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The amazing story of Britex

2/21/2012

64 Comments

 
Picture
© Dick Groot 2012
Summary of a conversation with Mr. Burt Messenger, retired Manager of Materials of Britex in Centerlea near Bridgetown.

Hannah and I have been photographing the exterior of the Britex plant, closed since 2004, in different seasons. It is not the first time I have photographed defunct factories and again, taking the Britex pictures gave me the same sense of unease, as if I were recording something surreal or too private to be recorded. Curious to know more about the history of the plant I recently had a conversation with Burt Messenger (Retired Manager of Materials).

The factory started out in 1960 in a one-story building as branch of United Elastic Limited based in New York. It manufactured elastic textiles used in a large variety of garments produced in other factories, at the time mostly in Canada. It expanded its operating area in 1964, 1968 and 1970 to reach a total of 144,000 square feet suggesting healthy growth and potential. In 1970 approximately 240 people were employed. An unintended effect of the employment opportunities was that many farmers stopped farming and worked in the factory sometimes with their wives and even children. The plant also employed the wives of fishermen from Port Lorne and Hampton on the Bay of Fundy. During the first decade the company continued as United Elastic Division of J. P. Stevens and Company Inc. a New York holding company.

In the course of the second decade the plant slowly declined in productivity mostly as a consequence of limited investment in innovation and modernization as well as international marketing. The new owners, J. P. Stevens and Company Inc of New York, recognized the remote location of the plant from markets and suppliers as well as energy costs and were not interested in taking on the risks of making serious investments in innovation in production processes, marketing and new machinery. By 1980 the holding company declared that the enterprise was not sufficiently profitable and prepared for closure at the same time as closing similar plants in Belgium and Mexico thus concentrating exclusively on its United States operations.

However, the general manager of the factory, Sandy Archibald and his managers, developed a take-over proposal by managers and employees. They shared a conviction that the plant could be turned around by creating a sense of common purpose among all, by innovation in production methods, marketing, better labor-management relations and by taking advantage of government industrial assistance programs.

Archibald and his team developed a business plan and negotiated a $1.1 million incentive grant with the federal Department of Regional Economic Expansion (DREE) toward the acquisition of the plant and job retention as well as an initial 10 year loan of $1,7 million from Industrial Estates Limited. The remaining finances to secure a through start of the company came from personal loans by the managers mostly as mortgages on their homes. In August 1980 they were back in business with all of the old employees in their jobs after only 2 weeks having been shut down.

The ownership structure of the new company Britex Limited included that management hold 80% of stock and employees could buy 20%. In addition there was a profit sharing plan for all employees. Initially employees received in profit-sharing only 10% of pre-tax annual earnings to make sure that most profits were re invested in improving the plant’s profitability through innovation of production processes. About half the staff signed up as shareholders.

A joint labor-management committee was established to ensure input into policy from the employees. Initially the committee had equal representation of management and employees and was chaired by an independent chairman recommended by Canada Manpower. Later the committee was entirely made up of employees with an elected chairman. One of the first initiatives of the committee was the development of an income protection plan.

The company grew by significant improvements in productivity, profitability and labor relations. It became a shining example of how a company can be managed under a more democratic management system where respect for employees’ knowledge and experience is being tapped to improve production, think up innovations as they did for example in converting the heating systems from oil to wood chips.

In the first year of its existence it won the Nova Scotia Export Achievement Award for the greatest increase in exports in a year. It made the finals in the federal government’s Canada Awards for Excellence in Productivity, Innovation and Design. The company also became a significant benefactor for civic projects in Bridgetown and surrounding areas, these projects being recommended by the employees. Sandy Archibald also gave guest lectures on the company’s transformation at Acadia University Business School.

