TORONTO & WATERLOO, Ontario–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Looking back at 2021, there’s really only a couple of words that come to mind to describe the year-in-review at Bridgit – growth & momentum. As we prepare for another year around the sun, we wanted to celebrate the progress we’ve made with our construction workforce intelligence solution, Bridgit Bench, and our evolution as a company. This was made possible by our investors, our passionate and dedicated team, and most importantly, our customers who will continue to be Bridgit’s foundation and catalyst heading into the new year.

Looking ahead to 2022, we wanted to share a few highlights from the year behind us.

This year alone, our customers have:

• Added over 9,700 projects to Bridgit Bench
• Added over 4,600 trackable staff
• Added over 1,800 new users
• Saved 7-8 hours/week per office maintaining workforce data
• Cut workforce planning meeting times in half (50%)

Bridgit team grows by 55%

We started the year with 58 team members, but by the year’s end, we’ll be roughly 90 strong. We were also recognized as a Great Place to Work® and one of 2021’s Best Workplaces Managed by Women and will continue to invest in our people and culture as we keep scaling the team, through FY22.

Some of our notable hires include:

• Amy Abascal, VP of Marketing – Amy brings with her a wealth of experience in the construction technology industry and will be at the helm of the marketing team’s mission to make Bridgit a household name for all North American GCs.
• Jason Fitzpatrick, Senior VP of Sales – “Fitz” brings with him more than 20 years of experience in technology sales, and leads a team dedicated to helping our customers reduce risk and optimize their workforce.

Bridgit’s VP of Software Development, Andrew Lockwood, has also recently announced the addition of two new development teams at Bridgit: Architecture and Data.

Interested in joining our team? To see all of our active job postings, check out our careers page.

Bridgit expands customer base

Bridgit Bench, our workforce intelligence solution, made waves in North America throughout 2021. We onboarded more than 60 new general contractors, including 27 of the top ENR 400 contractors in 2020. (The ENR 400 is a list curated by the Engineering News Recorder and is akin to the Fortune 500, but for General Contractors). Some of our notable ENR 400 onboardings include Gilbane (#10), Clayco (#23), Burns and McDonnell (#34), Robins & Morton (#77), The Boldt Co (#110), and Columbia (#254). These new additions mean that nearly 20% of the ENR 400 are using Bridgit Bench to create strategic, long-term workforce strategies.

Bridgit increases revenue by 125% YoY and raises $24M in Series B funding

Our Series B funding brings our grand total to CDN $43.5 million CAD in equity financing. This comes as no surprise given that Bridgit has increased revenue 125% YoY in FY21. Our latest funding round was co-led by Camber Creek and Storm Ventures. Additional investors include Nine Four Ventures, along with existing investors BDC Capital’s Women in Technology Venture Fund, StandUp Ventures, Sands Capital, and Vanedge Capital.

Along with our Series B raise, we announced that Arun Penmetsa, a Partner at Storm Ventures, and Mitchell Schear, Executive Partner at Camber Creek, will be joining the Bridgit board of directors.

Bridgit launches new branding

One of the biggest changes at Bridgit through 2021 was the launch of our new look and voice. We are building a brand that represents Bridgit, and we’re aware it may be different from what the industry expects. But that’s who we are — we didn’t want to choose the obvious. Bridgit is a trailblazer. Our brand is bold, unexpected, and embraces the human side of construction tech. Learn how we developed our new brand.

Bridgit Bench integrates with leading ConTech software

One of our ongoing goals is to create a seamless workforce planning experience. For contractors, that means not having their data siloed off in their respective tools. This year, we’ve launched over 16 integrations with leading construction software. Some of our notable integrations include Procore, Autodesk Build, BIM 360, and BuildingConnected. Read about all of our integration offerings.

Bridgit Bench updates

A lot of the momentum that we’ve built in 2021 is a direct result of the hard work our product and development teams have put into improving our workforce intelligence solution, Bridgit Bench. This work takes months of research, both with our customers and the larger industry, to build meaningful features that can impact contractors’ bottom lines.

This year alone, our development team has pushed out a staggering 42 updates into Bridgit Bench based on direct customer feedback. We always aim to put our customers’ problems first, and work backward to create meaningful solutions for them. Some of our most notable additions include:

1. Pursuit tracking

“Forecasting is probably one of our biggest challenges. [Without Bridgit] we don’t know about projects until somebody sends us the setup plans and then we still don’t know if it’s going to be ours or not. We don’t know how many people we’ll need or if we have enough. Do we need more people? Fewer people? That’s a big challenge for us.”

– Bridgit customer

Create more meaningful collaboration with your business development team by tracking project bids and opportunities directly in Bridgit Bench using Pursuit Tracking. Import your project pipeline and start planning your project team without impacting your utilization rate.

“Our business development team turned down an opportunity to tender for a job because they didn’t think there were any resources available to take on the work. A couple of months later, they found out we did have enough people available, so we missed out on an opportunity to win a job for no good reason.”

– Bridgit customer before Bridgit Bench

2. Smart suggestions

Bridgit Bench will give you smart suggestions on whom you could assign to the role based on previous project history and roles. When you go to assign a person to a role, you’ll see a list of suggestions based on fields from previous projects.

