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From a family-owned business in Clair, New Brunswick to a recognized leader in cedar shingle manufacturing, Clair Industrial Development Corp. (Waska) has built its success on innovation, quality, and a strong export vision. Serving customers across Canada and around the world, the company continues to grow its global footprint while staying rooted in the values and craftsmanship that have defined the business for generations.
Last year, Waska’s commitment to productivity and export growth earned the company the Productivity Impact Award at the 2025 NB Export Awards.
For the Waska team, this recognition reflects years of investment and strategic decision-making aimed at strengthening both productivity and global competitiveness. Winning the award, the company says, is meaningful recognition of the work accomplished by its team, and validation that its long-term investments are delivering quality results. The win also reinforces Waska’s commitment to continued innovation and sustainable growth.
Investing in Productivity
A major factor behind Waska’s success has been its continued investment in automation, process optimization, and production technologies. Those investments have helped significantly improve its operating efficiency while positioning itself as a productivity leader within the industry. Waska says the combination of advanced technology and human expertise has been essential to achieving that growth.
Support from New Brunswick
Waska also credits ONB for helping support its growth and export development efforts. According to the company, ONB’s strategic advice, personalized services, and valuable connections to programs and partners have helped accelerate development while strengthening competitiveness in external markets.
Operating in New Brunswick has played an important role in Waska’s development. The company points to the province’s strong business environment, access to quality natural resources, skilled workforce, and supportive business ecosystem as key advantages. Its combination of local roots and international reach continues to shape the company’s growth strategy.
For Waska, winning the NB Export Award is not only recognition of what the company has achieved so far, but also about encouragement to keep investing in innovation, productivity and export development for years to come.
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There is still time to register for Strategic Diversification in Today’s Climate, an ONB-led export training session exploring strategies for expanding into new markets, strengthening supply chains, and building resilience in today’s global trade environment. It takes place ahead of the Export Awards in Saint John on May 28 – register here.