Yet against this very positive background, an attempt was nevertheless made by the United Steelworkers Union of America Local 9181 to unionize the factory. In June 1987 all of the 159 hourly paid workers voted but defeated the application. Newspaper articles reflect the surprise by management that there were employees who wanted a union They felt that there were adequate venues for serious employee input into the working conditions and innovation processes and that management was receptive to dealing with any issues. But “The Britex Concerned Workers Group” did not see it that way. They said that “they were not prepared to share their “many grievances” with the media but that they had lost confidence in management…..”

The company continued to be successful until:
1.   the United States government created trade legislation that said only garments sewn outside the USA but made entirely of American produced parts and cloth could enter the country without duty

2.   The rapidly growing imports of finished garments from Asia began to cause the closure of many Canadian garment factories.

The company thus lost many customers and it needed loan guarantees and other financial support to bridge a period in which it could develop new markets. These initiatives had promising success but the loan guarantees provided by governments did not hold out long enough to save the enterprise and it closed in 2004.

The Britex story illuminates the vulnerability of a branch plant economy in the force-field of globalization especially when it is the only major employer in the area. In a sense the story of Bri Tex could be the story of any of the many single industry communities in Canada. Yet it is different in that the initiative to take over the plant by management and employees in 1980 was successful for 20 years only to be undone by conditions entirely outside of its own control. I guess that my unease comes from the confirmation that communities are not abstractions but real people with very little apparent control over their livelihood.

Note: Burt Messenger loaned sources for this summary mostly as newspaper clippings to me. I am very grateful for that. Unfortunately there are gaps in the newspaper record and I especially missed Mr. Archibald’s “lament” mentioned in the letter “A question of trust” by the Britex concerned workers group to the editor of The Mirror in June 1987. My own sense is that the amazing story of this factory would be worthy of being published as a serious piece of history research.

Dick Groot

Picture
© Dick Groot 2011

Picture
© Dick Groot 2012

64 Comments
David Cameron link
3/8/2012 08:39:23 am

Who owns the Britex property now? It would make an excellent aquaponics centre.

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Hannah Minzloff link
3/27/2012 09:10:26 pm

I did some searching and apparently Nu-Air, a company from Windsor, NS bought the building in 2006. However after thieves repeatedly vandalized the building the owner backed away. Here is an article from the Spectator written in May 2011: http://www.annapoliscountyspectator.ca/News/2011-05-25/article-2535501/Thieves-steal-300-Bridgetown-jobs/1.

The good news is that I recently heard there are plans afoot to turn the building into a community centre.

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Art Goodrich
4/21/2013 07:42:32 am

I hear they already use the old maintenance room as a smoke (marijuana) house! I´m surprised the government hasn´t torn the place down for the bricks yet!

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Andrew Gilmour
1/20/2014 11:25:16 am

According to Annapolis County Council there's allegedly a pellet manufacturing operation setting up shop in the old Britex plant. The County Council even announced they were converting to using grass-based pellets as a heat source.
We're still waiting on that one or is it more nonsense?

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Nunya
1/21/2014 04:28:56 am

I'd actually like to know as well

Ian Thompson
1/23/2014 08:40:16 am

I have heard that same rumor but nothing confirmed.

Samson link
12/26/2012 12:38:38 pm

I have images from inside the building if you're interested in viewing them.

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Hannah Minzloff link
1/21/2013 04:26:07 am

Thanks Samson! I'm sure Dick would love to see them.

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Dick Groot link
3/19/2013 12:08:24 am

Samson, I would be very interested to see those pics. May be we can include them in the final web project. Of course with your permission and you will be properly credited. Best, Dick

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Eric Hayes
12/3/2020 03:08:59 pm

I, too, have photos from inside the building – environmental portraits of David Graham with machinery up and running.

Guillermo Rivas
12/5/2020 06:35:03 am

Hi Dick would you send me pictures please?
my email is gillrivas@gmail.com
Thanks

Mike
3/18/2013 05:02:07 am

We have a community site already called the Trojan Sports Centre in Bridgetown, why would someone waste money to make another one so close to this. Plane Stupid....

