Sustainable Global Bee Protection Manufactured in Bay of Quinte Region - Bay of Quinte Economic Development
Sustainable Global Bee Protection Manufactured in Bay of Quinte Region
Quinte West, Ontario location provides space for NOD Apiary Products Ltd.'s new manufacturing facility, office space and Honey Bee Health and Education Centre. NOD has come a long way from the initial dreams and research championed by three beekeepers in the late 80's—they've now grown to a company with global leadership in sustainable bee protection.
5 Secrets to Success for NOD Apiary Products Ltd.
Build a skilled local team
Currently, NOD Apiary Products Ltd. employs over 30 members of the skilled, local workforce, 10 of whom were added during the past year, with a goal of expanding to 50 team members by 2023.
"Most of our staff only commute about 15 minutes to work. We've been able to hire locally to meet the majority of our needs. And when we do bring in talent from other areas, the Bay of Quinte region is a big draw for them to relocate here," notes Kathleen Ireland, Director of Sales and Marketing, NOD Apiary Products Ltd.
Find a central location with high quality of life
"When it was time to expand, site selection for our new location was easy. The Bay of Quinte region had a lot of viable options," says Ireland. "It's a wonderful place to live with lots of beautiful parks and waterfront. Many of the NOD employees lead active, outdoorsy lifestyles. This region provides a multitude of areas to canoe, hike and bike regularly. Additionally, Quinte West provides a central location for our logistics needs with the 401 conveniently accessible for fast shipping and receiving."
Develop strong, local roots
NOD's success couldn't have been obtained without important local partners like Trenval, Quinte Manufacturers Association and Quinte Economic Development. Working with local realtors and community influencers helped NOD Apiary Products Ltd. find a new manufacturing plant to meet their needs. They're also adding a new education centre, with both indoor and outdoor components, as well as a commercial bee yard and vast pollinator garden. It is NOD's hope to engage the community that has given so much to ensure their success and welcome locals to learn more about honey bees and pollinators.
Create global partnerships
NOD Apiary Products Ltd. works with international distribution partners to ship products to beekeepers around the world. "We're a global company, so many of us were active travellers pre-COVID. We have operating subsidiaries in Ireland and the U.S.A. so we already had systems in place to communicate and collaborate remotely. Many of our Quinte West team have been able to work from home to continue building and strengthening our global connections."
Formic Pro™ (FormicProtect™/MAQS+™) and MAQS® Beehive Strips (Mite Away Quick Strips®) are registered for use in 27 countries – as a "biopesticide" in Canada, the U.S.A., and New Zealand; as "veterinary medicine" in the European Union.
Manufacture unique products that aim to improve the world
NOD's mite strips have been a game changer in the growing apiculture industry, providing beekeepers with mite protection that is safe to use during the honey flow. In addition to these, NOD Apiary Products Ltd. manufactures Bee Cozy™ Winter Hive Wraps which help bee colonies prevent unnecessary heat loss, conserve feed stores over the winter and assist honey bees to build up in the Spring.
Farmers on the NOD team found that 9.8% liquid formic acid could assist newly weaned calves, lamb and goat kids to replicate their natural feeding cycle with their mothers. When operations moved to the free-access milk feeding system, farmers observed positive results, including greater feed conversion and rate of gain and growth. Acidifiers are used to preserve the milk for longer periods to allow for this free-access form of milk feeding. An added benefit to acidification of the milk is the resulting associated reduction in labor costs. After research by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), programs were implemented for the dairy cow, sheep, and goat industries. NOD added Nature's Way 9.8TM to provide newborn livestock with access to fresh milk 24/7 by using the formic acid to reduce and anecdotally prevent scours.
"NOD Apiary Products was awarded the Ontario Premier's Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence, 2006, Innovation Project of the Year, 2008 and Agri Business of the Year, 2011. Our passion is honey bee health and young livestock wellness, and as such, we are dedicated to environmental stewardship." NOD website
Business Support in the Bay of Quinte Region
Ireland notes, "We have worked closely with Trenval Business Development Corporation, who've been huge supporters of us forever. We appreciate all the resources and information they've provided.
"We have many graduates of Loyalist College (LC) on our team. Two of our managers are Biotechnology graduates from LC and continue to partner with the lab to utilize equipment at LC for special projects.
"The Quinte Economic Development Commission (QEDC) has been such a huge supporter. We have amazing support and a lot of thanks to give to the Quinte Community."
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