As you build project history in Bridgit Bench, the platform will become more intelligent and show you better suggestions.

3. Certification tracking

“One thing we’ve talked about with Health & Safety is ‘how do we know if our team’s certifications are good?’ Is CPR updated or expired? That’s something that has definitely come up in our discussions.”

– Bridgit customer

You can now track certifications with Certification Tracking in Bridgit Bench. Create a master list of certifications and set warning date ranges so you’re notified well in advance of the certification expiring.

Add the certification to a person’s profile and set the expiration date for their certification. As the certification’s expiry date approaches, you’ll start to see warnings appear.

4. The Strategic Workforce Plan Report

“We did a three-month look ahead by market to see if we needed to hire from February to March. For example, we’ll need five licensed electricians and three crane operators. Can Bridgit Bench help us forecast in a way that shows our current pool of team members and help identify any gaps?”

– Bridgit customer

With the Strategic Workforce Plan Report, Bridgit Bench helps you make better staffing decisions. The report shows you an accurate image of workforce capacity and project demand for both projects and project opportunities, allowing you to filter by role to get granular insights on your workforce needs.

5. Scenario planning

“When we start chasing some of these larger jobs and big projects, we’ll have 150-200 people on them. We try to run scenarios in Excel, but we’re trying to manage documents, marrying this one to that one. It’s a broken system. I’ve had enough. So that’s what drove us to ask you.”

– Bridgit customer

We’ve expanded our forecasting tools to include Scenario Planning for the Utilization Rate Chart. Now, you can plan scenarios for the entire forecasting dashboard, which includes both the Strategic Workforce Plan report and the Utilization Rate Chart.

With Scenario Planning, you can see the impact of your project pursuits on your people. Use it to identify gaps in your allocations and plan in advance for project bids you think you might win.

Putting a bow on 2021

Here we are, with another year in the books. This year was a record-breaking one for the team at Bridgit and we couldn’t have done it alone. Everything we do is a team effort. We have the backing and incredible support from our investors, a team that is obsessed with solving the construction industry’s most prevalent problems, and most importantly we have a star-studded base of customers that includes some of the sector’s most influential players.

These customers worked with us to build Bridgit Bench into what it is today, and will continue working with us to take workforce intelligence to the next level. We’re excited to continue our push forward as a team in 2022! What better way to wrap up the year than with a message from our CEO and Co-Founder, Mallorie Brodie:

“Bridgit Bench was designed by listening to the needs of general contractors and understanding how we could best help them reduce risk and be more profitable. Taking workforce planning out of Excel or other outdated solutions lets them accurately plan, efficiently allocate their staff, and strategically bid based on workforce availability,” said Mallorie Brodie, Bridgit CEO and Co-Founder. “Because listening is ingrained in our corporate DNA, nearly all of our feature releases have been inspired by or directly requested by our customers. There is no other workforce planning tool that can say that customer love drives their roadmap! Our 2022 plan includes aggressive product enhancements, more integrations, and new ways we can help GCs put their people first. We’re looking forward to another banner year!”

+++

About Bridgit

Bridgit is workforce intelligence for the construction industry. Bridgit’s mission is simple — to help the construction industry maximize profits by taking a people-first approach. Workforce Intelligence from Bridgit transforms workforce data into actionable insights that inform an organization’s strategic and tactical business decisions. Bridgit is a privately held company, having raised over $43.5 million CAD in equity financing, with capital from investors such as Autodesk, BDC Capital’s Women in Technology Venture Fund, Camber Creek, Export Development Canada, IAF, Nine Four Ventures, Salesforce Ventures, Sands Capital, StandUp Ventures, Storm Ventures, and Vanedge Capital. Learn more about Bridgit at gobridgit.com.

Contacts

Media Contact

Jesse Kent

Derring-Do Inc.

jesse@derringdo.com
909.781.3892

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

OTTAWA, Ontario–(BUSINESS WIRE)–InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX-IIP.UN) (“ InterRent”) announced today that its distribution declared for the month of December 2021 is $0.0285 per Trust unit, equal to $0.3420 per Trust unit on an annualized basis. Payment will be made on or about January 17, 2022 to unitholders of record on December 31, 2021.

About InterRent

InterRent REIT is a growth-oriented real estate investment trust engaged in increasing Unitholder value and creating a growing and sustainable distribution through the acquisition and ownership of multi-residential properties.

InterRent’s strategy is to expand its portfolio primarily within markets that have exhibited stable market vacancies, sufficient suites available to attain the critical mass necessary to implement an efficient portfolio management structure, and offer opportunities for accretive acquisitions.

InterRent’s primary objectives are to use the proven industry experience of the Trustees, Management and Operational Team to: (i) to grow both funds from operations per Unit and net asset value per Unit through investments in a diversified portfolio of multi-residential properties; (ii) to provide Unitholders with sustainable and growing cash distributions, payable monthly; and (iii) to maintain a conservative payout ratio and balance sheet.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts

Sandy Rose, CFA

Director – Investor Relations & Sustainability

(514) 704-2459

sandy.rose@interrentreit.com
www.interrentreit.com

PASADENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#crowncommercialservice—Tetra Tech, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTEK), a leading provider of high-end consulting and engineering services, announced today that it has been awarded a place on Crown Commercial Service’s Construction Professional Services framework.