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Hannah Minzloff link
3/18/2013 09:05:11 pm

You're quite right Mike, the Trojan Sports Centre is a marvelous facility, for those of you who don't know about it, check it out here: http://www.trojansportssociety.com/. What do you envision for the future of the Britex facility?

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Bass Ackwards
4/21/2013 07:45:52 am

A pile of bricks and a large cloud of dust!

Dick Groot link
3/19/2013 12:15:15 am

Mike, we would be interested viewing your website and then decide if there is indeed any duplication being concerned about. Please send us the link. You see our idea is to have this wiki type website about the economy of the Valley to which we would deliver the structure and the start up content to which others with interesting information can add thus growing the public information system. Depending on your website content we can just include a link from our site and you will get more traffic. Best, Dick. By the way, it is plain stupid, if that is what you mean, we can do a lot but not fly.

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Tired of the rich getting richer
1/21/2014 04:47:13 am

I can tell you why....because the people running the Trojan Sports center only care about themselves and no one else. Like taking money given to them by the government ($50,000 i think) to put in a proper heating system and they spent it on something else. They don't care about the town only themselves.....Jeff Bishop is the only one who really cares, or at least I hope he does.

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Rich getting richer???
1/21/2014 10:18:33 pm

Id like to take time to reply to this statement. I am not a member of this board but know this much, The Trojan Sport Society(TSS) is a non for profit organization comprised of local community leaders and business owners that have at their own expense and time have created an area at our building the Bridgetown Development Centre(BDC) for local youth to train at along with other organizations such as special Olympics, Carlton Road Industries, Western Valley hockey teams, Major Midget, Dalhousie Volleyball, and just birthday parties to name only a few have used this facility either for free or a small usage charge to help cover the cost of lights and time. All money they receive goes back into it and no one gets paid out of this society.
The BDC received a 50,000 accessibility grant from the feds to install wheelchair ramps, wheelchair accessible showers washrooms, chair lift, and doors which if I may add employed 4 short term Local labourers for 4 months. This money was not used for any kind of heat source as was stated in your previous post.
Myself and my business partner are continuing to make improvement to the building to attract more tenants and other opportunities as we can. This my mis informed friend is called BUSINESS and yes I am in the business of trying to make money and create jobs to an area that has been hit by hardships a many as stated in this great piece about Britex.
Yes I do care, and so does everyone at TSC and my business partner or we wouldn't be trying to make things happen here. I have lived here all my life and don't plan on going anywhere. I think we have a great town and area around us filled with good decent hard working people.
I will sign my name??
Jeff Bishop VP BDC

aaron schofield
8/25/2015 03:30:57 am

I couldn't care a less if they are in to make money at least some of the folks from my generation are trying to do something for the town. They could have taken THEIR MONEY, AND TIME and did this somewhere else. The rich getting richer commentor- you and your like minded friends are the reason nothing gets done or stalled. Stop putting up "I think" crap and do something to help the town!

Andrew
3/18/2013 08:45:35 am

I worked at Britex in the mid 90's for a brief period. This was quite a blow to the town of Bridgetown when Britex closed which is evident in the town today. There are many houses for sale or for-closures and the town is all but a ghost town. This has happened to the town before with the closure of Acadian Distilleries. I don't think the town will ever get over this one.

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Hannah Minzloff link
3/18/2013 09:24:43 pm

Andrew, it's a big blow for a small town to lose such a large employer isn't it? I began my 12-yr career with Kodak (based in Toronto, then Halifax) in the mid 90's, when it was still in its prime, and witnessed it dwindle from a key manufacturer with nearly 2,000 employees across the country to about 100.

And although the city of Toronto may not have suffered the loss in the same way Bridgetown has, the people who lost their jobs faced similar disruptions in their lives.

My gut tells me we need to move to a new model, with a focus on smaller companies, whose bottom line is not purely profit-based, but rather community oriented, with a regard for a sustainable future.

