26th February 2013

Canada’s Best Managed Companies Revealed

mini-orbyFifty Canadian companies are being recognized today as the 2012 winners of Canada’s Best Managed Companies program for having demonstrated outstanding business performance and innovative management. Growth was at the top of the agenda for Canada’s Best Managed Companies in 2012. Best Managed winners made strategic investments in their companies, platforms, their systems and in their people and in turn, revenue and income grew substantially. Best Managed winners’ revenue grew by 14% to approximately $5.4 billion and more impressively, income grew by approximately 24%.

“During the program’s 20-year history, thousands of private companies have competed for this designation,” says John Hughes, Deloitte partner, national leader for Canada’s Best Managed Companies program and leader of the Toronto Growth Enterprises practice. “This year’s winners have proven that even during a global financial crisis, they are still optimistic about the future, focusing on key operating metrics and accountability.”

Now in its 20th year, the Canada’s Best Managed Companies designation remains an emblem of pride for private Canadian organizations with revenues over $10 million. Fifty new companies have now joined the ranks of other powerhouse Canadian companies that have achieved business excellence.

“Not only are these businesses demonstrating excellence in Canada, but from coast-to-coast we are seeing more private companies expand beyond our borders,” says Dino Medves, senior vice-president, CIBC Commercial Banking. “By harnessing their strong management team, a robust business plan and a solid balance sheet, these companies have created the support necessary for strategic international investment.”

In the current soft economy, Best Managed Companies are focused on a few vital priorities to ensure their business thrives:

  • Best Managed Companies see the current economy as a buying opportunity. They expect mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity to increase cautiously over the next two to five years. Best Managed Companies continue to look to strategic-alliance and joint venture activities as the initial steps to a transaction commitment and “tuck-in” acquisitions as a means to build a platform company.
  • Best Managed Companies are also looking to build acquisition pipelines. Since these companies have limited resources they need to be very strategic and selective about acquisitions and look for opportunities that are accretive to their businesses. In addition, there has been significant increased interest in M&As from private equity firms, not just in Canada but also in the US and UK as Best managed Companies represent significant growth opportunities for Canada’s largest investors.
  • As Best Managed Companies mature, they offer more sophisticated “onboarding programs” for key leadership positions. A few years ago, onboarding of key executives usually consisted of a tour of the company’s operating facilities and meetings with certain customers. Best Managed companies have been much more sophisticated in ensuring new executives and employees understand their company’s vision, its operations and key strategic plans. They also engage new folks in peer learning that builds them up for success in their new roles.
  • This year, Best Managed companies are reporting more women in the executive ranks and an increase in the number of newcomers to Canada.
  • Many of Canada’s Best Managed Companies are looking to new products and services as a means to increase revenue and income. Innovation has been taken to new levels to create disruptive technologies and clearly differentiated products.
  • Succession planning has now become a more all-encompassing exercise that moves from family discussions around the next generation of management to a broader discussion including family transition, private equity investment, sales to strategic buyers and IPOs.
  • A significant number of owners plan to exit their businesses within the next five years and are starting to take a more holistic view of business succession and transition. Owners will engage in conversations to build sustainable businesses and continue to focus on creating value and protecting that value.

2012 Best Managed Companies program winners

Company Name City Province
Algoma Central Corporation St. Catharines ON
Aquaterra Corporation Mississauga ON
Arpi’s Industries Ltd. Calgary AB
Boulangerie St-Méthode inc. Adstock QC
Burnco Manufacturing Inc Concord ON
Canada Goose Toronto ON
Canarm Ltd. Brockville ON
CBCL Limited Halifax NS
Construction Control Inc. Woodbridge ON
Cougar Drilling Solutions Edmonton AB
Cowan Insurance Group Cambridge ON
Dancor/Coreydale London ON
Desire2Learn Incorporated Kitchener ON
Durabuilt Windows and Doors Edmonton AB
EMS Etobicoke ON
Les Emballages Carrousel Inc. Boucherville QC
Esri Canada Toronto ON
Ethier Calgary AB
FirstOnSite Restoration Toronto ON
Home Hardware Stores Limited St. Jacobs ON
Houle Electric Limited Burnaby BC
Industrial Thermo Polymers Ltd Brampton ON
Intelex Toronto ON
Trévi Mirabel QC
JemD Farms Kingsville ON
KiiNaturals Inc Concord ON
Levitt-Safety Oakville ON
MDS Aero Support Corporation Ottawa ON
Mircom Group of Companies Vaughan ON
Mr. Lube Canada Delta BC
Nautilus Plus St-Hubert QC
TU Group Richmond BC
Novexco BuroPLUS Laval QC
DeSerres Montréal QC
OpenRoad Auto Group Limited Richmond BC
Oxford Frozen Foods Limited Oxford NS
Paladin Security Group Ltd Burnaby BC
Payworks Winnipeg MB
PCO Innovation Montréal QC
PH Vitres d’Autos Sainte-Perpétue QC
Projex Technologies Ltd. Calgary AB
RLG International Inc. Burnaby BC
S-Trip! Moose Jaw SK
Simpson Seeds Inc. Moose Jaw SK
Soucy Techno inc Sherbrooke QC
South Country Equipment Ltd. Dartmouth NS
Steele Auto Group Toronto ON
STRONE Oakville ON
Superior Glove Acton ON
Techmation Electric & Controls Ltd. Airdrie AB

 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 26th, 2013 at 10:14 am and is filed under Awards, Business News, National News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
  1. Tami Quiring (@VillageGamer)
    2:15 am on February 26th, 2013

    Congratulations @Desire2Learn – Canada’s Best Managed Companies Revealed http://t.co/JILFL4M9zm

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