SUBJECT: Fabrication Dimethaid Posted By: theallagazyke
Post Time: 8/3/02 12:15
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I was in Ottawa all last week but before returning home yesterday I took a 2.5hr drive (in the opposite direction) to the pretty little community of Varennes PQ. Varennes is situated on the south shore (rive sud) of the St. Lawrence River, 12 kms downstream from the Lafontaine tunnel in Montreal. According to the owner of the local Tim Horton’s, the population is around 25,000 and growing. It supports a nucleus of chemical and pharmaceutical plants.
I stopped at city hall (Hôtel de Ville) and asked for directions to 3650 chemin de la Cote- Bissonnette. I mentioned to the receptionist that there was talk of Fabrication Dimethaid’s plant being under construction. She directed me to the second floor to speak to those responsible for issuing building permits etc… They knew of DMX immediately and provided me with a map to its location. I asked them if DMX had initiated any new construction. They said they were not aware of it. I asked if they had, would they (DMX) not have to apply for a permit first. They replied, absolutely. They asked me who I was and I told them I was a shareholder that wanted to see for myself whether the construction rumours were true or not. (I also wanted to get a lay of the land.) That seemed to impress them and they pulled out the DMX’s docket containing the application, architectural plans, a couple of binders etc…
The last (most current) application for a building permit was in Jan. 2001 in which the construction cost was estimated at $3.5 million. It specified all internal construction other than work to the exterior façade of the building. The 2.16 hectares parcel of land straddles both sides of the ch. Cote-Bissonette and is situated directly between the St. Lawrence and hwy. 232. In fact I think their property probably runs from Hwy. 232 to the river.
The site is pastoral and in my opinion quite lovely. Although I recognize that most of the old streets along the St. Lawrence are narrow, having been construct some 400 years ago, it was nonetheless sobering to drive along this tiny road. I tried to imagine what might have been going on in the minds of the FDA officials.
There are three buildings on the property. The building on the right is the working plant. It looks to be about 125 X 200 ft., half one story & the other, two. I’m also guessing it to be around 30 years old. The grounds are very well maintained. The one across the street is a newer, larger but more rudimentary building in serious need of attention. It is about 300 X 200 with about half again being two stories. According to the plant foreman this building is the site of DMX’s current expansion. He pointed to several very large containers on the site still in white shrink-wrap and said that they were the ventilation units. It did not appear as though anyone was working on the site yesterday as I heard and saw no one. He said construction is just getting back on track after the two week construction shut down that occurs every summer in Quebec. The third, a very elegant two story stone farmhouse that has a DMX shingle in front yard. It looked like something you would see at a historical site but the interior was locked.
There were four cars parked in the front another ten or so in the back, all Quebec plates.
The reception area was small, neat and modest. I though immediately of Wolf’s comment that “REK throws nickels around like manhole covers.” The receptionist and the plant foreman were polite but seemed to me a little guarded. I don’t think they get many shareholders showing up at their door. She wanted to know who I was and if I had identification other than my drivers licence, like a business card for instance. No problem. I asked the foreman if they had heard anything regarding HC and he said he hadn’t but that they were anxious to get going. He said they could go with three shifts if they had to. I asked him if they have been stockpiling product, he said more or less that they were ready. We continued our brief conversation and he said a couple of times that if I wanted to, I should direct any questions I have to Markham. I suspect that is the party line. I was hoping he’d show me around but he didn’t offer and I didn’t ask. One last look around and then took the scenic route home. |
