Manufacturing has been at the heart of the Waterloo Region's economic success and leadership since its earliest days. Spurred by legendary entrepreneurs, Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and neighbouring communities have repeatedly been in the vanguard.

In the past, the region has been hailed as "Canada's Button Capital" and "The Furniture Capital" and been a national and international leader in rubber, textiles, industrial boilers, beer and whiskey. Repeatedly, its economy and companies have re-invented themselves and applied the latest technologies to emerge yet again as leaders in the next industrial wave.

Today, the Waterloo region manufacturing sector continues to be marked by its diversity while remaining at the cutting edge of technology: luxury automobiles, innovative and globally known communications devices, critical components for space exploration, parts for the next generation of fighter aircraft, amphibious vehicles, high quality delicatessen meats, high resolution digital projection systems, stunningly designed office furniture, robotics, pharmaceutical industry production lines, biologicals for agriculture, digital cameras for tomorrow's Hollywood and next generation solar panels.

The manufacturing tradition has bred a highly skilled work forceimbued with a culture of quality. Waterloo Region manufacturing enterprises know they will only remain leaders by developing, adopting and applying new technologies. They have an enviable concentration of outstanding post-secondary institutions to access: Conestoga College, the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University and nearby University of Guelph.

The Waterloo Region is one of the few places whereworld-class research and graduates in disciplines such as engineering, mathematics, computer science, environmental science, biotechnology, and nanotechnology are all found together in one area.

This presents manufcaturering enterprises with unique opportunities to achieve convergence among technologies involving, for example, information technology, automotive, manufacturing processes and biotechnology. In addition, the business orientation of these institutions is driven by extensive cooperative education programs and collaboration in research programs.

Finally, successful manufacturers need more than just state-of-the-art production lines, great technology, highly qualified engineers and a skilled work force. Seasoned and well educated professionals in management, accounting, human resources and logistics are essential too.

Importantly too, the Waterloo Region has attracted a concentration of professional service firms - legal, human resources, accounting, financial, training and consulting - that support the manufacturing sector. They have been drawn to the region which is the fastest growing area in Southwestern Ontario.

Written by John Tennant, Former CEO, CTT