KINGSTON, ONTARIO, MAY 15, 2017 -- TECTA-PDS, a drinking water technology company, is pleased to announce its new status as an entirely Canadian-owned company, as well as the opening of its new business headquarters in downtown Kingston.
TECTA-PDS makes the world's first automated, EPA-approved microbiological water quality water system, making it easier, faster and less expensive to do on-site water testing for E. coli bacteria. Formerly known as Pathogen Detection Systems, the company was purchased by the European multinational Veolia Environment in 2009 and renamed Endetec. That purchase enabled the company to fully commercialize its water testing products, making them more widely available around the world.
The company recently regained its independence as an entirely Canadian-owned company, adopting the name TECTA-PDS. The company's head office, engineering facility and manufacturing facility are now located in Kingston, Ontario. The company's entire supply chain is now exclusively based in Canada and the United States.
"It means a great deal to us to be once again an entirely Canadian-owned company, and to be based in downtown Kingston, a great city for work and play," says CEO Doug Wilton, a Queen's University graduate who has raised a family in the city. "We are proud to be part of the economic fabric of this community and of this country."
TECTA-PDS' unique fiber optic sensory technology was first developed at Queen's University to address concerns arising from the Walkerton water tragedy of May 2000, when seven people died and many thousands became ill because of an E. coli outbreak in the community's water supply.
"We're proud of the fact that our technology is now being used in more than 25 countries and that we're expanding rapidly internationally," says Tim Adams, EVP with TECTA-PDS. "Our units have now become the go-to method for testing for E. coli in every region around the world."
"It is significant for us to see a home grown company – one that developed its expertise under the umbrella of a European multinational – be repatriated to Ontario. TECTA-PDS is a true Ontario success story," says Sophie Kiwala, MPP for Kingston and the Islands. "By creating the Water Technology Acceleration Project, and by investing in initiatives such as Showcasing Water Innovation, our government is supporting the scale-up of innovative businesses like TECTA-PDS in Ontario's water technology sector."
"I want to congratulate TECTA-PDS on their new status as a wholly Canadian-owned company," says Mark Gerretsen, MP for Kingston and the Islands. "It's exciting to see an innovative start-up make its mark internationally and then return to its roots in Kingston, bringing back jobs in the process. I look forward to seeing TECTA-PDS continue to thrive."
