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The state-of-the-art digital content warehouse and 'App Factory' will
serve as the core digital hub for the Canadian Tire Family of Companies
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The centre will add 50 new Winnipeg-based employees to the Canadian Tire
team over the next year
TORONTO, April 22, 2014 /CNW/ - Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (CTC)
(TSX:CTC) (TSX:CTC.a) has officially opened its Cloud Nine Digital
Innovation Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. One of the most advanced
centres of its kind in North America, the 28,000 square foot site will
house a digital content warehouse, application lab, testing lab and
high performance data centre. It will serve as the core digital hub for
the Canadian Tire Family of Companies and allow the Company to provide
greater digital services to its customers, suppliers, employees and
partners.
The new centre will provide the Company - which includes Canadian Tire
retail stores, Mark's, FGL Sports (Sport Chek, Hockey Experts, Sports
Experts, National Sports, Intersport, Pro Hockey Life and Atmosphere),
Partsource, Gas+ and Financial Services - with 20-times more computing
power and 10-times more network bandwidth than its existing technology
infrastructure. The new facility will also be used to host its new 'App
Factory,' where advanced digital solutions and new technologies will be
developed for use in-store and online.
"At Canadian Tire, we've been serving Canadians for over 90 years and
innovation has always been a hallmark of our history," said Eugene
Roman, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Canadian
Tire Corporation. "The launch of the Cloud Nine Digital Innovation
Centre is one of the biggest digital endeavours ever taken on by the
Company - the applications we are developing here will enhance the
in-store shopping experiences for our customers, turbo-charge their
interaction with our brands online and provide great improvements to
our back-end operations."
Attached to the Cloud Nine Digital Innovation centre is an Advanced
Gamification space and Digital Media Hub called the NEWcleus. The goal
of the NEWcleus is to create technology to change the way people
communicate and interact with the Company's retail stores.
"By bringing together a diverse group of individuals in a truly
inspiring space, we will continue to showcase innovation at Canadian
Tire. As retail turns into e-tail, we will continue to connect our
physical stores with digital and further enhance the way our customers
interact with our staff, our stores and our brand," said Roman.
Canadian Tire selected Winnipeg because of the city's burgeoning
technology community, which is the result of significant government
investments in the sector from the Province of Manitoba and the City of
Winnipeg.
"Manitoba continues to grow with the creation of good jobs in new
industries. Nowhere is this more evident than the investments we're
seeing in downtown Winnipeg," said Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger. "We
are pleased to support Canadian Tire's Cloud Nine Digital Innovation
Centre and look forward to seeing even more jobs created as a result of
our incentives for new media and data processing businesses."
CTC worked with YES! Winnipeg, the city's business development team
within Economic Development Winnipeg Inc., for support with a number of
critical program elements, including sourcing local vendors and
partners as well as liaising with the Provincial and Municipal
governments. This work included playing a key role in facilitating
Canadian Tire's relationship with Manitoba Hydro and working to ensure
that the Cloud Nine Digital Innovation Centre meets the latest energy
efficiency and green computing standards.
"We are so pleased that Canadian Tire, one of Canada's most respected
brands, has selected Winnipeg as the site for their advanced Cloud Nine
Digital Innovation Centre and digital gamification development lab,"
said Bill Morrissey, Leader, Yes! Winnipeg, an initiative of Economic
Development Winnipeg Inc. "Not only does their decision validate
Winnipeg's very compelling value proposition as a great place for new
business operations, but this centre will be a catalyst for further
growth of our already-vibrant ICT sector. We are so proud of the
collaborative community effort of support that was extended to Canadian
Tire Corporation by so many stakeholder organizations here."
Canadian Tire and its Family of Companies have recently made a number of
significant investments in agile technology solutions that improve
store operations and digitally power customer interactions both
in-store and online. In 2013, Canadian Tire launched its new
interactive online catalogue and announced that it will be increasing
the products available through its e-commerce channels. FGL Sports
opened a state-of-the-art Sport Chek 'lab' store in Toronto, and in
2014, launched its flagship store in West Edmonton Mall - both
locations combine unique hands-on experiences that bring the products
to life with interactive technology and digital installations. The
Company also became the first retail partner in Communitech with the
opening of a digital development lab in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario,
which will be closely linked to the Cloud Nine Digital Innovation
Centre in Winnipeg.
About Canadian Tire Corporation
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited, (TSX:CTC.A) (TSX:CTC) or "CTC," is a
family of businesses that includes a retail segment, a financial
services division, CT REIT and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, CTC's
affiliated national charity that is dedicated to removing financial
barriers so kids across Canada can participate in sports and physical
activities. Our retail business is led by Canadian Tire, which was
founded in 1922 and provides Canadians with products for life
in Canada across its Living, Playing, Fixing, Automotive and Seasonal
categories. PartSource and Gas+ are key parts of the Canadian Tire
network. The retail segment also includes Mark's, a leading source for
casual and industrial wear, and FGL Sports (Sport Chek, Hockey Experts,
Sports Experts, National Sports, Intersport, Pro Hockey Life and
Atmosphere), which offers the best active wear brands. The nearly 1,700
retail and gasoline outlets are supported and strengthened by our
Financial Services division and the approximately 85,000 people
employed across the Company. For more information, visit corp.canadiantire.ca.
SOURCE CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION, LIMITED
Image with caption: "Canadian Tire Corporation officially opens its new Cloud Nine Digital Innovation Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba - one of the most advanced centres of its kind in North America. Pictured in front of the Digital Wall are (L-R): Bill Morrissey, Leader, Yes! Winnipeg; Minister Theresa Oswald, Ministry of Jobs and the Economy; Eugene Roman SVP and Chief Technology Officer, Canadian Tire Corporation; and Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger. (CNW Group/CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION, LIMITED)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140422_C4656_PHOTO_EN_39512.jpg
