Bridging the Gap

Saskarc Industries
Written by Jessica Ferlaino

Saskarc is a leading custom metal fabricator and site equipment supplier serving the petro chemical, power generation, mining and construction industries across Western Canada. With locations in Saskatchewan and Alberta, Saskarc has become the go-to source for custom fabrication, project management and equipment rental and sales.
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Saskarc has experienced significant growth since its inception, rising from humble roots to become a one-stop shop that provides diverse solutions for customers in many industries. Next year, Saskarc will celebrate twenty-five years in the business, having remained resilient in the face of weak markets.

The Saskarc story begins in Oxbow, Saskatchewan, in 1991, in the backyard shed of the founder’s parents. He and a fellow entrepreneur began fabrication of small-scale projects for local farmers and various oilfield customers. Demand grew quickly, and so too did the business which has now expanded to over one hundred employees who operate from expansive facilities in two locations.

Just as its employee numbers increased, so too did the need for larger, modernized facilities. Saskarc began growing with the size of its projects, nearly doubling in size over the last five years. Its projects have evolved in terms of size and scope, and today some can reach up to 250,000 pounds, thirty six feet high and forty five feet wide.

Saskarc’s main fabrication facilities in Oxbow include a 20,000 square foot main shop, a 15,750 square foot assembly shop, and a large enclosed blast and paint facility. The company also boasts six overhead cranes with up to 165-ton capacity and a thirty foot under crane hook height, a fourteen acre assembly and staging area, and a yard which houses more than 700 pieces of equipment, one of the largest consignments in Western Canada.

In addition to this, Saskarc has expanded its Equipment Group, opening a location in Leduc, Alberta. The opening of the Leduc site better enables Saskarc to satisfy the increasing demand from Alberta and British Columbia. “Our grand opening was in January this year and since then we’ve grown our equipment fleet immensely and attracted new employees who now serve our Alberta and British Columbia markets. We do not have a fabrication facility in Alberta yet… but there’s no telling of what will come in the future,” explained Danielle Armstrong, marketing manager.

Saskarc has developed a reputation for quality products, workmanship and customer service, which has driven its growth. Repeat business and referrals have helped the business to flourish, Armstrong explained. “Time and time again, our customers come back and refer us to new customers. This consistently happens because of our four point guarantee; quality, service and delivery, which all revolves around our core commitment to safety. Additionally, our one point of contact project management team allows us to further deliver value to our customers through maintaining open lines of communication.”

In his employee testimonial, Kurt Goulden also emphasized these values, stating, “I enjoy the challenges that come with creating fabrications that turn heads and stop traffic. The quality and the safety that we demand here are second to none.”

Saskarc serves both national and international customers, though demand in Western Canada has occupied most of its focus and attention. Clients come from the petrochemical, oil and gas, refineries, oilsands, mining (potash, uranium and gold), power generation, carbon capture, and pulp and paper industries. Given the nature of Saskarc clients, safety is of paramount importance to the company’s functioning and a core value that has become a pillar of its operations.

To uphold stringent standards of safety and quality, Saskarc has comprehensive in-house safety and quality control programs, which include a dedicated safety manager and a dedicated quality assurance manager as well as multiple safety officers and quality control technicians, all backed by CSA CWB certifications. Saskarc is also certified by the Alberta Boilers Safety Association (ABSA), Technical Safety Authority of Saskatchewan (TSASK), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), PICS, Complyworks and ISNetworld.

“Especially serving these industries, safety is so important,” said Armstrong, a priority which the company enforces and acts upon. “In order to be a leading contender in these industries, you need to be focused on safety.” Saskarc continues to receive the 2015 Work Safe Certificate of Achievement from the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board recognizing this commitment to safety.

Saskarc is the leading custom steel fabrication facility in Saskatchewan. With full project management capabilities, Saskarc provides clients with turnkey professional fabrication solutions. Its ability to fabricate and assemble large items is limited only by transportation regulations, as it is fully committed to stretching the limits by “building the unbuildable and moving the unmovable.”

