Vanguard Magazine

EVENTS BY HEATHER PILOT, PILOT HILL LTD 40 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021 www.vanguardcanada.com BEST DEFENCE CONFERENCE: 10 YEARS AND COUNTING T his year marks the 10th anniversary of the Best De- fence Conference and we are proud to have grown over the years to become a must attend networking event for the Canadian defence industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all both personally and professionally, so more than ever it is important to demonstrate how much we value our colleagues and clients and that is why I am dedicating this article to the sponsors of Best De- fence, many of whom have been there from the beginning. Making the decision to do a virtual conference was difficult, but our team has put all of their energy and talent into providing a great two-day event, which will take place on November 16- 17, 2021. Best Defence is a valuable platform for new to market companies as it provides a cost-effective way to conduct market research, establish relationships and identify potential strategic partners. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Vanguard, who has been our Media Partner for eight years. And a special thank you to the following sponsors for making this year's event pos- sible. Looking forward to connecting with you at Best Defence Con- ference 2021. GOLD SPONSORS Fort Erie, ON Contact: François Dufault, Key Account Manager – Defence Email: Francois.Dufault@airbus.com Airbus Helicopters is a leading supplier of helicopters in Canada and has been a proud member of the country's aerospace community since 1984. Headquartered in Fort Erie, ON, with a team of nearly 250 employees, Airbus Helicopters Canada is a centre of excellence for engineering and composite manufacturing and is the sole-source supplier of composite parts for eight different helicopter models in the Airbus range. The vast capabilities of Airbus's composite manufacturing facility extend to many industries. London, ON Contact: Remo Assini, President Email: rassini@imtcorporation.com IMT Defence is a unique Canadian manu- facturer of precision metal parts supplying the North American Defence industry. Our integrated manufacturing processes include forging, machining, heat treat, painting, and assembly. IMT Defence produces medium to large caliber projec- tile bodies, military vehicle components and other critical machined components. Our locations across North America sup- ply quality products to our customers us- ing the latest in manufacturing and testing equipment. Our full service engineering and technical teams can support custom- ers in process and product development. IMT Defence is an ISO 9001 registered company and Controlled Goods certified. London, ON Contact: Ted Middleton, Manager, Global Strategy & International Business Develop- ment Email: middleh1@gdls.com A subsidiary of General Dynamics and an operating unit of General Dynamics Land Systems, General Dynamics Land Systems- Canada is a global defence industry leader in the provision of military vehicle solu- tions. Based in London, Ontario, the Ca- nadian operation employs approximately 1,700 people who design, manufacture and support light and medium armoured vehicles. General Dynamics Land Systems- Canada is the Canadian Army's largest supplier of armoured vehicles and is also a strong contributor to Canada's global bal- ance of trade with more than 85 percent of its revenues coming from exports. Driv- en by its innovative spirit and a relentless pursuit of operational excellence, General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada is proud to be the cornerstone of Canada's defence industry. London, ON Contact: Peter White, Executive Director, Government Relations & Strategic Partner- ships Email: peter.white@uwo.ca Western University is proud to be part of the Advanced Manufacturing Consortium. This distinct partnership between Western University, the University of Waterloo, McMaster University, and the Ontario Government develops and strengthens re- lationships with companies within the ad- vanced manufacturing sector. The goal is

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