Over 100 vendors from across Canada join 14 local organizations and businesses at annual networking event to explore opportunities in Canadian nuclear supply chain
Chalk River, ON – September 06, 2024 – Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology organization, is pleased to announce that it welcomed over 100 nuclear vendors, and 14 local suppliers, businesses and economic development organizations, to the Chalk River Laboratories campus yesterday to participate in its annual Industry Day networking event. Held in partnership with the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI), the annual tradeshow promotes industry engagement between CNL’s nuclear partners and local organizations and Indigenous communities.
As in previous years, Industry Day featured a tradeshow which served as a forum for both nuclear vendors and local organizations to display, demonstrate and discuss their products and services, encouraging participants to explore partnership opportunities within Canada’s nuclear supply chain. This year, CNL also hosted a series of presentations and discussions, providing attendees with insight into the extensive program of work that is underway at Canada’s national nuclear laboratories, including projects and programs in decommissioning and waste management, science and technology, and related to the ongoing revitalization of the Chalk River campus.
“Given the magnitude of the program of work being done across CNL sites, we are focusing on sourcing local and Indigenous suppliers, whenever we are able to do so. For CNL, the importance of extending economic opportunities to qualified, local organizations and businesses is vital to these communities, and is a commitment of CNL,” commented Randy Hendrickson, CNL’s Vice-President, Business Management. “And, of course, Industry Day provides better insight into the many innovative Canadian vendors and organizations across the country, helping CNL find and choose better methods and approaches to facilitate and support our critical program of work, as well as explore areas of cooperation with local vendors to expand our network of suppliers. With those goals in mind, this year’s event was once again a tremendous success, and I want to thank all that took the time to attend.”
“The Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries started 45 years ago to provide a voice for the Canadian supply chain, and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories was even then, as it remains today, a central fixture of the Canadian nuclear industry,” commented Brian Fehrenbach, OCNI’s Interim CEO. “Now, as CNL progresses through its $1.3 Billion site infrastructure investment and readies itself to support Canada’s science and technology agenda for the future, OCNI remains as proud as ever to partner with CNL on Industry Days. Since 2010, these events have been a testament to the collaborative spirit within our industry, providing a unique platform for nuclear vendors, local businesses, and Indigenous communities to forge meaningful connections. We believe that events like these not only drive economic growth but also enhance the capabilities and reach of Canadian nuclear technology on the global stage.”
Among the local attendees to Industry Day were economic development representatives from MRC Pontiac and Renfrew County, who helped to facilitate many important networking opportunities and discussions on behalf of local businesses and companies. And with over 100 nuclear vendors from across Canada in attendance, this year’s event set a record for industry presence, with organizations representing all areas of the nuclear supply chain. Overall, CNL hopes Industry Day will help to spur growth in CNL’s nuclear industry, provide commercial and economic opportunities to local organizations and businesses, establish higher standards in the procurement of the goods and services it relies on, and enable better cooperation and collaboration across the sector.
For more information about how to do business with CNL or to register as a potential supplier, please visit CNL’s vendor portal at www.cnl.ca/vendors.
About CNL
As Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology laboratory, and working under the direction of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), CNL is a world leader in the development of innovative nuclear science and technology products and services. Guided by an ambitious corporate strategy known as Vision 2030, CNL fulfills three strategic priorities of national importance – restoring and protecting the environment, advancing clean energy technologies, and contributing to the health of Canadians.
By leveraging the assets owned by AECL, CNL also serves as the nexus between government, the nuclear industry, the broader private sector and the academic community. CNL works in collaboration with these sectors to advance innovative Canadian products and services towards real-world use, including carbon-free energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation technologies and waste management solutions.
To learn more about CNL, please visit www.cnl.ca.
-30-
CNL Contact:
Philip Kompass
Director, Corporate Communications
1-866-886-2325
media@cnl.ca
