Launch of the new Logistic and Transportation Metropolitan Cluster of Montreal - Cargo Montreal

Board of Directors appointed and Executive Director hired

MONTREAL, Dec. 17, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - In keeping with Greater Montreal's economic development strategy, a new cluster joins the industrial clusters deployed in recent years: the Logistic and Transportation Metropolitan Cluster of Montreal, which will go by the name Cargo Montreal.

This cluster's mission is to bring together the companies and other stakeholders in the logistic and freight transportation sector to enable planning and coordination of the sector's development.

More specifically, here are the issues for Cargo Montreal:

• Sector development planning via better consultation of its players. This involves taking advantage of the industry's growth opportunities and developing them with a global vision;
• Communication and reach. This issue reflects the importance of promoting Montreal's position as a hub for cargo handling, as well as raising awareness of the sector's contribution to the metropolitan economy;
• Trucking access and flow. The competitive advantages of intermodality are threatened by traffic congestion. Cargo Montreal must become the industry's voice in discussions on infrastructure and traffic management;
• Practices and technology. The competitiveness of the logistic and transportation industry depends on adopting and integrating best practices and advanced technologies, which must also meet sustainable development objectives;
• Regulation. This issue addresses the need to harmonize and simplify regulatory systems in our sector;
• Workforce. Deepen understanding and propose solutions related to targeted labour issues.

Looking ahead 10 years, Cargo Montreal's vision is to make Greater Montreal a multimodal platform that is recognized and sought after for its operational and environmental performance, for its contribution to its business partners' competitiveness, and to the economic development of both the region and the province of Quebec.

The name of the new Logistic and Transportation Cluster should be able to support the brand in achieving its mission. Cargo is the common denominator in the freight transportation supply chain. The new name was inspired by the elements that identify the brand: intermodality, connectivity, cooperation and accessibility. CargoM for Montreal, but also for mobility, movement and merchandise.

The Board of Directors, which was appointed in November, brings together senior industry leaders in the logistic and cargo handling sector. President and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority Sylvie Vachon will serve as Char of the Board of Directors.

Mathieu Charbonneau was named Executive Director of the new cluster effective December 5, 2012.

An official launch of the cluster will take place in early 2013, at which time the working groups and initial activities of Cargo Montreal will be unveiled.

The Board of Directors of the Logistic and Transportation Metropolitan Cluster of Montreal:

Daniel Bélisle, Senior Vice President, OCEANEX * Treasurer

Marc Cadieux, CEO, QUEBEC TRUCKING ASSOCIATION

Roger Carré, General Manager, TERMONT MONTREAL INC.

Frédéric Chevallier, Montreal Business Unit Manager, Vice President, PANALPINA INC.

Michael Fratianni, Chief Financial Officer, MONTREAL GATEWAY TERMINALS PARTNERSHIP

Mathieu Faure, AVP Intermodal, CANADIAN PACIFIC

Marc Gagnon, Director, Government Affairs and Regulatory Compliance, FEDNAV LIMITED

Bernard Gendron, Director Interuniversity Research Centre on Enterprise Networks, Logistics and Transportation (CIRRELT), UNIVERSITY OF MONTREAL

François C. Hébert, Vice-President, Network Strategies, CANADIAN NATIONAL

Stéphane Pallage, Associate Dean of Research, ESG UQAM

Madeleine Paquin, President and CEO, LOGISTEC CORPORATION * Vice-Chair

Charles Raymond, president and chief executive officer, RAY-MONT LOGISTICS

Claude Robert, President and Chief Executive Officer, ROBERT TRANSPORT

Denis Roch, General Manager, Operations, Quebec & Atlantic, PUROLATOR COURIER LTD

Laurent Tourigny, President, TRAC-WORLD FREIGHT SERVICES INC.

Nicole Trépanier, President, SODES

Sylvie Vachon, president and CEO, MONTREAL PORT AUTHORITY *Chair

Valérie Wells, director legal affairs, MONTREAL PORT AUTHORITY * Secretary

The Executive Committee is composed of:

Sylvie Vachon, Chair

François C. Hébert, Director

Madeleine Paquin, Vice-Chair

Claude Robert, Director

Daniel Bélisle, Treasurer

Cargo Montreal's activities are financially supported by the Quebec ministère des Finances et de l'Économie (MFE), the ministère du Conseil exécutif (MCE), and the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) and all of its members.

SOURCE: PORT OF MONTREAL

For further information:

Mathieu Charbonneau, Executive Director of the Logistic and Transportation
Metropolitan Cluster of Montreal
Tel.: [phone] [e-mail]

For more information on metropolitan clusters: http://grappesmontreal.ca/