October 21, 2013

An Aylmer businessman has been honoured as “Entrepreneur of the Year” for the growth of his small business, which now employs nearly 50 people.  Francisco Enns of Enns Textile Packaging Solutions was nominated for the award by the Elgin Business Resource Centre, from which Mr. Enns received a loan to expand his business.  

Enns Textile received the prestigious award out of many nominations from across the province.  He was honoured at the annual Conference of the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations, held recently in Sarnia.  On hand to accept the award were Mr. and Mrs. Enns, and his business associates Mr. and Mrs. Roseti of Sigma Pac, as well as representatives from the Elgin Business Resource Centre:  Helen Haddow, Chair of the Board of Directors, John Regan, General Manger and Glenn Thorel, Loans Officer.

Nearly 250 delegates from Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) met in Sarnia recently.  Many of the CFDCs had nominated successful businesses they had assisted with business counselling and loans.  The Elgin Business Resource Centre is one of 61 CFDCs across Ontario. 

Enns Textile makes reusable automotive packaging to move parts between manufacturing and assembly plants.  But that’s not how the business began, Mr. Enns says.  “In the beginning, we were doing furniture finishing, that’s what the shop was built to do,” he adds.  But things changed when he met up with engineers who were looking for a way to ship autoparts.

“When I first started the business, my goal was to have a small business working at home, leading a quiet life, making a comfortable living with one or two employees,” Mr. Enns says.  But the business soon outgrew his home and he now employees upwards of 50 people.  When he needed money for equipment in order to expand, he contacted the Elgin Business Resource Centre for a loan.  The EBRC very quickly put together a loan for him to be able to buy the equipment needed to meet his clients’ needs.

According to EBRC Loans Officer Glenn Thorel, Mr. Enns clearly understood the opportunity that was available to him, and wanted to take advantage of it right away.  The EBRC was in a position to make that happen as quickly as possible so the opportunity wasn’t lost.  “Right from the start, he was an entrepreneur who has what I call the ‘do-it’ attitude,” says Mr. Thorel.  Mr. Enns has a good balance of moving forward quickly and keeping a clear vision of where he is going, explains Mr. Thorel. 

Enns Textile manufactures reusable packaging from fabric and vinyl.  The materials are cut to very specific sizes by computers and then sewn on industrial machines.  Mr. Enns has plans for the continued growth of Enns Textile.  He has purchased adjacent land for expanding his operations, and hopes to employ 100 people in future.      

 “We are pleased to honour Mr. Enns as the Entrepreneur of the Year.  His business is an excellent example of the type that the Community Futures Program can nurture and help grow,” says Diana Jedig, Executive Director of the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations.

Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) offer free business counselling, loans for start-up and expansion of small business, strategic planning on local projects, and community economic development in rural areas.  Each CFDC is locally managed by a volunteer Board of Directors, funded with the support of the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan through FedNor and FedDev Ontario.  To learn more about Community Futures Program in Ontario or the OACFDC, go to www.oacfdc.com

Photo:  Francisco Enns (centre) of Enns Textile in Aylmer was honoured as “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations.  On hand for the presentation were John Regan, EBRC; Carmen DeMarco, FedNor; Walter Roseti, Sigma Pac; Francisco Enns, Enns Textile, Helen Haddow, EBRC; Mark Wilson, FedDev Ontario; Glenn Thorel, EBRC.

For more information about the Elgin Business Resource Centre, contact:

John Regan, General Manager

Elgin Business Resource Centre

300 South Edgeware Road

St. Thomas, ON

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Phone:  519-633-7597

For more information about Enns Textile Packaging Solutions, contact:

Francisco Enns

Enns Textile Packaging Solutions

69 Beech St., Aylmer, ON  N5H 3J6

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Phone:  519-773-8990