cases up to three years – to allow employees to make their plans for the future, and to provide the community time to attract new investment.”

The company intends to keep about 75 jobs at its R&D centre on the site for a further six to eight months after production ceases.

Electrolux has seven manufacturing plants in North America.

“Apart from the challenges of the recession, consumers are demanding competitively priced products featuring the latest technologies, requiring manufacturers to continually reinvest in product innovation while managing costs,” Mr. Benson said.

Electrolux is the second-largest household-appliance maker in the world, after U.S. giant Whirlpool. Among its products are refrigerators, dishwashers, dryers, ranges, air conditioners and vacuum cleaners.

Sales in 2009 topped $14-billion (U.S.)

(from the Globe and Mail Dec 15, 2010)

IMR 2010 Fall Training Events

In October IMR held manufacturer training sessions in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.
Electrolux and Samsung provided hands on training at these sessions.

They have received tremendous sponsorship and support from Marcone/AP Wagner, Reliable Parts and NEW Corp. The events were hosted by Sears Canada Inc/.

These sessions have provided training to over 50 technicians in Canada that otherwise would not be able to receive this type of training. IMR is working hard on a few key partnerships to continue to grow value and benefits for its members!


Please key an eye on our website for all up and coming industry news and events!! We are looking to provide the next training session in April 2011.
www.imrsectorcouncil.ca