MERRICKVILLE - Two of this community's oldest businesses are as busy as ever with customers from around the globe.

Alloy Foundry Company Ltd. is Canada's oldest foundry operating continuously since 1840 at its 117 Mill Street location beside the Rideau River. The historic business owned by Karl and Linda Feige continues to create custom products, including cast bronze commemorative markers, coats of arms and specialty crests, cast aluminum street lights and cast iron fences that are shipped around the world. Their products adorn embassies, public buildings, concert halls and homes and are sought out by government departments, large companies, architects and city planners.

"Our businesses work very well together," says Linda Feige, happy to be welcoming customers to the village.

Alloy Foundry created the historic twelve plaques on Parliament Hill's Centennial Flame. More recently, the Foundry fabricated in bronze a National Commemorative Marker for the Assembly of First Nations ARN and the Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF) to honour survivors and memorialize residential school experiences.

On the main level of the foundry is Village Metalsmiths, the delightful Foundry Shop famous for its cast metal home and business signs and bronze plaques. The garden collection spills out on to the lawn in the summer months. Displayed within the "old stone walls" are pieces of art, their famous benches with the decorative cast-iron legs, fireplace accessories, pot racks and so much more. A favourite is the replica Parliament Hill (Peace Tower) clock. 

Learn more about the Alloy Foundry on its website and the Villlage Metalsmiths Foundry Shop and its store hours on its website.

Tallman Group Chairman Gerald Tallman, second from right, cuts the ribbon on the company's newest truck centre in North Grenville on June 10. From left: MPP Steve Clark, Tallman Vice-president Richard Shortt, President Kevin Tallman, Navistar Canada Fleet Sales Director John Bowen, Gerald and North Grenville Mayor Dave Gordon. Below trucks line the front of the new location.

The company is receiving $820,000 from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF). Funds will be used for a 30,000-sq.-ft. expansion to increase production at its main plant at 50 California Avenue. The company will also add equipment to manufacture aluminum strip at the Prescott location. The project's total value is $8.2-million.

"It's very rewarding to see the company reach this level," said Shelley Bacon at the official announcement June 16 attended by Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca. Northern Cables manufactures copper, aluminum and low-voltage cables for industrial, mining and commercial uses across North America. 

Northern Cables is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The company was launched by former Phillips Cables workers who had a long-term plan to build a company which now has sales of more than $100 million.

"I have to commend the management team," Minister Del Duca said. "You're an impressive company. Thank you for not being afraid to invest in new products."

Read more on our Community Media Releases webpage. Visit the Northern Cables website.

The goal of the staffed kiosks is to provide visitor services and increase visitor revenues by drawing additional traffic off the highway and into our Leeds Grenville communities. Tourism spending has a direct and indirect impact on local economies with over 50% of area businesses being tourism related. 

The Leeds Grenville Economic Development Office co-ordinates staffing at the centres to the end of August. This summer Lauren Pringle is the Tourism Representative Supervisor with Shannon Bleakney, Sarah Curry and Molly Read the Tourism Representatives ready to answer your questions. 

Local event and attraction coordinators are encouraged to contact our office if they have promotional materials to display at the kiosks. Please call 613-342-3840, ext. 5362 for more information or email administrator Joanne Poll. We are looking for event information to share. Posters and information can be sent to us via email.

Learn more about what this area has to offer in our Visit section of our Counties website.

"We would like to do it again," said Diane Burkhart, event co-chair and business owner. "Everyone says it's a good start." 

A highlight of the day was the guest appearance of former Dragon's Den TV personality Arlene Dickinson speaking on "Entrepreneurs & Women's Empowerment." The charismatic owner and CEO of Venture Communications told area business women to keep pressing forward with their business endeavours, support each other as business leaders, work together in the community and appreciate the opportunities living in Canada provides.

"When we use that to our advantage as women, we can change the world," Arlene said. She received a standing ovation after talking about her struggles to succeed, including battling poverty as a child and later as a young mother. 

Arlene grew Venture Communications from small, local firm to one of the largest independent agencies in Canada. She is also the CEO of District Ventures, a leading-edge business accelerator, and YouInc.com, a company she founded that is dedicated to serving and investing in entrepreneurs. Among her many honours, Arlene has been named in Canada's Most Powerful Women Top 100. She is the author of the number one bestseller Persuasion and her most recent release All In.

Participating business owner Terri Hamway, of Oh La De Da clothing shop, was happy for the exposure. She was able to meet with many new customers. "For the first time out, it was an awesome event," she said.