What do you think needs to happen next to help towns like Bridgewater move forward?

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Andrew
1/20/2014 02:50:42 am

The closure of the plant wouldn't have been that bad if it wasn't the only place of employment around,( that employs that many people) The next one nearest to that is a good fifty miles away. So,in reality, all of these people who were not lucky enough to get another job locally, were forced to move. There's not much left here. The new school would and may attract some new families. But there are still no jobs here!

dick groot link
1/21/2014 10:01:36 pm

Andrew, I realize that this is a somewhat late comment, for what it is worth. I am currently somewhat diverted from the Ribbon project and concentrating on photographic documentation of the closure in December 2012 of the liner board mill of Minas Basin Pulp and Power in Hantsport. This Town lost employment of Minas Basin and the Gypsum Mine and ship loading loading facility in 2011. Just about destroyed the tax base of the community. I am contributing to a book that is now being written about the closure of the liner board mill. In our work with the Ribbon project we find that these industrial establishments , your distillery, Britex Minas Basin, Windsor Wear all suffered from distance to market, expensive energy and distance to raw materials on top of the globalization issues of competition with low wage countries. These are external conditions beyond the control of the management of these companies. It is obvious that sitting on the eastern extremity of the country and ship transport being overtaken by rail and road, this is not a great location economically. Therefore it is essential that in rural NS we need to look to economic activity that is less dependent on geographic location.


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Gerald
1/21/2014 10:54:56 pm

Hi Dick,

I was briefly involved with the final shutdown of Minas Basin Pulp and Power and have taken some pictures of the inside of the facility as I worked. You are more than welcome to some of the pictures if you think they will help you. There is a lot of machinery photos and other things I found interesting.

Steve Lecain
3/19/2013 07:25:16 am

I worked at britex as well from 1977 until 1987,I hated to leave,britex was like a family environment.I needed more money and a secure future for myself and family.I went to HIghliner Foods in lunenburg and the downturn in the fisheries atrted around 1990,lots lost their jobs,,went from 1100 people when i went there to approx 600 when i left now there are around 300 I believe..I have always managed to have good jobs ,but I will always remember the britex family,typical I always say of valley people,we knew how to have a little fun and still get the job done,and done well.I will never enjoy myself at any job like i did there and the education I learned there has served me well.I remember the sleep deprived managers when the changeover took place,but thats what dedicated people do and people with a moral responsibility to look after people who are working to keep a job and a company afloat,everyone wanted the company to last and the jobs to stay..A gallant effort I have always felt by all who took part.Still is very sad to drive by there and to see the sorry state of disrepair it is now in..

sincerely : steve

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Dick Groot link
3/19/2013 08:41:18 am

Thank you for this reply and your considerate commentary. I was also impressed with the the way Britex was managed after the management take over in 1984. Whata has always puzzled me is why there was a drive to unionize the plant, even though it was defeated. Do you know anything about that? As to the depletion of the fish processing plants Neither Highliner nor Clearwater were interested to modernize these plants. So now I can buy haddock caught in the western Atlantic processed in China. And not much cheaper than locally caught fish. Makes no sense from a society point of view only from the narrow perspective of shareholder value.

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Blair Hannam
3/19/2013 09:30:12 pm

The area lost a great chance because of vandals and the lack of intrest of the local county officials and the police. It was a never ending job to keep the building secured and any time I complained the the answer was to blame the owner or there was nothing left of any value. The building is wide open and as soon as you fix a break a new one found and there has a never ending theft going on.

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Pack Rat
4/21/2013 07:55:10 am

Britex was picked clean of anything of value as soon as the place was shut down....I won´t name the ones who did it but their initials are MP and EC! They were seen with large trucks taking things away for weeks.. Just another excuse for not starting anything in the old Britex building!

