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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1987-09-02, Page 21WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1987 NDP le J.Sk..vRecord ItiCflRl't)RATI NG -THE 111.1 TH STANDARD -THP: BA1'FIELD BUGLEJ der tours piano SECOND SECTION actory After seeing how a Sherlock Manning piano is assembled at Draper Brothers and Reid Ltd., NDP leader Bob Rae sat down at a "player piano" and literally pumped out a few tunes. Sources say Mr. Rae is a former concert pianist, so the August 28 tour in Clinton was right up his alley. Looking on is manager Andy Burgess (left) while owner Paul Ryckman (right) explains the mechanics of the piano to Huron NDP candidate, Paul Klopp. (Anne Narejko photo) Before speaking on the subject of the piano factory, NDP leader Bob Rae toured Draper Brothers and Reid Ltd., the only remaining piano manufacturers in Canada. Here he stops to take a look at one stage of manufacturing with owner Paul Ryckman (left). (Anne Narejko photo) Draper Brothers and Reid propose another extension By Anne Narejko CI,INTON - Time is running out for Canada's last remaining piano factory and it's up to the provincial and federal government to step in and provide assistance, says New Democrats ,Party leader Bob Rae. Mr. Rae, a former concert pianist himself, toured Draper Brothers and Reid Ltd. on August 28 with a large entourage of media people and a few local NDP supporters. The 112 -year-old Draper Brothers and Reid Ltd. was $1 -million in debt when Paul Ryckman purchased it, but despite this, he thought there was a future. To prove his point, Mr. Ryckman tried untapped markets and was rewarded with a 1,200 piano order, more than triple the 352 pianos sold last year. However, the company has no operating capital and is behind in their delivery. Various avenues have been tried by Mr. Ryckman, including the Ontario Develop- ment Corporation (ODC), the Federal Business Development Bank ( FBDB ), banks and private investors. The ODC has guarenteed a $400,000 loan and Mr. Ryckman has worked out an agreement with Robert Reid of Arcom Development to carry out the building rehabilitation once the operating capital has been secured. However, Mr. Ryckman claims he was told to "go find another bank" after trying to obtain a loan from the Royal Bank and the FBDB has not came through with a loan either. "We're not looking for a handout. We don't necessarily want a grant. We're will- ing to take a long term loan," Mr. Ryckman told the crowd gathered at the factory on August 28. Mr. Ryckman was told the government could not pay for working capital, and Mr. Rae says this should be changed. When asked what he'd do, he said, "I'd expand the mandate...Treasurer Robert Nixon has to sit down with the people of Ministry of Trade and people of elsewhere and work this out," he said. "The govern- ment of Ontario has got to provide assistance...especially when the market is there." Buy Canadian "The product is competitive in tone, in quality and price, yet the school boards buy elsewhere," commented Mr. Rae on the government's purchasing policy. A press release distributed by the NDP noted, "Earlier this summer, the Universi- ty of Western Ontario - about 80 km. away - used a provincial government grant to buy 15 West German pianos. Draper Brothers and Reid weren't even asked to bid on the sale. "The province's failure to give domestic producers the same break in Ontario that other governments give their homegrown producers has added insult to injury for Clinton's piano makers..." The latest figures available show that in 1989 nearly 30 per cent of the $15.5 -billion of purchasing by the Ontario government, municipalities, school boards, hospitals, universities and Crown corporations went to imports. Mr. Ryckman said during the past years Draper Brothers and Reid produced a pro- duct that cost less than the imports, but the prices are relatively competitive now. "Our quality and size of product are competitive, there's no reason why they can't buy a Canadian piano," he said. If the piano factory was to close its doors, the government would lose $3.5 -million on an 11.3 per cent tariff. "They say this isn't necessarily so. They'll take it and bargain somewhere else. Am I to tell the people of Clinton they're a bargaining tool?" asked Mr. Ryckman. The last proposal Mr. Ryckman and his lawyers made, enabling them to keep their doors open, was that they would have their operating capital by August 31. This date has come and gone and they still have not been able to obtain the capital needed so they are proposing an extension to September 30. This is the last extension they can be granted under the original pro- posal made in April. But if Mr. Rae has his way, the piano factory will continue to produce for many years to come. "The people of Clinton have been mak- ing pianos for two and three generations and they need to continue to do so," he said. "We (the NDP) are going to fight to see that the government does what needs to be done." With ... __ WSeptember 10 quickly approaching, candidates are out in full Clinton. One of several people greeting Mr. Rae during the August forcAfter visiting London, Bob Rae, NDP leader, came to Huron 28 tour was Huron NDP candidate Paul Klopp (centre) and his son County and toured the Draper Brothers and Reid Ltd. factory in T.J. (Anne Narejko photo) The media entourage was in fine form during NDP leader Bob Rae's visit to Draper Brothers and Reid Ltd. on August 28. Several television stations and newspaper reporters were out to cover the event. IAnne Narejko photo) t