CELEBRATING A DECADE OF PEOPLE-LED SUCCESS Vector Controls and Automation Group FINDING SUCCESS WITH FAMILY VALUES Arpi’s Industries Ltd. CONNECTION AND COMMUNICATION – A COUNTY’S JOURNEY TO GREATNESS Red Deer County, Alberta BUSINESSINFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM M A RC H 2 02 3to be your trusted digital printing partner!to be your trusted digital printing partner!EDITOR’S CORNER to be your trusted digital printing partner!to be your trusted digital printing partner! 3 The slogan chosen for this year’s International Women’s Day is #EmbraceEquity, and no, it’s not about hugging our asset portfolios. I jest, but the choice of words is important here, and identi- fies that there is much more to look at than the statistics and numbers. “How is equity different from equality,” writes Pauline Müller in this issue, “and how can one tell the difference? After all, equality is a goal that most think of as fully alive and well tended to by the gatekeepers of workplace justice. The reality looks a bit different, however.” In her latest piece, #EmbraceEquity – Positive Change for Women in the Workplace, Pauline investigates how achieving equity is more related to supporting diversity than sameness, and how that diversity creates a much healthier—and more productive—workplace environment. Tim Hocken Editor Suite 300, 7071 Bayers Rd. | Halifax, NS | B3L 2C2 | Canada P: 1-647-479-2163 | E: EDITOR Tim Hocken DEPUTY EDITOR Jaime McKee COPY EDITORS Thora Smith | Allister Havercroft CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Claire Suttles | Margaret Eaton Jessica Ferlaino | Pauline Müller | Robert Hoshowsky William Young | Allison Dempsey | Nate Hendley DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS James Corbett CONTENT MANAGERS Wendy Hood-Morris | Louis Susara Erin McWhinney | Lily Mitchell | Dean Lucas SALES TEAM Pamela Taylor | Morgan Culpepper | Dean Lucas OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Julia MacQueen GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER Severina Gachparova GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Laura Pratt | Ashley Dowling Ebic Tristary | Yoana Ilcheva CONTROLLER Jen Hamilton PUBLISHER Jeff Hocken “How is equity different from equality, and how can one tell the difference?”WORKFORCE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INSIDE MARCH GENERAL CONTRACTING PRODUCTS & SERVICES 4 Positive Change for Women in the Workplace In a world of changing social dynamics, equity is occupying prime time attention on the human resources agendas of most forward- thinking employers. Defined by Cambridge Dictionary as “a situa- tion in which everyone is treated fairly according to their needs and no group of people is given special treatment,” #EmbraceEquity is this year’s very appropriate hashtag—and theme—for International Women’s Day on March 8th, this year. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 5 BUSINESS IN FOCUS NATURAL PRODUCTS EXPO WEST 7 – 11 March 2023, Anaheim, CA Produced by New Hope Network, Natural Products Expo West is co-located at the Anaheim Convention Center with Fresh Ideas Organic Marketplace. With educational events, an expansive trade show, the Pitch Slam Semifinals and celebration, and numerous opportunities for networking, this Expo offers something for everyone. For more information MARKETING TRENDS YOU NEED TO KNOW IN 2023 WEBINAR 16 March, online, 11:00am SGT, 2:00pm AEDT Discover the biggest digital trends that will help organizations fire up their marketing and make an impact in 2023. Discussion Topics to include: the coming of age of influencer marketing; communities are on the rise; and the need for multi-format content. All registrants will receive a copy of the recording post-webinar. For more information visit: PROMAT 2023 20 – 23 March, Chicago, IL With over 1,000 of the world’s leading manufacturing and supply chain solution providers under one roof, you can see firsthand what the future holds, and find the tools you need to shockproof your operations and move your business forward. Themed, ‘Touch the Future of Supply Chains,’ ProMat features hands-on demonstrations, 150 educational seminars, and four exciting keynote speeches. Connect with your peers and learn the latest trends and technologies that can help you touch the future of supply chain success. For more information THE DUAL IMPERATIVE FOR CANADIAN CEOS 6 April, online Today’s CEOs are faced with a critical question: How do they balance reinventing their business to succeed in a changing world with the need to manage short-term pressures and challenges? This session, in collaboration with PwC Canada, breaks down this dual imperative by highlighting key aspects of what it takes to succeed in this complex environment, looking at Canadian CEOs’ perspectives on: the race for the future; today’s tensions; and a balanced agenda. For more information SUPPLYSIDE EAST 18 – 19 April, Secaucus, NJ Informa Markets’ SupplySide East, the East Coast’s leading ingredients and supply-chain solutions trade show, welcomes health and nutrition industry decision-makers from leading companies to connect with top suppliers and service providers featuring the most innovative ingredi- ents and formulation techniques to drive brands forward. Attendees will have ample opportunities to discover the latest and most innovative ingredients and solutions on the market and network with health and nutrition industry professionals from across the globe. For more information visit: INDUSTRY EVENTS 6 Are you planning an event relating to North America’s growing Business Industry? To get your event listed in Business in Focus, please contact us at least six to eight weeks before the event takes place at or call 1-647-479-2163INDUSTRY NEWS AN EASIER PILL TO SWALLOW For even the most steely nerved of us, medical tests are rarely pleasant. A breakthrough new project from a joint team at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) promises to make diagnostics a whole lot easier with a small, pill-shaped sensor that is able to be swallowed. Indigestible robotics have been in the works for several years, but Caltech and MIT have found a way to use magnetic fields to pinpoint the exact location of the pill as it winds its way through the digestive tract. According to MIT News, “The tiny sensor works by detecting a magnetic field produced by an electromagnetic coil located outside the body. The strength of the field varies with distance from the coil, so the sensor’s position can be calculated based on its