For the most part, Portage la Prairie has the reputation for being the agricultural center of Manitoba. With this in mind, it may be surprising to even its residents that the leader of a growing market is located on its main street. Incorporated in 1989, Westward Industries Ltd. is enjoying its success as the sole manufacturer of three–wheeled street legal vehicles and stands as an example of a small company in Manitoba taking on a niche market and winning.

Westward's product in this market is the GO–4 Interceptor. The Interceptor is a small, comfortable vehicle that allows its operator efficient maneuverability. Whether it's for a police department's parking patrol or a refuse department's satellite vehicle with a hydraulic dumper making quick stops from house to house, the Interceptor is Westward Industries' answer to their customers' specific needs.

In the late eighties, Portage la Prairie's local economy underwent worrisome changes, among those the closures of the Campbell Soup plant and the Armed Forces base. Some local business leaders got together and decided that they needed to fill the gap that was left. Among these entrepreneurs was Larry Mauws, an engineer and owner of the Westward Resort and Conference Center, who is the President of Westward Industries.

"We were inspired to get into this business because we lost a lot of industry in Portage la Prairie. We were wondering who would be left to turn out the lights. Basically that was the motivation," he says. "So several business people including myself decided that we would research projects that were looking for a place to manufacture."

The search for a promising project led the group to Milwaukee. There, a struggling company had made an unsuccessful attempt to build a street legal vehicle. Larry used his engineering and design background and mechanical aptitude to design an early model of the GO–4 Interceptor. The Wilwaukee company provided their marketing resources to help sell the product in the U.S. After putting together capital to undertake the project, Westward Industries started their venture into this niche market in an unlikely production facility: the curling rink that was attached to Mauws' resort.

"The curling rink wasn't being used for curling and there was some space that was available so we built the first 100 units in a curling rink," Mauws says. "We didn't realize what it would be today. Back then we were happy to turn out 50 units a year and now we're looking to build about 300 units per year."

The initial response was positive. Clearly, the market was in need of change and the entry of a new company to spark competition.

"At the time, there was only one other company in the market and they hadn't made any progress in the 30–40 years that they were in it," explains Mauws. "City departments across the States were desperately hoping that somebody else would come along and create competition. The market was looking for a new product – and we were able to accommodate them."

Last year, their only competitor ceased production of the three–wheeled street legal vehicle and left the market altogether. Mauws observes that Westward's advanced technology and how they apply it to their product set a high standard in the industry and was a likely catalyst for the other company's departure.

"I guessed that they just looked at where they should invest their developmental dollars and the street legal vehicle market wasn't the place. But their decision was primarily fuelled by how far advanced our product is. We use an advanced automotive power train and suspension. Our vehicle also incorporates a four–speed automatic transmission."

Another unique feature of the Go–4 Interceptor is its LTI unit, included for safe operation of the vehicle. Borrowed from the aerospace industry, this device measures lateral "G" force and will notify the operator if the vehicle is driven at an unsafe speed around corners or is being operated on a dangerous cross slope. Most automobiles do not have this feature.

Technology also helps Westward meet environmental standards in American states with stringent regulations, such as California and New York. Westward's fuel–injected four–cylinder engine is very efficient, particularly when equipped with the compressed natural gas (CNG) option. The CNG–equipped vehicle provides even lower emissions. This concern for the environment allows the Interceptor II to satisfy even the most stringent of regulatory bodies such as the California Air Resources Board. In New York City, vehicles are required to be built with a certain percentage of recyclable material, and very specific equipment, which Westward is able to provide.

"It's very important to us to meet the demand for environmentally friendly products," says Mauws. "I think that because we're a small company we're able to pay attention to what our customers [such as the cities of New York and San Francisco] are looking for."

Mauws finds that a Manitoba location is an advantage to his company. Manitoba's geographical center in North America provides a shorter distance to Westward's customers. Along with this, Manitoba's human resources provide him with a strong workforce. He believes that Westward's presence in Portage la Prairie provides an opportunity for those with a mechanical aptitude to work in a non–agriculture–related environment with steady year–round work.

Now that their competitor is out of this niche market, Westward has immediate plans for expansion that will give them a rush of activity for the next few years. They need to meet the demand quickly. They plan to open a second production facility closer to Winnipeg in St. François–Xavier soon and increase Westward's annual productivity from about 300 to about 650 units.

"The immediate plans for expansion require us to double our sales. Since Cushman dropped out of the market," said Randy Thomas, Westward's Vice–President of Marketing, "there is a void in a market and we want to be there to fill it. A person is dreaming if they say that they're doubling their sales but not experiencing some scheduling headaches. It will stretch us, but it's definitely achievable with good organization and people, both of which we have."

In giving advice to a Manitoban who wants to start a small business and take on a niche market, Mauws is optimistic. He tells those who want to follow his lead to stay focused and have a clear objective. Furthermore, he recognizes that the ability to endure hard times is also a tremendously important quality of a business person.

"In most cases, if you believe that you're going to be a success and are willing to work hard at it, the odds are in your favour," he states. "Unfortunately, most people fail at business just about the time they're going to be successful. You have to be willing to put in a lot of sweat equity. You have to be determined and believe in what you're doing. If you're confident in what you're trying to achieve, you'll be successful. If you say "I give up," it's the end of the story."