PROVINCE INVESTS IN GROWING AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT COMPANY

Released on June 19, 2000

St. Brieux's DRYAIR 2000 will be able to fulfil a major contract and create 14

jobs thanks to a $500,000 loan from the Saskatchewan Opportunities Corporation

(SOCO).



The company develops, manufactures and markets grain-drying equipment and

portable heating systems. The units are primarily used to generate heat on

construction sites and to dry grain.



While attending a company open house held at the manufacturing facility,

Economic and Co-operative Development Minister Janice MacKinnon said DRYAIR is

making a significant impact on economic growth in rural Saskatchewan.



"It is through the generation of ideas from people like Pierre and Claude

Bourgault that we are seeing economic growth throughout rural Saskatchewan,"

MacKinnon said. "As a result of their ideas, 14 jobs have been created and

there is potential for 14 more jobs in the next year."



DRYAIR's Chief Engineer & Director of Research Pierre Bourgault says SOCO's

funds will increase the company's ability to sell its products in the U.S.



"This loan is a major step forward for DRYAIR," Bourgault said. "We will be

able to meet rising commercial demand in North America, which will generate

profit to internally fund even more research and development."



DRYAIR is the result of a combined effort between Chinook Phi-Beta Corporation,

a research, development and engineering company with technical skills in

dehumidification, heat recovery and air handling and Claude Bourgault,

president and general manager of DRYAIR 2000.



Two of DRYAIR's primary markets are the agriculture sector and the commercial

construction and mining industries. Any grain farm with round metal bins or

other storage facility is a candidate for DRYAIR 2000 and 90 per cent of

Canada's grain storage bins are in the prairie provinces. Annual grain

production on the prairies subject to drying is about 50 million tonnes.



Despite the potential for sales in the agriculture sector, DRYAIR projects most

of its future growth to be in the construction and mining industries. The

company recently signed a contract to manufacture heating units for a Suncor

mine in Fort MacMurray, Alberta.



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For more information, contact:



Irene Rau, Director, Pierre Bourgault, Chief Engineer

Corporate Affairs, SOCO DryAir 2000

Phone: (306) 787-8576 Phone: (819) 777-1586

E-mail: irene.rau@soco.sk.ca E-mail: dryair2000@sympatico.ca

Web: www.gov.sk.ca/soco