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) supports the United Kingdom’s public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services. In 2020/21 CCS helped the public sector to achieve commercial benefits equal to £2.04 billion—supporting world-class public services that offer best value for taxpayers.

The framework, which has a potential spend of £1.7 billion, will cover multi-discipline environmental, civil and structural engineering, building services engineering, architectural, cost management, and project management services.

Tetra Tech has been awarded a position on all six lots of the new four-year agreement—the only consultancy to do so. The lots are divided by project type and focus on the built environment and general infrastructure, urban regeneration, international, high-rise structures, defense, and environment and sustainability.

This new framework replaces CCS’s previous Project Management and Full Design Team Services framework (RM3741), on which Tetra Tech was a named supplier. Tetra Tech has worked on projects for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), HMRC Transformation Programme, South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust (SEHSCT), University of Exeter, and numerous local authorities across the UK.

“Public sector organizations across the UK are investing in their infrastructure using frameworks like those offered by CCS to ensure the highest quality and best value are achieved for their communities,” said Dan Batrack, Tetra Tech Chairman and CEO. “Using Tetra Tech’s Leading with Science^® approach, we can continue delivering excellence across vital public sector works and help support the Government’s long-term infrastructure strategies across the UK, including the design of sustainable infrastructure that helps achieve the UK’s net zero emission targets.”

About Crown Commercial Service

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is an Executive Agency of the Cabinet Office, supporting the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services. To find out more about CCS, visit: www.crowncommercial.gov.uk. Follow us on Twitter: @gov_procurement and LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/2827044

About Tetra Tech

Tetra Tech is a leading provider of high-end consulting and engineering services for projects worldwide. With 21,000 associates working together, Tetra Tech provides clear solutions to complex problems in water, environment, sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy, and international development. We are Leading with Science^® to provide sustainable and resilient solutions for our clients. For more information about Tetra Tech, please visit tetratech.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Any statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements made in this release represent management’s best judgment as to what may occur in the future. However, Tetra Tech’s actual outcome and results are not guaranteed and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions (“Future Factors”), and may differ materially from what is expressed. For a description of Future Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, see the discussion under the section “Risk Factors” included in the Company’s Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts

Jim Wu, Investor Relations

Charlie MacPherson, Media & Public Relations

(626) 470-2844

Not for distribution to U.S. News Wire Services or dissemination in the United States.

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#ChoiceProperties–Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (“Choice Properties”) (TSX: CHP.UN) announced today that the trustees of Choice Properties have declared a cash distribution for the month of December, 2021 of $0.061667 per trust unit, representing $0.74 per trust unit on an annualized basis, payable on January 17, 2022 to Unitholders of record at the close of business on December 31, 2021.

About Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust

Choice Properties is a leading Real Estate Investment Trust that creates enduring value through the ownership, operation and development of high-quality commercial and residential properties.

We believe that value comes from creating spaces that improve how our tenants and communities come together to live, work, and connect. We strive to understand the needs of our tenants and manage our properties to the highest standard. We aspire to develop healthy, resilient communities through our dedication to social, economic, and environmental sustainability. In everything we do, we are guided by a shared set of values grounded in Care, Ownership, Respect and Excellence.

For more information, visit Choice Properties’ website at www.choicereit.ca and Choice Properties’ issuer profile at www.sedar.com.

Contacts

Mario Barrafato

Chief Financial Officer

Choice Properties REIT

(416) 628-7872

Mario.Barrafato@choicereit.ca

Simply Group’s data also shows surge in essential home upgrades as Canadian homeowners prepare for winter

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As temperatures drop nationwide, Canadians are preparing their homes for winter while overcoming the rising cost of goods and supply chain delays. Simply Group, Canada’s non-bank consumer lender of choice, analyzed the third quarter of 2021 to understand how Canadians are planning their home improvement projects in anticipation of changing seasons and supply chain shortages.

In Q3, Simply Group’s data reported a 10 per cent increase in the total value of loan applications for home renovations and upgrades, when compared to the second quarter of 2021. Although the company saw a slight decrease in the number of loan applications, the total number of approved applications has remained steady (0.3 per cent).

“The rising cost of goods and services due to the supply chain issues has driven an increase in the total value of loans issued this quarter,” said Lawrence Krimker, CEO of Simply Group and owner of SNAP Home Finance. “With our innovative financing solutions, homeowners can better manage the rising costs associated with the products and services they need to modernize or safeguard their properties.”

Canadians prepare for winter with increase in HVAC installations

Although there was a slight decrease in essential renovation financing applications Q3 vs. Q2, Q3 reported a 27 per cent increase in application volume vs. Q1. This points to steady investment in essential home upgrades, such as HVAC, windows and doors, and roofing.

“This continued investment in essential home renovations shows that Canadians are still motivated to complete upgrades on their homes, and I expect to see this trend continue through Q4 and the winter,” added Krimker. “I would advise, that everyone considering these improvements plan ahead to avoid supply chain delays that are expected to continue through the winter.”

