The CEO’s Column: Local Businesses in Global Media (November 2021)

November’s gloomy weather may have arrived and the snow may soon cover the landscape in a white blanket, yet we can still find comfort in the fact that our region’s business environment remains as green and flourishing as ever. As per usual, I am happy to use this column to showcase the work of local businesses that have made the headlines outside of the province of Quebec.

First, I would like to highlight the highly-covered launch of COVEO on the stock exchange, supporting the company’s growth strategy. Congratulations to the whole team for this successful initial public offering, which allowed the company to raise a whopping $215 million!

Here are some articles from media outlets outside of Quebec covering recent successes from Quebec businesses. Through their ingenuity, creativity and determination, these businesses help promote the Québec City region internationally.

Creaform

A leader and pioneer in portable 3D measurement technology and engineering services, Creaform keeps innovating to offer personalized solutions that are always more and more performing. Their automated solutions are ideal for the automotive industry and allow for fast and superior control. Creaform is now adding three new components to its R-Series suite of automated dimensional quality control solutions. This new addition has been covered by US and UK media:

ABCP Architecture and Boischatel’s Covered Ice Rink

Have you heard about the IOC IAKS Award? Presented by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) in Cologne, Germany, this coveted award rewards outstanding sports and leisure architecture. The covered ice rink in Boischatel by ABCP Architecture stood out among 86 projects and was awarded the silver medal.

Congratulations to Boischatel for integrating this green and smart building into the region’s landscape!

The news travelled all the way to Spain!

Spain: https://bit.ly/3DgclXG

Québec EPIX and Québec City’s Techno-Creative Industry

There is something to be said about Québec City’s techno-creative industry. Find out about the work of four video game studios and one company specializing in interactive immersion that were under the spotlight over the past few weeks.

Berzerk, Frima Studio, Beenox and Polymorph Games Take Centre Stage

As Berzerk takes us on a crusade in a world of knights and magic reminiscent of Castlevania with its game Infernax, Kalypso Media and Frima Studio have released Disciples: Liberation, offering over 80 hours of playtime in a devastated world where one must fight monsters and join forces with various factions.

In the meantime, Beenox launched a PC version of Call of Duty: Vanguard. With solo and multiplayer modes, this game will make you reenact critical battles from World War II. When it was released in the United Kingdom, Call of Duty: Vanguard raised to the top of the UK Boxed Chart, replacing FIFA 22 which had remained at the top of the chart for several weeks.

More and more construction and resource-management-type games are being developed. The gaming platform Steam recently promoted Polymorph Games’ Foundation, a game designed in Québec City where you get to build a medieval empire. Quests, missions and events make it a complete experience.

These four companies and their new games have been in the media internationally.

Berzerk

Beenox

International: https://www.dexerto.com/call-of-duty/cod-vanguard-bloom-explained-weapon-stats-how-to-minimize-more-1692858/
France: https://www.millenium.org/news/383809.html
United States: https://www.pcgamer.com/call-of-duty-vanguard-review/
United Kingdom: https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2021/11/uk-sales-charts-call-of-duty-vanguard-storms-the-top-10-selling-best-on-ps5

Frima Studio

Polymorph Games

South Africa: https://www.criticalhit.net/gaming/latest-building-and-resource-games-from-steam/

Working in the Video Game Industry

A survey to recognize the top employers was conducted as part of MEGAMIGS, an event dedicated to the video game industry. Wages, benefits, vacation days were used to compare the companies, combined with the answers to the survey sent to the employees of each participating business. Québec City company Frima Studio distinguished itself in the medium-sized businesses category along with Compulsion Games (Montréal), Phoenix Labs (Montréal and Vancouver) and Square Enix (Montréal).

Canada: https://www.pesesurstart.com/2021/11/09/industrie-du-jeu-video-plusieurs-studios-quebecois-elus-meilleurs-employeurs-au-canada

LÜ: Interactive Immersion

LÜ proposes interactive applications along with audiovisual systems that can transform any room into an interactive and connected virtual environment. LÜ’s system has carved an enviable niche for itself in the Quebec and French markets. It was implemented in ten schools in the Basse-Côte-Nord region thanks to the Fondation Docteur Camille Marcoux and the participation of Telus, the Centre de services scolaire du Littoral and the Institut Tshakapesh. Introduced at the Salon des Maires de Paris, LÜ’s system has conquered the hearts of several communities in France. It was also implemented in a school in the French town of Craponne-sur-Arzon. This was a great start for the interactive gym and was reported on both sides of the Atlantic.

International articles

Once again congratulations to all these businesses that are making the greater Québec City region shine throughout the world. This is how the region positions itself and builds its image, as the reputation of a few companies benefits the business environment as a whole. Local businesses can count on the Québec International team to support their growth and development.

If you have other stories of global reach to share with us, please don’t hesitate to send them to info@quebecinternational.ca. We love hearing from you!

Until next month!

Carl Viel

CEO, Québec International