Business by Girard Hengen The Review The Perkins family of Sidney recalls the precise date and time father Robert had a brainwave. It was Feb, 18, 1982 at 2 a.m. Robert; who: had -spent evera - decadé designing and testing three-wheeled bikes, had a flash of. insight-on how to solve a funda- mental problem in the design: He ran to the drafting board and. - wrote down a Set of configurations. Today, these calculations have been patented: in Canada, the United States and Europe. Peter Perkins, Robert’s- son, explains the idea as concisely as possible: “The pedal axle passes through the centre of a freely- rotating front-wheel and drives one or both of the tear wheels by means of a chain.” This doesn’t mean much to those who aren’t well-versed in the human-powered vehicle (HPV) market, but the concept has been incorporated in a three-wheeler the Perkins family has begun pro- ducing from their Sidney work- shop. Called the Thebis, it could take Funding will allow CQAC to supply Boeing A Sidney company which sup- plies precision parts to the interna- tional aerospace industry has received funding from the federal Western Diversification Fund. CQAC Manufacturing Ltd will receive a $150,250 loan, said a Western Economic Diversification news release. The company was incorporated in April, 1990, and is becoming a supplier of parts to customers including Boeing Commercial Aircraft Group of Seattle and Heath Tacoma Aerospace Co: of Kent, Wash. The federal money will help CQAC put into place the latest manufacturing processes for the next line of commercial aircraft, such as the Boeing 777 and the European airbus. CQAC will be equipped with high-precision, volume manufac- turing machinery for sheet metal, machining and sub-assembly work, a press release said. The cost of the first phase of the company’s development is $367,688. Other phases involve anodizing, heat treating and painting. “Catch the Spirit!” Join Clive TANNER and be- come a member of B.C.’s best choice - the New Liberal Party of British Columbia. For information write to: 210-2436 Beacon Ave. Sidney V8L 1X6 or phone 656-1687 the growing HPV market by storm, providing a bonanza for the fam. ily’s company — Thebis Intema- tional Ltd. The company is in the midst of a production run of 50 vehicles priced at just under $3,000 US ‘each. It has received $90,000 in _ financing in the form of a loan . from the: federal. government’s Western Diversification Fund. Market surveys show there could be a strong demand for the bike among affluent middle-aged to elderly people who want com- - fort when: theyride, as well as _ Slightly. younger. people ce who want a ritzy type of machine,” said Peter. - Exposure at trade shows has created interest, and Robert says the U.S. Postal Service will soon begin testing the Thebis for use by letter carriers. The rider of a Thebis sits in a slightly-reclining position in a comfortable sling seat which places him at eye level with car drivers and provides a wide field of view. The rider steers the back wheels with hand-levers. The levers also contain powerful hydraulic brake controls connected to the front wheel that can stop the bike almost literally on a dime. The sophisticated tricycle is light-weight, with a magnesium and aluminum frame. Peter Perkins says the bike’ 5 wide-ranging gear ratio enables it to climb hills easily. He says three-wheelers also have excep- tional slow-speed stability, allow- ing the rider to crawl at a snail’s pace without losing balance. Designing an HPV is no simple chore, with or without flashes of inspiration. “There’s: a lot of engineering thought going into the whole pro- cess,” Says’ Peter. : TheReview Ironically, neither Robert or his wife Carolyn, nor sons Peter and Michael, are engineers. Robert was a Toronto corporate lawyer with a prestigious Rosedale district address, but his true pas- sion was HPVs. After working on prototypes in the Toronto area, he moved to Vancouver Island.and set _up: shop, in Sidney last summer. Peter and Michael joined their father and mother later in the family business. _ Sidney is an unlikely location for a company planning to produce odes May 15,1991 — Ai4 Sidney's Thebis cycle about fo take market by storm. and-market its product along oe west coast from California to B.C. But the lure of the big city, with its greater Opportunity for corporate connections, wasn’t important, ‘Says Peter. - “In the modern computer age, when a lot of business is pure information, the (centres that grew with) the fur trade should not be determining where you have your production,” he said. He said his parents were looking ~ fora place “withza perfect climate Continued on Page A15 Prices include frame, lens and case. Your chosce from hundreds of the latest fashion frames. _ SINGLE VISION 1 PAIR 6999 OR The Nashville Network Variety of country talk shows, concerts and sports And the BIG PICTURE is more than what Shaw Cable is, it’s what Shaw Cable is about: dedication to entertainment, your community, your opinion,.and YOU! That's why when we decided to add new channels, who better than YOU to tell us what YOU want to watch. Simply examine the four channel choices shown above. Select 2 favourites and place a check mark in the box under those selections. Then, mail this screen test to the address below. Once these survey results are tabulated, Network popularity and associated costs will determine which future channels will be “added” to current Full Cable Service. Shaw Cable thanks you in advance for YOUR part in . the choice SHOULD helping the BIG PICTURE get alittle bigger, butthen again. . be yours! CNN Headline News The latest breaking news every half hour please check two of the above COMPARE THE TOTAL PRICE ee ee eS eS a eS a a SS Se A SS a ws ewe we ang 2 PAIR 1159°° (Same person, same prescription) THE BIG PICTURE SCREEN TEST The Learning Channel Educational programming Put us to the test! mail to: Shaw Cable 2614 Sooke Road Victoria, B.C. V9B 1Y2 u i I I l | ! ! i ! i I I I I I ... With results that mean more choice, more quality, more of the BIG PICTURE! l | I I i 1 i l f | [ t } l { t cut along dotted line 1 PAIR 8999 Your second pair of glasses is WOT from a selected frame board. BIFOCALS 2 PAIR 15499 (Same person, same prescription) OR Glass or plastic lens. Regular Monostod or Kryptok Bifocal. Powers toa + or 6toa2 cyl. Rimless and ’” eyes excluded. Extras excluded. (Tints, specialty coatings. scratch resistant coating, oversize) COMPARE: OUR PACKAGE INCLUDES PRICES ON: TRIFOCALS; @ INVISIBLE BIFOCALS; EXECUTIVE BIFOCALS; & SPECIALTY LENS; HI INDEX LENS; LENS COATING. ETC. Financial News Network Current U.S. stock market and business reports Ma a a eS eee |