Saskarc Fabrication Group performs fabrication, modularization and industrial finishing of carbon and stainless steel in plate-work (panels, pump boxes, casings, hoppers, ducts, etc.), structural steel (pipe rack modules, utility modules, conveyers, skids, conveyor gallery modules, etc.) and access steel (stairtowers, catwalks, platforms, etc.).

Working in the field can be expensive, risky, time-consuming and schedule unfriendly. Saskarc’s facilities and resources have enabled the team to become experts in modularization which provides marked advantages. “Modularization is in-house assembly where we build the modules basically to how they are needed on site and ship fully assembled, saving time and money for our clients because you are working inside in controlled environments, as opposed to outside,” said Armstrong. Saskarc also completes on-site fieldwork when required.

Saskarc Equipment Group continues to expand its product lines, offering customers a diverse selection of models and sizes of equipment. The company offers flexible purchasing options for the sale and rental of its air compressors, fuel storage and transport services, generators, heaters, lighting towers, pumps, safe access systems and used equipment. Its flexible purchasing options include leasing, rental purchases, finance purchase options, rentals and standard purchases with offers that are unmatched in the industry.

Even with the pressure in the industry, Saskarc stands behind its employees and invests in personal developments in view of long-term improvements. The company offers thorough training and education to employees so if their hands aren’t busy working, their minds are! The company is committed to ensuring each project is handled by the right people with the right skills in order to fulfill all job requirements and reinforce Saskarc’s reputation.

Additionally, Saskarc has a strong professional network in the industries it serves. Its access to a wide variety of subcontractors helps the team complete jobs of any complexity. If Saskarc doesn’t have what the client needs, they will help you find someone who does! Given its locations in Saskatchewan and Alberta, the company is well positioned from a resource perspective to remain competitive by keeping production and shipping costs down.

Saskarc has many high profile customers, throughout North America. Through the years Saskarc has successfully completed major fabrication projects all across North America; from the business sector of New York City on the East side to Hawaii on the West and all across Western Canada, Saskarc has worked for most large reputable owners, EPCs, EPCMs and GC companies. These companies have come to depend on Saskarc to continually deliver the level of safety, quality, service and delivery which the company is known for.

“The first time I visited Saskarc’s facility I was very impressed with the level of cleanliness of their shop and their overall commitment to quality,” said Jim Mabee of SaskPower. “SaskPower has been very pleased with Saskarc’s commitment to quality products and on-time delivery on all of our major projects.”

As it grows, Saskarc is making significant efforts to remain true to its core values to achieve its vision. Built upon safety, integrity, commitment, teamwork, spirit and continuous improvement, Saskarc aims to become the go-to North American supplier, customer and employer for steel fabrication, modularization and site equipment solutions. To this end, company employees work diligently, prepared to go the extra mile to ensure that they have the right equipment to get the job done. This attention to detail saves time, money and effort for customers.

“As a constant reminder of our corporate goals and the direction of the company, our mission and vision is a part of our internal signatures as well as displayed on all of our desktop screensavers and office walls. We as a company understand the importance and value in keeping our teams aligned and focused on one common goal,” said Armstrong. “Saskarc is very organized and strategized. We are always aiming to meet our corporate objectives in order to become the supplier, customer and employer of choice, and that is what we strive for day by day.”

Building on its proven track record, its reputation for the highest standard of customer service and quality products with flexible rental and purchasing options, Saskarc continues to find new markets and industries to serve. Its new Eco-Chamber fuel storage tank is a perfect example of a product that has various uses for a number of industries and will further drive demand and growth.

Not only has it fostered the development of a positive work culture, but the company is also committed to and takes great pride in its community outreach initiatives. Last year alone, Saskarc donated over $250 000 to several local charities that are in alignment with its core values.

As a market leader with a strong focus on customer service and project success, Saskarc is poised for continued success in the future. With a wealth of site equipment and custom fabrication capabilities in a variety of materials, there is no gap Saskarc cannot bridge.

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