Prince Edward Island’s only maker of brewing equipment is seeing tremendous benefits from its export activities around the world.
Companies like DME helped Prince Edward Island set a record in 2017 for international exports for the fifth-straight year. Founded in Charlottetown in 1991, the company has since expanded to Abbotsford, B.C. and South Carolina and employs 165 people on the Island.
“We achieved our largest sales year on record at DME in 2017, and 99 per cent of those projects were sent off Island, with more than half going to international clients,” said Peter Toombs, president and CEO of the DME Group.
“Being able to manufacture in PEI and export around the world has resulted in DME having a competitive, sought after product in a growing global market.”
Figures released this week by Statistics Canada show the province generated $1.3 billion in exports in 2017, an increase of 4.6 per cent over 2016. Food and equipment manufacturing were the big drivers of the increase.
Last year was also the first-time exports to the United States exceeded $1 billion.
The provincial government has a number of supports in place to assist companies who are seeking out new markets outside of Canada including the Grow Export program through Trade Team PEI; support for trade missions to potential markets and mentorship to assist companies preparing to move into export markets.
For more information on supports for companies interested in entering an export market, visit www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/topic/trade-and-export .