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Gerald
7/20/2013 10:21:27 am

Great blog. Thanks for the info and pictures on Britex and the Windsor mill. I've only been living in the valley a few years and I have always wondered about the history of both of them when I drive past. I'd love to get a tour inside the old place. Exploring abandoned/closed factories and the like has always been a bit of hobby of mine. Hard to do these days without breaking the law. Too many vandals thieves have ruined the chance to go inside some of these places.

Recently my work took me inside the old mill in Hantsport and I was able to take some pictures. If you are interested you can have them if you like.

Mary
1/20/2014 08:34:57 am

I worked at Britex when they tried to get the Union in. I believe there were a few employees that were not happy there. As for me and most of my department we loved working there and I often hear them say how much we wish we were still there! It was a great job!
Personally I think free trade ruined this company along with so many others! They say Canada is self sufficient but the government seems to worry about getting along with other countries and we are left in the dust!

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Townie
1/21/2014 04:49:39 am

Sandy Archibald ruined this company...no on else......

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P Adams
1/31/2015 08:16:34 pm

Correction - Sandy Archibald and his 3 idiot sons ruined this company.

dick groot link
1/21/2014 10:12:47 pm

Mary, I am not sure free trade ruined Britex or the distillery or any other of the factories and mills in the Valley. What they all have in common is long distance from markets, long distance from supplies and high energy costs in addition to globalization issues such as competition with low wage countries. Certainly for rural nova scotia future economic development lies in building on the attraction of quality of life and attracting economic activity that operates independently of geography in the internet environment. Ray Ivany's committee reports at the end of the month on the future of economic development in rural NS.

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sherrie
1/20/2014 09:13:00 am

I recently heard that a company (grass roots literally) was going in there to produce grass pellets, similar to the wood pellets, a small adjustment or piece needs to be affixed to wood burning pellet stoves in order to use them, but they will buy grass from locals wanting to sell and manufacture there

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sherrie
1/20/2014 09:14:55 am

Free trade and taking away our rail system, has just about killed this province especially down this way

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William Montgomery
1/20/2014 09:33:28 am

I grew up in Bridgetown in the era after Acadian Distillers shut down. Britex was the major employer in the area and many of my schoolmates had parents and family working there. It was always an exotic building of wonder to me and I remember vibrating with excitement in elementary school when our class was invited for a tour. I still have the belts and elastics in my 'keeper drawer' from that visit as I was so proud that useful things were made from our home town.

Years later I found myself at the Britex liquidation auction- one of many picking the plant clean of any possible valuables left to pay the bills. It was a sad day that seemed to go on for an exhausting amount of time. I came away with a large lot of shelving, tools, tool boxes and office equipment as well as everything from lawn tractors to forklifts at a fraction of their market value. I met with the same stare from all bidders from the local area- creating a bond of sadness every time we meet today.

Although many of the items from Britex are now part of my very small business (Yard & Toy Power Products in neighboring Annapolis Royal), I drive past the plant often and it always brings me back to the memories of the vibrant town of Bridgetown when Britex was a pillar of the community. I fear our area will never recover from this loss.

It is just another vacant property in steady decline and one I fear that it is too late to ever resurrect. Unfortunately, the environmental liability and the state of disrepair will scare off any investment in this property.

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Gerald
1/20/2014 10:19:22 am

Sadly, I agree with you William.

I'm a recent Valley transplant, yet in the short time I've been here I can see the decline in the valley accelerating. There is almost no industry left, the population is aging and the tax base is declining. In fact, there is a mass exodus from NS in general because there are simply not enough good jobs left. I myself travel to Halifax for work because I'm not able to find a good paying job locally.

Very sad. The Valley is a beautiful place to live and I love it here but economically its in very bad shape.

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dick groot link
1/21/2014 11:25:07 pm

Exactly your last sentence nails the strength of the Valley and it could attract young families whose economic life doesn't depend so much on location. If business development and local government would be serious about this approach they would need to invest in infrastructure that would attract such individuals and families. They would need to invest in "Hubs" where people working at home can find places to meet privately with their clients, have access to equipment they cannot afford individually, meet other entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and have seminars etc. An example would be 3 earth scientists who set up businesses in Mahone Bay and successfully so.

