HLS Hard-Line Solutions Inc., a Sudbury-area mine technology manufacturer, has walked away with the gold after being honored by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce's Ontario Global Traders Awards (OGTA).
From its 13,000-square-foot facility in the small town of Dowling, 40 kilometres northwest of Sudbury, Hard-Line has taken the top prize in the OGTA Market Expansion Award category.
Hard-Line provides industrial robotic control systems and communications infrastructure to mines across the world, and is just one of a dozen companies recognized across the province through the OGTA and Ontario Business Achievement Awards (OBAA).
Among the reasons for winning the award, the chamber cites the company's reputation for excellent service within the industry for delivering superior products, and its site-specific customization for customer satisfaction. It also highlights Hard-Line's expansion to international markets such as Peru, Chile, Ireland, the United States, Argentina and Brazil.
"This recognition from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce is of great importance to the staff," said Ryan Siggelkow, special projects manager for Hard-Line, in a release.
"Not only is it an acknowledgment of Hard-Line's successful international marketing, but one of the excellent partnership that exists between our company and the various government institutions that have augmented this expansion."
Hard-Line will officially receive the award at a gala event to be attended by 1,000 business and political leaders at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Nov. 25.
The event will also highlight five other categories, including: the OBAA RBC Royal Bank Award for Small Business, the Desjardins Award for Large Business, the OGTA HSBC Innovation Award - Exports, the Corporate Governance Award, and the Innovation Technology Award.
This is not Hard-Line's first such award, having won on previous occasions, including a bronze for market expansion in 2007. That same year, it won a Canadian Innovation Award for the Diversification of Market Exports from the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.
It was also given a 2005 Northern Ontario Business Award for Innovation.
www.hard-line.com
