The Excavators are digging downtown Calgary ... - Finning Canada

Cat meets 9,000 acres of canola, wheat and barleyGroup Dynamics: A family of companies builds on strengthWINTER 2007www.finning.caTheHole StoryExcavators are diggingdowntown CalgaryCedar ScentMeet a logging clanfrom North ThompsonLegends of RockA tale of one island,two guys and a quarryPlus!Testing Techin NorthernAlbertaA FINNING (CANADA) PUBLICATION Non-deliverable mail should be directed to: 10259 105 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 1E3 Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #40020055

The Power to DeliverToday, you are taking on increasingproject responsibilities and risk.You face expanding safety andenvironmental issues, a workforceshortage, increases in challengingprojects, and the constant battle toreduce costs.Count on Finning for solutions.Contact us today, to learn more onhow you can Count on Finning.Get Your Hands ON!Demothe NewC-SeriesSkid Steer& Receive1 FREE Pairof FinningGel WorkGloves1-888-finning | finning.ca

3830 24Departments4 The Finning FocusGreat expectations in Surrey6 GroundbreakerA cure for mud, The 33rd CatRental Store, Chinese Cat: NoOccident, Kicking Horse Opening,Pink is Pinched, Cat-bot, FlawlessIron, Safe Site12 Yesterday/TodayAn early crawler/loader givesthe Cat makers ideas13 Yellow IronNew products and servicesfrom Finning29 Safety FirstYou don’t need to slip, fallor crash to get hurt at work.Sometimes just repeating tasks,or even sitting too much, getsyour bod in a knot33 Bill’s BusinessBill’s 330 is down at a remotesite. Will the Finning doctor makea house call?38 Meeting the ChallengeAt Palin Farms, broad andmighty swathes of canola needharvesting. Cat’s on the job40 Field TestBigstone tests out the new KTItechnologies processor in thefield, er, bush42 Count On UsCONTENTS WintER 2007Features14 The Hole StoryProfessional Excavators of Calgaryis digging itself in – and deep.Finning’s in the pit beside ’em20 Kon is ProKon Construction has been king ofsite prep ever since Alberta’s firstboom started28 Strong Like CedarA North Thompson logging familyhas followed the scent of cedar forgenerationsOn the CoverVisit the excavation siteat the heart of CalgaryPhotograph by Ewan Nicholson30 Legends of RockA Victoria-based aggregatecompany is keeping the Island’sconstruction outfits in rock34 Group DynamicsMeet a group of companies thatsaves whales, heavy equipmentoperators and historic Vancouverfaçades29www.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads

The Finning FocusGreat Expectationsby Garry Frelick As told to Melody HebertGarry Frelick,Regional Products andServices Sales Manager,Surrey, B.C., Finning (Canada)While many West Coast residents haveput away their golf clubs for the year, thesun continues to shine on those of us fortunateenough to be in the heavy equipmentindustry in the Lower Mainland. Thanks toa strong economy, skylines in the GreaterVancouver area are decorated with cranesas crews raise the roof on residential andcommercial projects. Throw in low interestrates, a strong loonie, some frenetic spendingfor the 2010 Winter Olympic Gamesand it becomes clear why the market continuesto be robust.Another key component has been thefederal and provincial governments’ willingnessto allocate resources for infrastructure.Initiatives such as the Asia-Pacific GatewayStrategy offer a welcome link in the supplychain, through our ports to Asian markets.Spin-offs from this provincial strategy includeupgrades to border crossings and theVancouver International Airport, road andrail corridor improvements, as well as extensionsto the Port of Vancouver and a majorexpansion to the Port of Prince Rupert.And more good news is on the way withinfrastructure improvement proposals forthe Lower Mainland. This includes majorhighway upgrades, such as the North andSouth Fraser Perimeter Highways and thenew Canada Line sky train between theairport and downtown. Then there’s theFraser River Bridge crossings, proposedtwinning of the Port Mann Bridge andHighway 1 improvements.For the Finning sales team, this translatesinto an opportunity to increase ourcustomer base, both first-time equipmentpurchasers and larger clients expandingfleets. Unfortunately, while reaping the financialrewards of a bullish market, ourindustry isn’t without challenges. The mostcritical is a lack of skilled workers, particularlyservice technicians and machineoperators. While exceptional customerservice remains our priority, the ability toincrease service capacity is limited whenexisting manpower, facilities and resourcesare stretched. Finning has responded withinnovative recruitment campaigns, openhouses and employee referral programs.Another challenge to that increasingglobal demand for equipment has createda shortfall in the supply of off-highwayequipment tires. Replacement tires for largeconstruction equipment are difficult to obtain,while some larger, rubber-tired equipmentis simply unavailable. The strain isn’texpected to ease until 2008.The opposite trend emerged in the areaof equipment availability, showing improvementthis year. A downturn in theU.S. economy has encouraged Americanmanufacturers to venture north when allocatingequipment, especially in Albertaand British Columbia. However, availabilitypressures continue to persist, especiallyin the large construction excavator market,our most competitive segment. If you’re notsuccessful in this market segment, you’renot a significant factor in the marketplace.Overall, the construction equipmentmarket continues to grow, albeit not at thepace of previous years. But thanks to steadynew residential housing development anda growing commercial building market,we see continued growth, especially for thecompact construction equipment market.Over the past year, demand has multipliedfor zero tail swing machines designed tooperate in tight conditions. It’s a trend weexpect to continue.So here we are, with a short term industryoutlook that remains optimistic. tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