measurement of the magnetic field.” The field resulting from an electromagnetic coil gets weaker as the distance from the coil increases. Along with greater traceability, the new indigestible sensor is non-invasive, unlike endoscopy, enabling doctors to more easily diagnose gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders like acid reflux, gastroparesis, and constipation. Researchers from both universities wanted to create a tiny, effective technology that could be used at the patient’s home, rather than a hospital or diagnostic clinic. “Many people around the world suffer from GI dysmotility or poor motility, and having the ability to monitor GI motility without having to go into a hospital is important to really understand what is happening to a patient,” stated Giovanni Traverso. As associate professor of mechanical engineering at MIT and a gas- troenterologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Traverso is one of the senior authors of a new study on the indigestible pill. According to MIT, GI motility disorders affect approximately 35 million Americans, and can occur anywhere in the diges- tive tract. Until now, these disorders have been diagnosed through technologies like X-rays, inserting catheters, or nuclear imaging. 7INDUSTRY NEWS A FIRST FOR ZOOX’S ROBOTAXI VINTAGE IPHONE EXPECTED TO FETCH $50K When the robotic Johnny Cab hit the big screen in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s flic Total Recall, it seemed impossible that a vehicle would ever drive itself. Now, over 30 years later, science fiction is fast becoming a reality. California-based robotics company Zoox Inc. is living up to its motto, “Built for riders, not drivers.” Envisioning the future of autonomous, on-demand ride-hailing, Zoox recently began testing its robotaxi on open public roads—with human workers on board—for the first time. “With the announcement of the maiden run of our autonomous employee shuttle, we are adding to the progress this industry has seen over the last year and bringing Zoox one step closer to a commercialized purpose-built robotaxi service for the general public,” said Zoox Chief Executive Officer Aicha Evans in a state- ment. Full-time staffers can now travel in the company’s self-driv- ing taxis between Zoox’s two main office buildings. Unlike some other self-driving vehicles, Zoox taxis do not have the usual instruments one would expect in a vehicle, namely a steering wheel or brake pedal. Able to transport up to four people at a time in seats facing one another to encourage conversation, the vehicles can reach speeds up to 35 miles per hour, or 56.3 km/h. Founded in 2014, Zoox was purchased by online retailer Amazon in 2020. For most of us, 2007 doesn’t really seem all that long ago. That year saw Nancy Pelosi become the first female Speaker of the U.S. Congress and author J. K. Rowling complete the seventh, and last, of her Harry Potter books. And that year, Apple co- founder and CEO Steve Jobs announced the company’s latest product, the iPhone. In development for the previous two years, developing Apple’s first iPhone is said to have cost more than $150 million USD. It was a pricy gamble for Apple, but it paid off. Sold solely through AT&T when it was introduced, the hype saw line-ups for the $599 USD iPhone. In under three months, one million units were sold. And although Jobs died in 2011, his legacy— and the iPhone—lives on. Recently, one of the company’s iconic first generation iPhones hit the auction block. Still factory sealed in its original box, it long surpassed its $2,500 USD starting bid and is expected to fetch a staggering $50,000 USD. Described by LCG Auctions as “highly desirable,” and “show- casing sharp corners front and back, rich color, and ‘case fresh’ features,” it is the first original iPhone in acceptable condition to hit the auction block since last October. That phone sold for over $39,000 USD. Depending on memory and other features, the latest iPhone 14 available today starts at $799 USD. 8INDUSTRY NEWS SUBWAY EXPLORING SALE One of the 10 largest fast-food chains in the world, Subway is famous for its foot-long submarine sandwiches, combo meals, and “Eat Fresh” slogan. Founded in 1965 as Pete’s Super Submarines and later renamed Subway, the popular franchise has grown to over 37,000 locations in 100 countries and counting. Recently stating 2022 was a “record-setting year” and posting eight quarters in a row of positive, same-store sales growth, the 58-year-old company recently set investors abuzz when it stated it is “exploring a possible sale.” Although no price tag was given, it is believed the sandwich giant could fetch at least $10 billion USD. The most recent comparison was the Inspire Brands purchase of Dunkin’ (formerly Dunkin’ Donuts) in October 2020 for $11.3 billion USD. One of the recent big changes for the company this year will be its cold cuts. Previously shipped to locations pre-sliced, meats will now be sliced in-store. NESTLÉ HIKING PRICES It was the news no one wanted to hear. Nestlé, the world’s largest publicly held food company, recently announced it is increasing prices again this year. Like other manufacturers, the Swiss company has had to deal with higher prices for ingredients. As a result, the company said it had no option other than charging customers more at the retail level because of skyrocketing commodity prices. This comes at a time where consumers, already facing double- digit inflation, are experiencing ‘shrinkflation’ and much higher prices at grocery checkouts. Two of the company’s popular products, Nescafé instant coffee and KitKat chocolate bars, increased in price by 8.2 percent in 2022; still, the hike wasn’t enough to offset the higher ingredient costs for the company. The news comes at the same time as Nestlé reported its full-year results for 2022, with the company reporting an increase of 8.4 percent in total sales. Company CEO Mark Schneider underscored the current economic times in a statement, stating, “Inflation surged to unprecedented levels, cost of living pressures intensified, and the effects of geopo- litical tensions were felt around the world,” adding that the company looks forward to “robust organic growth” in 2023, a six to eight percent organic sale growth, “and underlying trading operating profit margin between 17.0 percent and 17.5 percent,” according to Nestlé. “Underlying earnings per share in constant currency is expected to increase between six percent and 10 percent.” JHVEPhoto/ Shutterstock.com 24-KProduction/ Shutterstock.com 9Next >