Maritime provinces show highest increase in applications

On a provincial level, Simply Group reported that Nova Scotia saw a 77 per cent increase in home renovation loan applications in Q3, compared to Q2 2021. Newfoundland followed with a 24 per cent increase in applications, and New Brunswick with a 6 per cent increase on loan applications in Q3, compared to the previous quarter. This provincial breakdown suggests growth of home-improvement financing in the Maritime Provinces – a trend tied to the record number of Canadians who re-settled on the Atlantic coast throughout the pandemic.

About Simply Group

With more than $3 billion home improvement loans to over 500,000 Canadians, Simply Group (mysimplygroup.com) provides consumers with industry leading, high-efficiency, home comfort equipment and financing solutions, to modernize their residential properties. Simply Group knows that its people are its greatest asset and is proud to be Great Place to Work-Certified since 2016. In 2020, Simply Group was named Best Business of the Year by the Canadian SME National Business Awards.

Contacts

For further information:

Jake Watson

VP Marketing

(647) 296-5160

Jacob.Watson@mysimplygroup.com

For media queries:

Emily Ellis

Senior Account Coordinator

Kaiser & Partners Inc.

emily.ellis@kaiserpartners.com
(905) 599-6138

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Slate Grocery REIT (TSX: SGR.U) (TSX: SGR.UN) (the “REIT”), an owner and operator of U.S. grocery-anchored real estate, announced today that the Board of Trustees has declared a distribution for the month of December 2021 of U.S.$0.072 per class U unit of the REIT (“Class U Units”), or U.S.$0.864 on an annualized basis.

Holders of Class U Units may elect to receive their distribution in Canadian dollars and should contact their broker to make such an election.

Holders of class A units of the REIT (“Class A Units”) will receive a distribution equal to the Canadian dollar equivalent (based on the U.S./Canadian dollar exchange rate at the time of payment of the distribution) of U.S.$0.072 per Class A Unit, unless the unitholder has elected to receive distributions in U.S. dollars. Holders of class I units of the REIT (“Class I Units”) will receive a distribution of U.S.$0.072 per Class I Unit, unless the unitholder has elected to receive distributions in Canadian dollars. Holders of units of subsidiaries of the REIT that are exchangeable into Class U Units (“Exchangeable Units”) will receive a distribution of U.S.$0.072 per unit.

If a holder of Class U Units or Class I Units elects to receive distributions in Canadian dollars, the holder will receive the Canadian dollar equivalent amount of the distribution being paid on the Class U Units or Class I Units, as applicable, based on the U.S./Canadian dollar exchange rate at the time of payment of the distribution.

Distributions on all unit classes of the REIT, and distributions on Exchangeable Units, will be payable on January 17, 2022 to unitholders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2021.

About Slate Grocery REIT (TSX: SGR.U / SGR.UN)

Slate Grocery REIT is an owner and operator of U.S. grocery-anchored real estate. The REIT owns and operates approximately U.S. $1.9 billion of critical real estate infrastructure across major U.S. metro markets that communities rely upon for their daily needs. The REIT’s resilient grocery-anchored portfolio and strong credit tenants provide unitholders with durable cash flows and the potential for capital appreciation over the longer term. Visit slategroceryreit.com to learn more about the REIT.

About Slate Asset Management

Slate Asset Management is a global alternative investment platform focused on real estate. We focus on fundamentals with the objective of creating long-term value for our investors and partners. Slate’s platform has a range of investment strategies, including opportunistic, value add, core plus and debt investments. We are supported by exceptional people and flexible capital, which enable us to originate and execute on a wide range of compelling investment opportunities. Visit slateam.com to learn more.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information herein constitutes “forward-looking information” as defined under Canadian securities laws which reflect management’s expectations regarding objectives, plans, goals, strategies, future growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities of the REIT. The words “plans”, “expects”, “does not expect”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “does not anticipate”, “projects”, “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements to the effect that certain actions, events or results “may”, “will”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “occur”, “be achieved”, or “continue” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management as of the date hereof, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, the REIT cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these statements, as forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties and should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not the times at or by which such performance or results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ, possibly materially, from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Additional information about risks and uncertainties is contained in the filings of the REIT with securities regulators.

SGR-Dist

Contacts

For Further Information
Investor Relations

+1 416 644 4264

ir@slateam.com

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Slate Office REIT (TSX: SOT.UN) (the “REIT”), an owner and operator of office real estate, announced today that the Board of Trustees has declared a distribution for the month of December 2021 of C$0.0333 per trust unit of the REIT, representing $0.40 per unit of the REIT on an annualized basis.

The distribution will be payable on January 17, 2022 to unitholders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2021.

About Slate Office REIT (TSX: SOT.UN)

Slate Office REIT is an owner and operator of office real estate. The REIT owns interests in and operates a portfolio of 32 strategic and well-located real estate assets across Canada’s major population centres and includes two assets in downtown Chicago, Illinois. 61% of the REIT’s portfolio is comprised of government or credit rated tenants. The REIT acquires quality assets at a discount to replacement cost and creates value for unitholders by applying hands-on asset management strategies to grow rental revenue, extend lease term and increase occupancy. Visit slateofficereit.com to learn more.

