~€entre for
® Enterprise Development \

700 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, B.C. Mailiny Address:
Telephone: (604) 526-4608 PO. Rox 69

Wostrinster, 8 Val 53;

First

 

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q MEDIA RELEASE

BC First - an “import replacement" project of the Douglas Centre
for Enterprise Development is pleased to announce the signing of
contracts by Merfin Hygienic Dispensers Ltd. of Richmond with
Columbia Plastics Ltd. of Vancouver and Vanguard Plastics Ltd. of
Surrey for the construction of steel moulds at a cost of
approximately $300,000. The moulds will be used to produce a
complete line of dispensers for jumbo sized rolls of toilet and
towel tissue using "space age tough" polycarbonate resins. The
dispensers are transluscent and will be available in colours to
match the corporate decor of the institutions in which they are
placed. The signing of these contracts marks the culmination of
3 months of intensive joint effort between John Stanger of BC
First and Joseph Smith of Paper Based Converted Products’ Ltd.
(PBC) of Richmond. PBC has placed an initial order with Merfin
Hygienic Dispensers for 100,000 dispensers over 2 years, a
commitment which made it possible for the project to go ahead.

© It is only 8 months since PBC with financial backing from Merfin
Hygienic Products Ltd. (formerly Merfin Resources Ltd.) a VSE
listed company, installed the latest computer controlled tissue
paper conversion equipment in 6,000 sq ft of a Richmond
warehouse. The immediate success of their jumbo size rolls in
markets across) Canada and the West Coast of the U.S.A. has
necessitated a move into’ a new 20,000 sq.ft plant in the Tilbury
Island Industrial Estate and with 40,000 sq. ft. available for
future expansion. The .move is scheduled to take place August
Ist,. 1987.

Jumbo rolls of tissue require jumbo dispensers which until now
have been available only at high cost from Europe where the jumbo
roll concept originated. The rapidly increasing demand for
dispensers resulting from the ready market acceptance of jumbo
‘rolls. presented a classic "import replacement" opportunity.
Enter BC First. Injection moulders capable of building moulds
and with the capacity to handle moulds of this size were
identified and invited to submit tenders against designs created
by Kurt Eberle of PBC. Merfin Hygienic Dispensers Ltd. was
formed as an equal joint venture between Merfin Hygienic Products
and a local investment group put together by BC First for the
purpose of financing the moulds. It is projected that a complete

© line of "made in BC dispensers" will be available during August
1987.

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