Hill Billy Jim Inglis
3/6/2014 08:59:55 pm

Maybe we all should become farmers. Too bad the government didnt legalize marijuana. I have enough land in the area and could plant many acres of this cash crop! Time for the government to do something so NS has farmers again. Self suficient farmers with no government handouts.

Andrew Gilmour
1/20/2014 11:12:39 am

No mention of the taxpayers left holding the bag?

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Andrew Gilmour
1/20/2014 11:18:02 am

I should have mentioned all those miserable employees who thought Britex was a horrible place to work but whose only choice was between Britex and the dole.

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a nony mouse
1/21/2014 04:34:59 am

Britex FAILED because the people like Sandy Archibald screwed the company and it's employees out of it's money and ran off...it's got nothing to do with th U.S. or Asia , that's a load of crap.

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Tit Mouse
3/6/2014 09:07:23 pm

Only common sense. 3rd world countries and people who get paid a few cents a day. Of course that was the reason Britex went under. Ridiculous US trade policies too. Half of our customers were US companies: Playtex, Vanity Fair, Warners (after Warners Canada closed and moved to the US) Jockey (we had huge orders from them before the US changed the trade policies)

Warners Canada closed and moved south. Vogue went bankrupt even manufacturing in Quebec and Ontario were all having the same problems and still today!

Please think before you make dumb comments.

brad
1/20/2014 01:20:27 pm

Im not sure of the age group of past workers but would there be any intrest of starting a new for of textiles manufacturing in the annapolis/bridgetown area that would tie our comunity dirrectly to to oil sands of alberta?
Jobs are needed In the area and I dont see a lot of ideas being tossed arround other than some soap box one liners telling everyone to "move back" its a great place to live...but if you dont have any work how will you afford to stay?..
Just sayin..

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MC
1/21/2014 04:38:33 am

I agree Brad there's no reason why there can't be another textiles manufacturing business brought back if it's run properly and by people not out to scam the money from it's employees and the government.

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Jean
7/22/2015 05:04:49 am

I have a textile plant in Yarmouth and looking to add a person who can be responsible for warping, and Raschal knitting machine maintenance. Fast pace factory environment

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John
1/20/2014 07:38:00 pm

Why not try a Honda factory or a car part making factory.I`m from Nova Scotia and it`s a nice place.But no work.

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Spader
1/21/2014 06:48:32 am

I whole heartly agree with Townie and a nony mouse that Sandy Archibald is soley responsible for the downfall of Britex. I worked there 15 years and I was there when a union was trying to get in, and there was very good reason for it due to many factors. Mainly the lack of management not listening to many complaints from their employees. It is no suprise to me that " Mr. Archibald’s “lament” mentioned in the letter “A question of trust” is missing. It is missing for good reason.

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dick groot link
1/22/2014 01:06:48 am

It is useful to reflect on why the Britex mill failed but it is not useful to dwell on it. The record in the Maritimes of attracting big industry with huge taxpayer funded subsidies is dismal from the steel industry to coal mining to pulp and paper it is all very depressing. The failure rate in rural NS is particularly high as you have experienced yourselves. The upcoming report of the committee studying the future of the economy of NS led by Ray Ivany, President of Acadia University will no doubt address this. I hope they will also address what are realistically the opportunities of the future . My guess is that the committee will focus on the knowledge economy and the exploitation of the internet environment, clever process technology and professional partnerships across the World. My guess is also that they will say it may take a generation to re vitalize rural towns and stabilize their economies and tax base. I myself am from away and settled in Wolfville because of its quality of life. I travel through towns like Hantsport, Windsor, Bridgetown, Annapolis Royal and I see their potential for attracting younger internet entrepreneurs, crafts people, artists, who want to raise their children there. I also see success stories ie Mermaid Theatre in Windsor, Farmers Markets, professional consulting companies, agricultural

enterprises in soft fruits, wineries, hi tech freezer and storage facilities for agri products. My sense is that local and provincial governments must reflect on the kind of knowledge infrastructure needs to be invested in to attract such economic players and accept that it will take time to mature.

