As we are celebrating ODG’s 50 year history, I feel truly fortunate to have had the opportunity to be at the helm of this unique company for over half of this time. From small beginnings ODG has steadily grown, providing an increasing number of jobs and making its contribution to a vibrant economy in the region, the province and the nation.

The most significant contributors to our success have been and continue to be the ODG people. It has been a joy and a privilege to work with such a talented and highly motivated team. I am proud that we are able to provide stable, long-term employment – a rare quality these days. Many of our employees have been part of the ODG family for over 20, some even for over 35 years.

The ARGO, still our mainstay product, was introduced in 1967. Even after such a long involvement with this extraordinary machine, the ARGO still holds its magic for me. Over the years I have met many customers who are equally extraordinary. One of them traveled in his Argo for 1000 miles north on the frozen Hudson Bay. Others, who have lost their mobility due to illness or accident, can still enjoy their outdoors pursuits thanks to the ARGO’s go anywhere capability. In terms of units produced, the ARGO is the world’s most successful amphibious vehicle. After 45 years of continuous improvement and refinement, today’s ARGO and its big brother, the CENTAUR, are better than ever.

Our expertise in building vehicles for extreme conditions has led to an invitation by the Canadian Space Agency and NASA to participate in the development of lunar rovers for future missions to explore the moon and the planets.

Over the past 12 years, by investing in the latest gear manufacturing technologies combined with in-depth training, we have developed ODG’s Gear Division into a world class gear and transmission facility. We offer our customers the benefits of an efficient production and rapid product development combined with a rigorous focus on quality.

ODG has always taken care to minimize its environmental footprint. This is reflected in our operations which are certified under the environmental standard ISO 14000 and in our products.

After 26 exciting years of running this company, I feel confident to hand over the reins to the next generation of managers to lead ODG into a bright future with renewed energy.