Northern Development’s Competitiveness Consulting Rebate program has helped craft a top-line vision that’s generated bottom-line results for one of Prince George’s largest forestry conglomerates.
Winton Homes, a subsidiary of Sinclar Group Forest Products Ltd., has launched a re-envisioned marketing and brand strategy that includes a new digital presence that’s helped the company move into a marketplace leadership position.
The company, which specializes in building pre-manufactured homes and cottages and was formerly known as Winton Global, has tapped into the Trust’s Competitiveness Consulting Rebate program two years in a row.
The program, which provides an annual rebate of 50% up to $30,000 for small and medium-sized companies in the region to hire specialized consultants to help improve their performance, provided nearly $60,000 to Winton to help it pursue a business improvement initiative, marketing plan and develop a new website. The projects with Winton were delivered in partnership with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
The program not only provides funding to help a business offset the cost of hiring consultants, but also allows a business to tap into an existing pool of highly qualified business improvement experts.
“The key message is the quality of people and resources that we could access given the additional funding and the speed, and that has allowed us to move into a leadership space in the marketplace,” said Don Ross, Sales and Marketing Manager, Winton Homes. “The funding allowed us to do it properly, and what that means to me is I was able to spend money on really good consumer-based research that provided real value for our customers.”
The program helped Winton develop a three year business improvement plan that focused on marketing and overhead improvements, said Ross.
With the help of the consultants Winton was able to access through the Trust and BDC, the company was able to achieve 80% of the marketing recommendations outlined for Winton in just six months.
Winton has not only launched an updated brand strategy, but has also aggressively pursued a robust
digital presence.
“Without exaggerating we have the best website in the industry right now, by far, it’s a real competitive
advantage we were able to achieve,” said Ross.
The company has already seen a significant increase in sales leads, and has also managed to reduce its
overall operating costs.
The goal of the Competitiveness Consulting Rebate program is to directly support central and northern B.C. manufacturers, innovators, processors and their suppliers to grow their businesses, implement world-class business practices and become more competitive in the global market, which in turn generates a measurable economic benefit for the region.
The program provides a rebate to small and medium sized companies engaged in manufacturing, innovative technologies, resource processing, transportation, distribution and their first line suppliers for outsourced consulting services.
Eligible companies must be privately owned and have headquarters within the Northern Development Initiative Trust region.
[quote by=”Don Ross” position=”Sales and Marketing Manager” company=”Winton Homes”]The quality of people
and resources that we could access given the additional funding… has allowed us to move into a leadership space in the marketplace[/quote]
