Photo: Canadian Defence Review (CDR)
By Christina Phillips
Canada’s leading defence and military magazine, Canadian Defence Review (CDR), announced it has released its annual Survey & Ranking of Canada’s Top 100 Defence Companies.
In a news release on April 30, Canadian Defence Review said it has named Davie its Top Defence Company for 2024, and it is the first time for the company to be in the number one spot in the 20 years the ranking has been published.
CDR noted that, Davie, a ship building company located in Lauzon, Quebec, Canada and considered the oldest continually operating shipbuilder in North America, contributes up to $11.2 billion to Canada’s GDP.
In commenting on the first place ranking, Alex Vicefield, Chairman & CEO of Inocea Group, parent company of Davie, said: “We are honored to have been named Canadian defence company of the year. Indeed, Davie and its affiliates play a vital role in Canada’s national security through our work with the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard, but we are set to play an even greater role for NATO allies through this year’s international expansion and the acquisition of Helsinki Shipyard.”
He added, “This has cemented the group’s position as the world leader in icebreaker design and construction, a critical capability at a time when the Arctic is set to become such a contested basin.”
On receiving the number one ranking, Davie Shipbuilding President & CEO, James Davies, said: “This is a great honor, marking the culmination of a 12-year journey for my business partner, Alex Vicefield, and I. It’s a huge vote of confidence in the industry’s most dedicated team and our supply chain. We simply wouldn’t be here without our valued customers in the Canadian navy and Coast Guard, as well as the Government of Quebec, our strategic partner. As our world becomes more volatile, the importance of our mission to build complex ships for Canada grows by the day. In the future, our ambition is to export Canadian shipbuilding innovation worldwide.”
CDR’s Editor-in-Chief, Peter A. Kitchen, said, “A healthy shipbuilding industry is critical to the upkeep and maintenance of a nation’s Navy and Davie is very much a part of that. Davie has now entered a new era by integrating into the NSS where it will build 1 of 2 polar icebreakers, and 6 program icebreakers for the CCG.”
Kitchen added, “The recent acquisition of Helsinki Shipyard positions Davie to successfully deliver the most ambitious icebreaker newbuild program in Canada’s history. Furthermore, Davie contributes up to $11.2 billion to Canada’s GDP and has created up to 4,700 direct and indirect jobs through its NSS work. So, for all these reasons, we feel the time is right to recognize Davie as Canada’s #1 Defence Company.”
This year, CDR announced it has added nine new companies to the Top 100 ranking, which it said is a testament to the strength of Canada’s defence industry.
An evaluation panel consisting of CDR editorial staff and independent advisors ranked the companies based on factors such as economic impact, innovation, contribution to the nation’s security, corporate integrity and support for Canada’s military.
With the publication of its annual Top 100 Defence Company Ranking, CDR said its goal is to showcase Canada’s defence industry and all that it has to offer.
More information:
http://www.canadiandefencereview.com/
https://www.davie.ca/
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