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EC
3/6/2014 09:21:48 pm

Maybe we could grow medical marijuana.

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elaine
8/25/2015 01:33:53 am

My father worked there for 30+years and mother close to that. I worked there as a teenager. My father tried to get the union there and didn't have full support from his co-workers. If they had of stuck together as a big group things my have been different. Some of the employees have a small part in the closing of the plant for listening to management possible threatening them, just hear say. But Sandy Archibald robbed the plant blind of any government loans that were give to help support the plant, the Federal Government should have helped the plant to get rid of the Archibald's and help the remaining workers appoint a new management . The soul blame of the closure is Archibald family for sure but the federal government could have tried harder, maybe things could have been different today. Who is to say that Bridgetown and surrounding town could be thriving today. My generation could have been working there and my children. This place gives me wonderful memories of my childhood and it sadden me to see it today the way it is.

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dick groot link
1/28/2016 01:17:24 pm

Elaine, I have been away from this blog for a while . I had a triple bypass operation in April and I am still recovering from that and also I was preoccupied with the publication of my book: We wanted it to Last forever: closing the Minas Basin Paperboard Mill, that was published in October 2015. So I was sidetracked from the Ribbon Project for about a year. I have now read all the blog comments and the subject that touches me most is the total disagreement about Britex's closing and the role the Archibalds played in this. I would like to have an opportunity to have a coffee with you to talk some more about this subject. I hope you would consent to that. The purpose is not to publish anything about our conversation if you wouldn't like that but for me to get more insight into what actually happened. Please let me know and I'll make my way to Bridgetown to meet. I live in Wolfville so that is not an onerous trip.

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Spader
8/25/2015 03:43:01 am

Elaine I agree with you 100%, I was there and also in on trying to get a union going, but like you said we were threatened in different ways, and we were so unfairly treated on the job due to it, but I when the first time failed. I started another go at it but ended up being injured on a job my supervisor knew I could not do and so ended my job for a year, and on trying to return with new job training, they arrAnged a new job but I had to give up my 15 years seniority and had to go back to starting wages, Sandy knew I would not go for that after all I had been through there.

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Btown Bumpkin
9/11/2015 03:44:17 pm


aaron schofield
8/25/2015 06:30:57

"I couldn't care a less if they are in to make money at least some of the folks from my generation are trying to do something for the town. They could have taken THEIR MONEY, AND TIME and did this somewhere else. The rich getting richer commentor- you and your like minded friends are the reason nothing gets done or stalled. Stop putting up "I think" crap and do something to help the town!"

Aaron Schofield,
I think you were hit in the head with snowballs a few times too many in elementary school. Bridgetown has been a one horse ghost town for years. Might as well face it and get on with it.

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David Olie
8/10/2016 06:57:06 pm

I found this blog today while researching on Britex. Regarding the plans to make hay-based fuel pellets and logs at the old plant, I found the following news stories from 2014 and from this year:
http://www.kingscountynews.ca/Business/2014-10-14/article-3902684/Hay-is-the-new-fuel/1
http://www.kingscountynews.ca/Business/2016-03-08/article-4465558/The-fast-and-the-frugal%3A-Valley-innovators-on-the-leading-edge-of-renewable-energy-sources/1
Having visited the Britex plant today, I can say the buildings are still derelict, so I have no idea if this plan is still in the works. There is no evidence on site.

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David Olie
8/10/2016 07:20:08 pm

I have also edited the Wikipedia article on Centreville with basic info on the factory, and a link to this blog.

