The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Ever since HudBay Minerals purchased HBMS seven years ago, many residents have used the names of the two companies interchangeably. But while HBMS and northern Manitoba have always been the foundation of HudBay, the companies remained separate entities _ until now. The Toronto-based parent company announced Friday that effective immediately, all assets within the organization, including HBMS, will operate under a single name: HudBay. 'Today is about telling the world who we are, what we stand for and where we are going,' said HudBay CEO David Garofalo. 'It's also about sending a clear message that we are one company, one company guided by a common vision and shared values.' Upwards of 500 people crammed the R.H. Channing Auditorium for the noonhour announcement, including employees, civic officials and members of the media. Speaking from behind a podium on the auditorium stage, Garofalo effectively ended 85 years of Flin Flon history by proclaiming the name 'HBMS' is being phased out. 'Until now we've had our operations under a number of different names,' he said. 'These divisions prompted questions and confusion from within and outside our organization about the focus, scope and alignment of our business.' Garofalo spoke in both English and Spanish given that the announcement was broadcast live to Peru, where HudBay has a promising copper project. In fact, employees at all sites where HudBay has a presence, including Snow Lake, Toronto and Michigan, among others, were invited to watch the announcement online. But Garofalo assured the Flin Flon crowd that the company's 'strong commitment to Manitoba has not changed.' 'This is where we come from,' he said. Garofalo said the company felt that in order to continue to successfully grow, it needed a common banner to better communicate its business strategy. 'Quite simply, if we truly want to be one company, we have to look and behave like one company,' he said. To help celebrate the company-wide name change, complete with a revamped logo, those filing into the R.H. Channing Auditorium were given white t-shirts emblazoned with 'We Are Somos HudBay.' Somos is 'we are' in Spanish. For a look at the new HudBay logo and the company's announcement, please see the back page of this paper. The Reminder will have more on this announcement Wednesday.
