And after three months, I never needed a parka because TCS adopted me into their family.
I'm going to talk about me and my company, Cubex Limited. Today we are a world-renowned manufacturer in Winnipeg of underground and surface mining equipment. There are only three companies in the world: two are in Finland; one in western Canada, in Winnipeg.
We started with 16 employees. Today, we have 150 employees. We are still a family-owned company. We are selling Canada to the world in 29 countries. Wherever the mines are, Cubex equipment is there, and we are there because of the trade commissioner service.
I remember 1977, the old days. I don't know how many people have seen the old days of Industry, Trade and Commerce. There was no DFAIT. It was ITC, then it became DRIE, then it became Foreign Affairs. I've seen that transition. When we walked into that office, they really helped us out, giving gave us a contact and a referral as well. And wherever we wanted to go into a market, they did the due diligence. And that was it. Our first success led to lots of other successes. I can go on. I can write the big book on the TCS, how they helped us and helped the company.
Whenever we needed help, TCS was there. They took us on a trade mission. When we wanted referrals and contacts, they gave us the contacts. Today we are successful in the market, but we work very closely with them.
I recently came back from Saudi Arabia. Nobody knows mining in Saudi Arabia, but because of the trade commissioner service, we did a workshop there. We did the same thing in India. So we work very closely with them.
In the end, I'll just say that TCS deserves big kudos. This great service lets Canadian exporters use that service.
I have only one recommendation for the TCS: focus on small- and medium-size business. Big players have their own channels and their own money; by hook or by crook, they're going to do business. But small or medium size businesses have limited budgets and limited resources. So the trade commissioner service should focus a little more on them. Big businesses have their own channels, they have their own money, and they'll do business.
Thank you.