About Slate Asset Management

Slate Asset Management is a global alternative investment platform focused on real estate. We focus on fundamentals with the objective of creating long-term value for our investors and partners. Slate’s platform has a range of investment strategies, including opportunistic, value add, core plus and debt investments. We are supported by exceptional people and flexible capital, which enable us to originate and execute on a wide range of compelling investment opportunities. Visit slateam.com to learn more.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information herein constitutes “forward-looking information” as defined under Canadian securities laws which reflect management’s expectations regarding objectives, plans, goals, strategies, future growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities of the REIT. The words “plans”, “expects”, “does not expect”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “does not anticipate”, “projects”, “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements to the effect that certain actions, events or results “may”, “will”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “occur”, “be achieved”, or “continue” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management as of the date hereof, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, the REIT cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these statements, as forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties and should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not the times at or by which such performance or results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ, possibly materially, from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Additional information about risks and uncertainties is contained in the filings of the REIT with securities regulators.

SOT-Dist

Contacts

Investor Relations

+1 416 644 4264

ir@slateam.com

Move signals Exertis’ intent to expand global technology distribution footprint and accelerate North American expansion plans

PHILADELPHIA & DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–DCC Technology, which trades as Exertis and is one of the world’s leading technology distribution and services businesses, has announced its acquisition of Almo Corporation in North America. The acquisition is the biggest yet in the history of parent company DCC plc.

The move signals an ambitious strategy for Exertis, extending its international scale in the Pro AV sector and ramping up its expansion in the North American market. The addition of Almo Corporation builds on other acquisitions in North America such as Stampede, Jam Industries, The Music People and JB&A, adding depth to its consumer portfolio. It expands Exertis’ Pro AV capability to form the largest specialist Pro AV business in North America.

Alongside its Pro AV business, Almo Corporation is the largest distributor of mainstream appliances, delivering a comprehensive portfolio of products including full kitchen packages with essential appliances to small and medium-sized retailers throughout the U.S. In addition, it is the leading distributor of premium appliances, serving retailers and builders designing luxury residential installations for refrigeration, ventilation and cooking in both indoor and outdoor settings. Almo’s thriving business in consumer appliances and lifestyle products will add scale to Exertis North America’s business in the consumer channel.

Almo’s 75-year-old, third-generation, family-owned business brings 660 employees, nine distribution centers and more than 2.5 million square feet of warehousing space across North America. Almo Corporation will benefit from leveraging Exertis’ financial resources and supply-chain logistics, delivering to its vendors and partners a host of improved business opportunities, efficiencies and potential for profit. The acquisition will provide Exertis North America with increased back-end economies of scale allied to the front-end specialization that will add multiple benefits for all its vendors and partners.

Almo will continue to be operated by the Chaiken Family, with Warren Chaiken as President and CEO and Gene Chaiken as Chairman. The combined Exertis and Almo Pro AV divisions will in due course be led by Sam Taylor, current Executive Vice President & COO of Almo Pro AV. Shortly after the completion of the integration, the combined business will be rebranded as Exertis Almo Pro AV.

John Dunne, a long-time senior executive with Exertis, currently leading the Exertis Pro AV team in North America, will join the Almo executive team and help lead the integration. The Premium Appliances and Mainstream Appliances divisions will continue to be led by Steve Terry and Jack Halperin respectively – both industry veterans in those markets.

Exertis’ expanded North American operation becomes a $2.4 billion business overseen by Martin Szpiro, Managing Director of Exertis North America. It forms part of the international expansion strategy of Exertis International, under Managing Director Clive Fitzharris.

Tim Griffin, DCC Technology & Exertis Managing Director says, “The acquisition of Almo Corporation is the largest in DCC’s history and signals our confident and ambitious intent to expand DCC Technology. By integrating Almo with our North American Business, we will form the largest specialist Pro AV business in North America. Almo’s 75-year history of growth and success, combined with its longstanding relationships with industry partners and its ability to continually innovate and expand will be great assets to Exertis. In turn, we will bring significant economies of scale, global supply chain access and other benefits to the customers of Almo Corporation.”

Warren Chaiken, Almo Corporation President & CEO says, “Having just completed a year-long celebration of 75 years of growth and business success, the time is right to give our manufacturer and channel partners a truly global distribution stage so they can operate their businesses at a greater capacity, leverage more buying power and the ability to compete for a more comprehensive position in the global supply chain. We are committed to growing with our partners by remaining their value-added distributor with larger scale and access to more products, more services and more financial support. For them, this transition will be seamless in that we will operate business as usual.”

About Exertis

Exertis is one of the world’s leading technology distributors of consumer, business and enterprise products from pioneering technology brands, playing an integral role in supplying the world with cutting-edge tech. For forty years Exertis has distributed the technology that transforms societies and facilitates the world’s transition to digital. These days Exertis distributes everything from AV solutions to AI-powered smart-tech.

Exertis is powered by the mantra ‘our people, our customers, our business’ and its reach is global. A wholly owned subsidiary of parent company DCC plc, a FTSE 100 company, it has offices in Europe, North America, Middle East and China, representing 2,400 brands. In 2021 it had a turnover of £4.483 billion. As technology evolves, so does Exertis. www.exertis.com.

