39
MAY 2014
ACT
CANADA
REGIONAL REPORT
Wind energy alsomoves ahead in
Quebec. TransportChaine is delivering
power transformers for aproject thatwill
erect 175wind turbines.
“ThoughourLabradorminingwork
slowed last year,we’re still committed
to thatwork,”Bastien said. “Northern
Quebecdoes a lot of gold, diamond and
nickelmining.Wewill be involved in
transporting at thosemines.”
Business clicking
Natural resources have alsokept business
clicking along atCropacEquipment.
Thoughhe remains based atCropac’s
Oakville,Ontarioheadquarters, President
Bill Finklenowmust spend an increasing
amount of time inWesternCanada.
Finkle, sonof the company’s founder,
saidhis evolving calendar is due tooil and
gas successes primarily inAlberta.
“We’ve seen lots of growth there in the
last twoyears,”Finkle said. “We expect
thatmarket to remain strong throughout
2014 and2015.”
Cropac sells, rents and services all
terrains, truck-mounted cranes, tower
cranes, lift trucks andmanyother
products. Both in equipment andpeople,
companygrowthhas awestern flavor.
“We’veprobably added20people in the
last year,”Finkle said. “Most of them are
inAlberta.”
In addition toOakville, the company
operates facilities inQuebec andAlberta.
NowCropacneeds a fourth location, and
it’s goingup inAlberta.
“Itwill beour largest facility,”Finkle
said. “We’rebuilding a25,000-square-foot
facilityon seven acres.Our business in
EasternCanada is verymature. There
are somepolitical issues inQuebec.We
didn’t sellmuch equipment there last year.
Ontariohas experienced some autoplant
closures. ThoughOntariohas been flat
andmight continue tobe flat, it’s still a
sourceof goodbusiness for us.”
It’snothing likeAlberta.
employs about 2,500people, including
150 inDeVries’ division.
“We’ll probably stay aboutwherewe are
in employment, too,”he said. “Butwe’re
always searching for competent people to
hire, train and retain.”
For the rest of 2014,DeVries likes
several segments, especially energy. But
there’s another advantage that hasnothing
todowithmarket segmentation. It’s a
favorable exchange rate.
“OurCanadiandollar isworth about 90
cents to theU.S. dollar,”he said. “That’s
good for our business. ForU.S. customers,
it’s likepurchasing$1.10of our services
for only$1.”
Quebec-basedTransportChaine’s
project emphasis hasmoved in stepwith
market demand.According toproject
managerPier-YvesBastien, “Mining
slowed for us in2013, especially in
Labrador. In2014, the grass has been
greener for us inpowerwork.”
Hydro-Quebec, theprovince-
ownedpower company, has begun its
LaRomaine complex. Scheduled for a
2020 completion, theprojectwill put
inplace four generating stations on the
LaRomaineRiver.
Bastien sees otherwork ahead for the
company’s oversize andoverweight load
services, lifting and skidding.
Power plant construction, oil and
gas andwind energy continue to
drive business in Canada.
‘‘
‘‘
”
”
We’re experiencing
an upward trend in volume.
There’s also a
definite uptick in
projects.
FRANK DEVRIES
ChallengerMotor Freight
Ontario, Canada
Whenmining
business sagged, Quebec’s
Transport Chaine picked up
the slackwith
energy sector
customers.
PIER-YVES BASTIEN
Transport Chaine
Quebec, Canada
Transport Chaine delivers power
transformers for a project that
will erect 175wind turbines.
“Thatmarket’s growth just keeps going,”
he said. “Someof theoil andgasworkhas
even leakedover toBritishColumbia.
“Saskatchewan is a littledetached from
thatmarket, but there areopportunities in
potash andoilfield services,”Finkle said.
Hehas observed at least one equipment
trend.
“We’re seeing a little shift away from
truck cranes and toward rough terrain
cranes,”he says.
Hehas alsoobserved that oil andgas
cycles offer anythingbut certain futures.
“Theydon’t last forever,”he said. “We’ve
all seen themgo from100miles per hour
to ‘Park’ in almost no time. But this one
looks verygood right now.”
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