Galbocca Fixtures Inc.
Peru

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For Juan Gayoso, his father, Carlos Gayoso, and his brothers-in-law, Raul Bolanos and Carlos Castagnino, the decision to set up their bath fixture business, Galbocca Fixtures Inc., in the southern Ontario town of Bolton was based on location.

"Here, within a day's trucking, you have access to about 100 million people and it's one of the richest markets in the world, which also seemed ripe for the type of product that we knew how to make," says Mr. Gayoso. From his research, he knew that Ontario was almost the geographic centre of North America and was served by one of the world's best highway systems. It has allowed Galbocca to guarantee five-day delivery of its products anywhere on the continent.

"Here, within a day's trucking, you have access to about 100 million people."

The Gayoso, Bolanos and Castagnino families, six adults and six children in all, immigrated to Ontario from Lima, Peru, starting in 1989. They ran two successful businesses in Lima, manufacturing acrylic sheets and bath wares, before deciding to seek a new life elsewhere. They were uncomfortable with the social conditions in Peru at the time.

"It was forcing people to live very much in a golden cage, especially people in business," Mr. Gayoso says. "It was 'golden' because if you're a successful business person, even with a small amount of money, you can lead a very plush lifestyle; but it was a 'cage' because you had to protect yourself and surround yourself with bars."

Mr. Gayoso visited 10 different locations in South America and the United States before settling on Ontario. "It was decided for several reasons," he says. "Canada was definitely the place to look at because we weren't looking only for a place to do business, but a place for our children to grow."

It proved to be a place of growth for the Gayoso family business as well.

The company, which manufactures bathtubs, whirlpools, shower stalls and hot tubs, started operations on half an acre of land. It has expanded to more than four acres since the first tub came out of the factory in 1990. It has 65 employees and serves markets not only in Canada, but also in the northeastern United States from New York to Maine, and in the midwest from Illinois to Texas.

For those looking to set up a business in Ontario, Mr. Gayoso advises thorough preparation. It helps, he says, to know about the North American style of doing business in advance, since there's enough of a cultural adjustment to be made in relocating families. He took a correspondence course in North American business and consulted extensively with Ontario's Ministry of International Trade and Investment before starting up.

"Also, try to find your weak spots and be as honest as possible about them," Mr. Gayoso advises. "If you're successful in your country of origin, typically your ego builds up a bit and you become very bullish about what you do and what you know. Sometimes, you forget that you're going to another country and basically, you're starting from zero."

But starting from the ground up can lead to a very productive lifestyle in Ontario. "You want the best if you are getting a chance in life to choose where you are going to live," says Mr. Gayoso. "We're all very comfortable with our decision to move here."