About Almo Corporation

Since 1946, Almo Corporation has served as the largest independent distributor of appliances, consumer electronics, professional Audio/Video equipment, furniture and housewares in the United States. Meeting the needs of retailers across the country, Almo operates nine regional distribution facilities with over 2.5 million square feet of warehousing. Almo focuses on four major business segments: Major Appliance and Electronics, Premium Appliances, Professional AV and e-Commerce Fulfillment. For more information, go to www.almo.com.

About DCC plc

DCC is a leading international sales, marketing and support services group with a clear focus on performance and growth. DCC is an ambitious and entrepreneurial business operating in 21 countries, supplying products and services used by millions of people every day. Headquartered in Dublin, the Group operates across three markets: energy, healthcare and technology, employing approximately 15,000 people. DCC plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100. In its financial year ended 31 March 2021, DCC generated revenue of £13.4 billion and operating profit of £530.2 million. www.dcc.ie.

Contacts

U.K. & Europe

Dominic Dawes
dominic.dawes@exertis.co.uk

Anna Thorn
anna.thorn@exertis.co.uk

Laura Easton
laura.easton@exertis.co.uk

U.S.

Traci Schaefer
tschaefer@tlscommunications.com

LADERA RANCH, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (“SmartStop” or the “Company”), a self-managed and fully-integrated self storage company, today announced that H. Michael Schwartz, the Company’s Chairman and CEO, will participate in a panel presentation at the Jefferies Inaugural Real Estate Conference in a panel titled: Self-Storage: Migration, Movement & M&A…Secular Growth or When Will it Slow. The panel will be webcast live on December 15, 2021 at approximately 2:30 pm Eastern Time to registered conference attendees. Mr. Schwartz, along with other representatives of the Company, will also be hosting meetings with registered investors at the conference.

About SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (SmartStop)

SmartStop is a self-managed REIT with a fully integrated operations team of approximately 400 self storage professionals focused on growing the SmartStop® Self Storage brand. SmartStop, through its indirect subsidiary SmartStop REIT Advisors, LLC, also sponsors other self storage programs. As of December 13, 2021, SmartStop is one of the largest self storage companies in North America, with an owned and managed portfolio of 160 properties in 19 states and Ontario, Canada and comprising approximately 109,000 units and 12.3 million rentable square feet. SmartStop and its affiliates own or manage 19 operating self storage properties in the Greater Toronto Area, which total approximately 16,200 units and 1.7 million rentable square feet. Additional information regarding SmartStop is available at www.smartstopselfstorage.com.

Contacts

David Corak
VP of Corporate Finance

SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc.

949-542-3331

IR@smartstop.com

MADRID–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#BathroomTaps–H.I.G. Capital (“H.I.G.”), a leading global alternative investment firm with over $45 billion of equity capital under management, announced that one of its affiliates acquired Standard Hidraulica (“STH” or the “Company”), an international industrial group with a leading presence in the plumbing supplies category, previously part of industrial technology company Aalberts N.V. which is listed at the Euronext stock exchange in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. H.I.G. plans to accelerate the Company’s growth and lead a consolidation in its core markets.

STH is headquartered in Montcada i Reixac (Barcelona, Spain), and operates subsidiaries in Pinto (Madrid, Spain), United Kingdom (Leigh, Greater Manchester), South Africa (Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town), and Greece (Acharnes, Athens).

Jaime Bergel, Managing Director of H.I.G. Spain, said: “We are committed to supporting the senior leadership team of STH in achieving their ambitious business plan which should translate in substantial growth over the coming years. As part of the transaction, H.I.G. will support STH in its transition to an independent company while accelerating its customer-focused expansion in the local and international markets.”

Jaume Llacuna, CEO of STH said: “The investment by H.I.G. is great news for STH and its stakeholders. STH is recognised as one of the market leaders across many of our businesses and the categories that we operate in. I am very excited to work with the team at H.I.G. to capitalise on the enormous potential for growth we have within our local and international geographies. We are well positioned to push forward with our plans for organic and inorganic growth. Our collective commitment, energy and passion will be at the heart of our future success. Together with H.I.G., we look forward to building an even stronger business in the coming years.”

About Standard Hidraulica

STH was founded in 1975 in Montcada i Reixac (Barcelona). With a philosophy based on product quality, customer service, constant technological research and respect for the environment, STH has become a reference partner in the water and gas connection and control, kitchen and bathroom taps in both residential and non-residential areas, and civil works such as water and gas distribution networks. STH is certified with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. For more information, please refer to the STH website: https://www.standardhidraulica.com.

About H.I.G. Capital

H.I.G. is a leading global alternative assets investment firm with over $45 billion of equity capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta in the U.S., as well as international affiliate offices in London, Hamburg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogotá, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to small and mid-sized companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach:

1. H.I.G.’s equity funds invest in management buyouts, recapitalizations and corporate carve-outs of both profitable as well as underperforming manufacturing and service businesses.
2. H.I.G.’s debt funds invest in senior, unitranche and junior debt financing to companies across the size spectrum, both on a primary (direct origination) basis, as well as in the secondary markets. H.I.G. is also a leading CLO manager, through its WhiteHorse family of vehicles, and manages a publicly traded BDC, WhiteHorse Finance.
3. H.I.G.’s real estate funds invest in value-added properties, which can benefit from improved asset management practices.
4. H.I.G. Infrastructure focuses on making value-add and core plus investments in the infrastructure sector.

Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 300 companies worldwide. The firm’s current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of $30 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at www.higcapital.com.

H.I.G. European Capital Partners Spain is a legally independent advisor to H.I.G. Capital LLC, H.I.G. Europe Capital Partners, L.P., H.I.G. Europe Capital Partners II, L.P. and H.I.G. Europe Capital Partners III, L.P.

^{* Based on total capital commitments managed by H.I.G. Capital and affiliates.}

Contacts

Jaime Bergel

Managing Director

jbergel@higcapital.com

H.I.G. Capital

Antonio Maura 4 – 4^th Floor

28014 Madrid

P +34 91 737 50 50

www.higcapital.com

The organization has been acknowledged as part of the BC Transportation Contractor of the Year Awards of Excellence

VANCOUVER, British Columbia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Each year, the Province celebrates organizations that have made outstanding contributions to British Columbia’s transportation system. This year, due to the pandemic, the Ministry presented awards for both 2020 and 2021, with Lafarge Canada Inc. nominated four times for Contractor of the Year for the two-year period.

“We’re thrilled with these nominations and the recognition it gives to our teams across the province,” shares Lincoln Kyne, Vice President & General Manager, BC. “The Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure builds infrastructure that needs to last decades and our commitment as a contractor is to deliver high quality value projects for our Province. These awards reflect that commitment.”

Reflecting the organization’s desire to put health and safety at the forefront of all operations, Lafarge was the 2020 Workplace Health and Safety Award Winner. “The perimeter lighting was a game changer,” shares Kyne. “Now it doesn’t matter where our teams are working, or what the weather conditions are – they’re safe, continually.” Lafarge won for their perimeter lighting system, which provides a distinctive red line of light, 10 feet around asphalt paving rollers to create an operator-only safe workspace. As well, Lafarge’s new personal hard hat lighting system for asphalt paving technicians was acknowledged in the award.

Lafarge was also a winner in the 2021 Grading category for the Lower Lynn Creek Connectivity Project. “The site is incredibly busy,” says Kyne. “There are more than 120,000 vehicles passing through every day. It took a lot for us to not only coordinate construction phases, but to make sure that everyone involved stayed safe, that highly sensitive environmental considerations were managed and risks mitigated, and that we stuck to the schedule with the least amount of disruption for the community.”

Lafarge Canada was also nominated as the 2020 Runner Up for the massive Mountain Highway Interchange Project and the 2021 Runner Up for asphalt resurfacing at Hwy 97 Vernon Arterial and Old Kamloops Road. Both projects involved complex traffic rerouting and stakeholder engagement strategies, and were completed on schedule. “We work across the Province,” explains Kyne. “We are familiar with the challenges that come with these projects and specifically in the communities they impact. We are fully committed to helping the industry keep improving and innovating.”

The awards were presented to Lafarge Canada at MoTI’s awards ceremony on December 3, 2021. “It’s an honor to accept these awards,” says Kyne, “and it’s a great push for us to keep on being the best we can be.”

About the B.C. Transportation Contractor of the Year Awards of Excellence

2020 Workplace Health and Safety – 2020 – WINNER

Lafarge GVA Construction – James Silver, Mark O’Callaghan, Shaun Marsden, Mike Darby

Lafarge Canada Inc. introduced the red perimeter lighting system and ILLUMAGEAR Halo SL, which increases the visibility of both ground personnel and equipment. The red perimeter lighting system provides a distinctive red line of light, 10 feet around asphalt paving rollers to creating an operator-only safe workspace. The red light provides other ground personnel and members of the public with early indication that they are in an unsafe position. The lights are mounted on the equipment, which allows the illuminated workspace to move with the equipment. Lafarge Canada Inc. also mandated use of the ILLUMAGEAR Halo SL, a personal hard hat lighting system for asphalt paving on-site quality control technicians. This system provides a 360-degree ring of light that attaches to hardhats, is visible for up to 400 metres away and provides supplementary task lighting to the user.

Grading – 2020 – Runner Up

Lafarge GVA Infrastructure – Project Manager – Gord Bird

Mountain Highway Interchange Project – This $36M project included removing and replacing the existing two lane underpass to a five lane underpass. The improvements included new on and off ramps to Highway 1, two soil nail walls (up to 12m high), three cast in place concrete retaining walls, pedestrian tunnel, capacity improvements to Keith Road and Mountain Highway, pedestrian and cyclist improvements through the construction of multi-use pathways, as well as major drainage and utility upgrades and environmental enhancements. Lafarge introduced several sustainable options including the use of Aggneo on one of the first major highway infrastructure projects in the province.

Grading – 2021 – WINNER

Lafarge GVA Infrastructure – Project Manager – Paulo Perez

Lower Lynn Creek Connectivity Project – This $64M project included the reconstruction of the existing Highway 1 at Keith Road Interchange and new westbound collector lanes. Construction included a new five-lane Keith Road underpass, realignment of Keith Road, reconstruction of ramps, reconstruction of the Lillooet/Seymour Parkway intersection, two new Highway 1 westbound collector lanes, two new Highway 1 Lynn Creek Bridges, new Mountain Highway eastbound on-ramp and the relocation of Keith Creek. Over 120,000 vehicles passed through the site each day. There were extensive utility relocations and upgrades, complex construction staging and traffic management and nearby sensitive environmental habitat, all within a densely populated and constrained area. Lafarge worked with stakeholders to address challenges that arose on this complex project through innovation and collaboration.

