Chief Albert Gerow is leading the 亚洲天堂 Lake Band in the possible development of a work-camp trailer construction facility in 亚洲天堂 Lake.  The facility would be a complex of administrative offices and very large warehouse allowing for the  year-round indoor construction of modular buildings.

The modular buildings would be built according to floor plans designed to suit the needs of the booming camp construction market that goes along with the increased resource and pipeline work slated for Northern B.C. and elsewhere.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a huge demand for camps in North America and internationally,鈥� said Gerow.  鈥淚f you were to order a camp today, it would be two years before you could receive shipment of it.鈥�

The 亚洲天堂 Lake Band has hired the Vancouver consulting firm MNP to complete a feasibility study, which Gerow expects will be complete by the end of January, 2012.  The band has already met with several companies that purchase modular camp units like this and have found a lot of interest for their floorplans.

鈥淲e鈥檝e talked to Shell Canada, Apache Canada, Enbridge, New Gold and others,鈥� said Gerow.  鈥淭hey鈥檝e all come back interested, and Apache has a keen interest internationally.鈥�

It would take 12 to 18 months to complete construction of the facility, and the facility itself would create approximately 100 direct and indirect jobs in 亚洲天堂 Lake.

鈥淲e鈥檇 situate it on the southside of the tracks beside the Babine Forest Products mill so that we鈥檇 have rail access to ship units internationally,鈥� Gerow said.  鈥淲e鈥檇 be making wood structured, insulated panels and we would by our wood from the mill.鈥�

鈥淥ur desire it to assist the community with diversifying so that we鈥檙e not locked into one industry.鈥�

The floorplans could be modified to meet the needs of First Nations housing as well as to provide residential modular homes.  Gerow hopes that a second phase of operation might become available were they are able to provide camp management services.

Gerow said that there are no immediate stumbling blocks in the way other than the usual ones that face any new manufacturing start up.

鈥淥nce we have a positive feasibility study, we鈥檒l develop the detailed business plan, bring in the federal and provincial governments and then get pre-orders from industry.  Once we have pre-orders we鈥檒l go to our financiers for funding.鈥�

Although big industry is the anticipated market for these manufactured homes, Gerow said that they won鈥檛 be looking to big industry for partnership.  鈥淲e鈥檙e looking for local partners,鈥� Gerow said.  鈥淏ig industry would be customers, not partners.鈥