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David Olie
8/10/2016 07:22:39 pm

Sorry, that should read Centrelea.

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Sue Robinson
8/15/2016 06:39:17 am

What interesting reading! First I would like to say thank you to Hannah & Dick for the work they are doing on the photos & storys. I am an avid photographer & truly appreciate it. My entire family is from here & has either lived here forever or came back from other places to live here again. All my summers have been spent here when I was growing up & now it's been home since I moved from Ontario in 2004 to be close to my family. Just about everyone I know has worked at Britex at one time or another! The Annapolis Valley is a beautiful place to live & raise a family but with no factories here any more there is no where for our young people to work & carry on. Besides not having any factories, there is hardly any place at all for them to work. Therefore, people leave for other provinces & I can't blame them. There are probably more than just the Britex building around that could be made into a job producing venture but these old places seem to be just left & forgotten. When things could happen but never do it's very sad. What a wonderful thing it would be if just one of them opened up into a thriving business. I guess that is just wishing & dreaming.

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Mary Evelyn Porter
10/23/2016 06:19:58 am

Thank you so much for this work. I am originally from Paradise, Nova Scotia.
My current interest has been in the abandoned factories throughout Central and Eastern Europe and the millions of older former employees whose lifetime pensions and health care benefits disappeared with the fall of the Soviet Union.
The case of Britex was my impetus.

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David Olie
10/24/2016 07:04:34 pm

It seems that you and I are working on similar projects, although mine is a bit smaller in scale and closer to home.

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Dick Groot link
11/11/2017 01:14:18 pm

Hello Mary Evelyn, long time ago you responded to our blog. In preparation for a show of abandoned industrial sites that will open early April 2018 and run to end May at the Cedar Centre in Windsor, I reviewed the various blogs and found your response. I had been out of commission at the time of your writing and have therefore not responded. Indeed we have similar interests and I would like to find out more about your work. I sort of hoped that we could meet and exchange ideas about our subjects. You say you are originally from Paradise but where do you live now? How are your projects progressing.? I wrote a book :We wanted it to last forever: closing the Minas Basin Paperboard Mill. If you could give me an email address I could send you the PDF. Anyway, I hope that this note reaches you and we can connect. Dick.

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Peter Lange
9/20/2018 06:18:12 am

I know this is an old blog, but thought I would comment anyway. As a new resident from Ontario (well, a little over a year now) seeing the Britex plant wasting away and then learning the history of it and the area instilled some sadness in me. However, With recent developments in Canada, there may be a new opportunity for this plant and the surrounding area.
What I am talking about is Cannabis. Now that consumption of this product has been legalised, there is a huge opportunity for development. The plant itself could be used not only for a growing area, but for conversion of the stalks and branches of the plants into Hemp cloth. Hemp has been used to make cloth for thousands of years and is more cost-effective than cotton. The surrounding farms could begin growing a cash crop that the plant could spend the winter months turning into fabric and other products in addition to the consumable products. With some investment in this the area could possibly be revitalised by this new industry and opportunity. If I myself had the capital for investment I would definitely be doing what I could to get it going.
Just my thoughts.

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John
9/20/2018 06:44:30 am

I would agree except that building is too far gone now to be of much use to anyone. The roofing is compromised in many areas and the inside is moldy and generally trashed. I live nearby and have watched it decline very badly over the last few years. Sad.

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Guillermo Rivas
4/14/2019 03:37:03 pm

with great interest I have been reading this web page .
I was Industrial electrician at Britex Limited, for 13 years and had been ,the best place to work every thing was pretty good in that time .
I have been last summer and seen the building ruined.

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Karas Kitchen link
11/26/2020 07:25:39 pm

Thanks for thhis blog post

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    Hannah Minzloff Dick Groot

    As photo-based artists, we are visualizing the physical transformations of the land and its use and looking at the future of the Annapolis Valley through innovative initiatives in sustainable food production, transportation, energy, community and youth engagement.

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