Paving – 2021 – Runner Up

Vernon Paving (a division of Lafarge Canada Inc.) – Jody Bridge, Scott Horsfield

Asphalt Surfacing Hwy 97 Vernon Arterial and Old Kamloops Road – The $4M project consisted of a section of Highway 97 from north of 43rd Avenue to College Way and approximately six kilometers along Old Kamloops Road was assessed as requiring resurfacing and road repairs. The project also included the construction of approximately 185 meters of right-turn lane on Highway 97 onto 43rd Avenue and median extension at 37th Avenue. The road repairs and resurfacing resulted in a smoother riding surface and improved dust control. This project improved safety and efficiency of the roadway and increased corridor capacity, mobility and reliability. Vernon Paving (Lafarge) took a proactive approach to protect the environment and effectively addressed environmental concerns that arose.

About Lafarge Canada Inc.

Lafarge is Canada’s largest provider of sustainable construction materials and a member of the global group, Holcim. With 6,000 employees and 350 sites across Canada, our mission is to provide construction solutions that build better cities and communities. The cities where Canadians live, work and raise their families along with the community’s infrastructure benefit from the solutions provided by Lafarge consisting of aggregates, asphalt and paving, cement, precast concrete, ready-mix concrete, and road construction. www.lafarge.ca

Contacts

Media

Jill Truscott

Manager, Communications – Western Canada

Lafarge Canada Inc.

300, 115 Quarry Park Road SE

Calgary, AB T2C 5G9

Mobile: 403.354.5063

jill.truscott@lafarge.com

Company will add 72MW of IT capacity in Frankfurt and Berlin

DENVER & LUXEMBOURG–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Vantage Data Centers, a leading global provider of hyperscale data center campuses, today announced the development of additional campuses in two of its existing strategic EMEA markets. With the continued increase in customer demand for premium hyperscale data center space across Europe, Vantage has broken ground on second campuses in both Frankfurt and Berlin. In addition, the company opened its first campus in Zurich.

In the most sought-after data center market in Europe, Vantage has begun construction of a second Frankfurt campus. This five-acre (two-hectare) campus, located in Raunheim, will provide 40MW of critical IT capacity and total more than 355,000 square feet (33,000 square meters) once complete. The initial phase of this five-story facility is scheduled for delivery in the fall of 2022. Vantage is also continuing to develop its flagship Frankfurt campus, located in Offenbach, approximately 30 kilometers from Raunheim. Once fully developed, both campuses will offer hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprise customers a total of 95MW of IT capacity in the Frankfurt region.

Vantage has also begun construction of a second campus in Berlin. Located only 20 kilometers from its first Berlin campus and 10 kilometers from the Brandenburg International Airport, the two-building campus will sit on 12 acres (five hectares) and provide 32MW of critical IT capacity. Both facilities will consist of two stories and feature more than 260,000 square feet (24,000 square meters) combined. The initial phase is scheduled to be operational in the summer of 2022. Development continues at the company’s first Berlin campus as well. Once fully developed, both campuses will offer 64MW of IT capacity.

Like all of Vantage’s data centers, these new developments will prioritize reliability, sustainability and environmental responsibility and will follow the company’s standardized building design, which allows for rapid time to market to meet customer demand. The campuses will employ hyper-efficient cooling with outside air economization using minimal water. This approach, along with other design features, enables Vantage to achieve industry-leading power usage effectiveness (PUE) and a water usage efficiency (WUE) of virtually zero. Both new campuses will offer customers renewable energy options and include electric vehicle charging stations, drought-resistant landscaping and motion-sensor LED lighting. Vantage has committed to reaching net zero carbon by 2030 through its comprehensive sustainability program.

“Our new developments in Frankfurt and Berlin are testaments to our significant growth throughout EMEA in less than 24 months in the market,” said Antoine Boniface, president, Vantage EMEA. “Our portfolio now consists of nine campuses throughout EMEA, including our recently announced development in South Africa. Demand from our customers continues to increase in these major economic centers, and our ability to scale quickly ensures our sustainable, state-of-the-art facilities will be ready to meet our customers’ business needs.”

In addition, Vantage recently opened the first of four data centers on its growing Swiss campus sited in Winterthur just 25 kilometers northeast of downtown Zurich. Once fully developed, the seven-acre (three-hectare) campus will offer 40MW of IT capacity to customers.

For more information on Vantage Data Centers’ campuses, please visit: https://vantage-dc.com/data-centers/.

About Vantage Data Centers

Vantage Data Centers powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world’s well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across five continents in North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

For more information, visit https://vantage-dc.com/.

Contacts

Press Contacts
Mark Freeman

Vantage Data Centers

mfreeman@vantage-dc.com
+1 202-680-4243

Nigel Parker

Fulfil Communications (U.K.)

nigelp@fulfilcom.com
+44 (0) 7778 872 457