Canadian plane and train equipment-maker Bombardier Inc. has won an $89 million contract to design and supply an automated people mover system for the Beijing Capital International Airport in 2005. Today, the new system already starts running between terminals with brand Made in Canada? Unlike Bombardier's multi-million dollar contract, most of small-medium businesses also have obtained a decent return of their product sales in Chinese market. By 2007, Canada's exports surge concentrated in industrial goods to china, which include general industrial equipment, light machinery, and high-tech processing equipment, are set to triple their 2002 values in 2007. These exports make up just over half of Canada's shipments to China.

Market overview

In the construction equipments sector, China spends more than USD $ 6 billion a year in an effort to build an infrastructure that is suitable for their phenomenal economic growth. It is investing US$10 billion a year in the development of a national grid and is making efforts to establish itself as a major maritime power. China has embarked on a massive programme to expand its ports, as its share of world trade soars. It also is the world’s largest market for industry machine tools. With consumption rising to over US$9 billion in 2004, numerous Chinese small-medium sized manufacturing businesses have created a market demand for capital equipment. There is need for high quality western products. Today, the machinery and equipment sector is the country's second largest industry after textiles.

Opportunity for Canadian Businesses

Canadian machinery and tools manufacturers are recognized worldwide for innovation and excellence. They include new, growing sub-sectors in robotics and automation, plastics, packaging and machine tools, compressors, pumps, construction and mining machinery, materials-handling equipment, as well as sawmill and woodworking machinery.

Canada’s process machinery industry has become more export driven. By 2000, exports increased to 77% as compared to 5 years ago. The total export is 7.14 billion, as of 2008. In Ontario, the center of Canada’s $17.8 billion domestic market, process machinery is meeting the needs of customers in more than 170 countries worldwide. More than 80% of exports are shipped to customers in the U.S.

The recent worldwide economic slowdown has adversely affected international trade in the machinery sector. The shrinking of US imports and higher currency rates have directly contributed to this decline. According to Statistics Canada, export shipments of machinery and equipment have declined an incredible 7.6% from last year.