Letters & FeedbackWinter 2007 Volume 47, No. 4PublisherRuth Kellyrkelly@venturepublishing.caassociate PublisherDaska Davisddavis@venturepublishing.caExecutive EditorJeff Howardjhoward@finning.caEditorMifi Purvismpurvis@venturepublishing.caart directorCharles Burkecburke@venturepublishing.caAssistant art directorCatherine LizottePRODUCTION MANAGERVanlee Robbleevrobblee@venturepublishing.caProductionGunnar Blodgettcirculation coordinatorKathy Drouincirculation@venturepublishing.caAdvertising representativeAnita McGillisamcgillis@venturepublishing.caContributing WritersTricia Radison, Jim Veenbaas, Robin Brunet,Katherine Fawcett, Jim Stirling, Melody Hebert, David DiCenzo,Keith Haddock, Rick Overwater, Tony KryzanowskiContributing PHOTOGRAPHERSand illustratorsKelly Funk, Charles Hope, Adrian Lam, Stuart McCall,Ewan Nicholson, Chris Pyle, Rob Swystun, Chip ZdarskyTracks & Treads is published to provide its readerswith relevant business, technology, product and serviceinformation in a lively and engaging manner.Tracks & Treads is published forFinning (Canada) byVenture Publishing Inc.10259-105 StreetEdmonton, Alberta T5J 1E3Phone: 780-990-0839Fax: 780-425-4921DOTS ON MAPS: Just read the summer 2007, Volume 47,No 2 issue of Tracks &Treads and, wow, there’s a story aboutmy old home town Vauxhall, Alberta under “Miller’s Field”.As I continued to read the story I thought they must be talkingabout another town because the population was only about700 when I left in the early ’60s. It can’t be 8,500 as yourarticle indicated. Then they talked about “Jet Stadium” andnow I was sure they are talking about my old home townbecause that’s the stadium we played all our baseball.Back in the late 1950s, when I lived in Vauxhall a coupleof brothers came into town with two dump trucks...Val andFrank Miller. The Millers have certainly done well for themselvesand the community.Thanks for keeping this great publication going.– Murray RossThanks, Murray. The Town of Vauxhall advises the populationof its “trading area” is 8,500. In 2000, the town itself had apopulation of 1,011. Thanks also to Finning retiree Peter Clarke,who notes that Houston is west of Prince George, not east.SOUTHERN READER: Having been a Cat operator in a Coloradoski resort (excavators, loaders, and dozers in the summer,Cat-powered grooming equipment in the winter) and now ageotechnical engineering graduate student at the Universityof Massachusetts Amherst, I’ve enjoyed reading your magazineonline for a few years now. I’m especially interested in the largerprojects that are being done such as the “Worth the Wait” articlein fall 2007 current issue.– Jeff Lloyd, Amherst, MarylandRED COLLAR WORKER: I have to tell you I’m a new Finningemployee and I find Bill’s Business, the cartoon on page 37 ofthe fall 2007 issue, inappropriate for this day and age. He callshis wife “Sweetcheeks.” I look forward to getting Tracks & Treadsbut I was a little red under the collar when I read this.– Kathleen Carnelley, Finning employeeIndeed! What a misstep! We have recommended Bill forsensitivity training. Hope you enjoy this issue more.Contents © 2007 by Finning (Canada)No part of this publication should bereproduced without written permission.Tell us what you thinkTracks & Treads would love to hear from you. Tell us what you thinkof the magazine’s stories, columns and look, so that we can improveit and make it a more interesting read.Send your comments to executive editor Jeff Howard by e-mail atjhoward@finning.ca or the old-fashioned way to: Jeff Howard, Tracks & Treads,Finning (Canada), 16830 – 107 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5P 4C3www.finning.cawww.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads

News & Reviewsby david dicenzoA Little TLCAugust 2007 marked the 10-year anniversaryfor Highway 52 Feed Producers, a feed operationfor 15,000 head of cattle in Raymond,Alberta, about 30 kilometres southeast ofLethbridge. For each of those 10 years, thecompany has leaned on its Cat 928G loaderto get work done.According to Highway 52’s general managerDwight Morehart, the sturdy Cat, originallypurchased just as the business got off theground in 1997, has an astounding 25,000hours logged. That particular piece of ironwas obviously a good choice but proactivemaintenance has helped the loader performperfectly despite age and massive workload.“We’re pretty impressed with the performance,”says Morehart. “The first three years weowned it, it worked pretty hard.”The feedlot is generally tough on machines.Dry summers produce plenty of dust,which mixes with cattle hair to make for afairly dirty work environment.“It does take work to get things cleaned offand make sure air filters are cleaned,” Morehartsays, adding that other than changing awater pump and doing a valve set last year,there’s been no significant servicing.“They maintain it well,” says Finning fieldmechanic Lyle Fedorowich. “They service itwhen it needs to be serviced and do full oilsampling. Without having an engine overhaul,25,000 hours is definitely pretty good.”Given the way the first loader worked out,Morehart says the company – which also hasa Cat engine in one of the feed trucks – investedin another 928G back in 2000.“The newer one has also worked out greatfor us,” he says.As for the original Cat, it now does mostof its work in the feedlot’s silage pit, loadingtrucks with silage and hay. After so much use,you might think it’s time for it to slow down.“Not really,” Morehart says. “It’s done thejob and still seems to be working well.”Lots of FeedlotsIn Alberta, there are about 32,000 cattle producers.All told, they raise more than five million head of livestock.This represents about 40 per cent of the Canadian total.Cattle production earns nearly $4 billion in farm cashreceipts each year. That’s slightly more than half offarm production income.Terrace CatRental StoreCaterpillar’s 33rdRental Store openedin Western Canadain Terrace, B.C.on August 1, 2007.Customers includemajor contractorson a deadline andeager homeowners working ondo-it-yourself projects. The newstore, located alongside the existingFinning (Canada) branchat 4621 Keith Road, offersboth kinds of renters aroundthe-clockaccess to the newest,most modern Caterpillar equipmentfor customers throughoutthe Prince Rupert, Kitimat andTerrace regions.“The future looks bright fornorthwest British Columbia,”Finning (Canada) president IanReid said when the store opened.“Through The Cat Rental Store,we hope to fully participate inthe economic renewal that’sgoing on in the region.By offering industrial, commercialand residential constructioncontractors and homeownersthe Caterpillar brand – along withother light equipment and handtools – we have created a rentalequipment offering secondto none.”Terrace is in good company.The Cat Rental Store now hasmore than 1,300 outlets worldwide.British Columbia is hometo 15 of the 33 rental outlets inFinning’s dealership territory. tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

groundbreakerphotograph courtesty of BC Ministry of TransportationKicking Horse Canyon BridgeGolden, B.C. is a stunning place. Once, theonly problem was getting there in one piece,nerves unfrazzled. But the recent completionof the Kicking Horse Canyon Bridgealong this important stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway means safer travelling forthousands of drivers.“In the winter, you get a lot of wet snowin there and a lot of ice, with steep grades,”says Finning rep Todd Johnson. “It was avery dangerous stretch of highway.”Not anymore. The high-priority bridgeproject is part of the second of three phasesfor the Trans-Park Highway Group, whichpartnered with the governments of CanadaThe Pilfered PinkA charitable organization in Belfast, Irelandgot some terrible news late in thesummer when a custom Caterpillar miniexcavator used for fundraising purposeswas stolen.The Cat, painted pink to showcase afundraising campaign for The Laura LynnFoundation, was donated by Mac Rental,and British Columbia to fund the design,construction and maintenance of the corridorfor the next 25 years.For Finning’s Johnson, it was easily thebiggest equipment deal he had ever been apart of. “When they got this job, they didn’thave any of the equipment for it,” he says.“We had a couple of meetings with themand were able to get half a dozen used 35-and 40-tonne trucks up there right away,along with a 365 to get them started.“Basically, we did a one-stop shopfor them. We supplied all of the fuel, settingthem up with Shell. We set up a partstrailer on the jobsite and had parts inventorywith all rental money collected goingtowards the construction of Ireland’sfirst ever children’s hospice in Dublin.Thieves used a fake name to obtain themachine and were nowhere to be foundwhen it came time to invoice. Rentalsaccounted for approximately $500 perweek for the charity.Kicking Horse Pass Facts• Elevation: 1,627 metres,nearly 5,340 feet• Historical significance:The Canadian PacificRailway was constructedthrough here in the 1880s• The Name: It’s said that amember of the expedition,which first explored thepass in the 1850s,was kicked by his horse• The Kicking Horse Canyon:This section of the roadwas built in the mid-1950s• The Pass connects Golden,B.C. and Lake Louise,Alberta, 80 kilometres awaythere,” Johnson says, cataloguing the job.“We had contract mechanics. And then wesupplied the complete fleet of equipment,which amounted to about 32 or 33 pieces.”There was no shortage of yellow on theworksite, which featured 18, 40-tonnetrucks, a 385 excavator, a 365, a couple345s, a 330, a used D-10, a couple of D8sand a D6.In the end, Kicking Horse Canyon hada new 405-metre bridge, with a minimalgrade approaching it and more lanes forsafer passage.Johnson says that being involved insuch an important, large-scale project wasrewarding work. The opening ceremonyback in August included a number of distinguishedparticipants, including British Columbia’sPremier Gordon Campbell. Thosein attendance got to walk out onto the newbridge and take it all in, an experience Johnsonwon’t soon forget.“Twenty years down the road when Idrive through there, I’ll probably stop andtake a look and realize we were part of thatpiece of highway going in there,” says Johnson.“It’s significant, for sure.”www.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads

China CallingThe summer of 2007 proved to be a busyone for Caterpillar’s newest dealership, Pipe­Line Machinery International. Established in2005 for the purpose of providing purposebuiltand traditional construction equipmentfor mainline pipeline construction to globalcustomers, PLM recently made a big splashin the country that these days epitomizesgrowth and development – China.PLM delivered 20 Cat 320D excavatorsand four D7G tractors to Lanfang, China thispast summer, all of which were deployed onChina Petroleum Pipeline Bureau (CPPB)projects. The order required a huge collectiveeffort from PLM, Caterpillar Asia-PacificDistrict and WesTrac China, Cat’s local dealershipin the north and northeastern part ofthe country.“This is a great accomplishment for Caterpillarand PLM,” said PLM president MelTernan. “Many people worked behind thescenes to provide a fully team-supportedsolution for CPPB.”CPPB is the major player in the industry,having accounted for more than 30,000kilometres of heavy-calibre, long-distancepipelines and 85 per cent of the total volumeof domestic pipeline construction sinceits inception in 1973.The relationship with CPPB will certainlytranslate to more opportunities for PLM. Inaddition to the big order of excavators andtractors, PLM recently committed a numberof pipelayers to CPPB, including 10 572Rs,five 583Ts and six 587Ts, bringing thetotal number of pipelayer sales in the pastyear to 35.And that’s just the tip of the Great Wall.“CPPB has extensive projects planned inChina and abroad. We look forward to a longrelationship as we provide CPPB’s equipmentsolutions,” Ternan said.Robotics MTLMulti-terrain loader operators beware.There might be some competition foryou – robotic, at that. InRob Ltd., anIsrael-based high-tech company specializingin the planning, manufacturingand service support of advanced wirelessand remote control systems, announcedin August that it had completed a productionmodel of the Robotic CaterpillarMTL 257B.InRob’s team developed a roboticcontrol system, which converts the Catinto an unmanned platform. Accordingto a recent release, “This robotic versionis ideally suited for a wide range of military,para-military, law enforcement andcivilian operations.”Field tests are underway for the rubber-trackedloader, used for work in anumber of different applications withvarying terrain conditions.China is famous for one of the world’s greatest constructionprojects: The Great Wall. It’s actually a series ofwalls constructed between the 5th and 16th centuries.Han Emperors spent great resources fortifying wallsalong the northern border to keep nomads out. tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

groundbreakerJust Like Shop ClassTrash or treasure? For B.C.-based Malaspina University College,treasure has come in the form of a big, yellow heap – a 330G Cat excavator.A year and a half ago, Finning gave students of Malaspina’sHeavy Duty/ Commercial Transport mechanics program the opportunityto work on the excavator, badly damaged by fire and strandedin the B.C. bush.It took some creativity just to get the iron out. But it now sits ina shop at Malaspina where a variety of students are trying to breathenew life into the machine.“Last year’s crew started disassembly on it,” says instructor Jack VanDoorn. “Entry-level students started dismantling it and the apprentices,at different levels, were involved in tearing the components downto determine if anything was salvageable. Hopefully, this year we’ll geta good grasp on getting it all together.”Van Doorn says they’re nearly ready to see if the engine will runagain. “It didn’t suffer as much damage as the rest of the hydraulicsystem. We managed to acquire a pump, thanks to Finning, and acontrol valve.”Van Doorn says they’re still on the hunt for a hydraulic system andother parts. When it’s operational, students will be able to completemany different tasks, such as removing and reinstalling the engine,servicing the undercarriage and removing the tracks.The instructor points out that using the burnt-out machine hasbeen beneficial to students. They are familiarizing themselves with abig piece of machinery but also gaining important information theycan apply elsewhere in their work.“For one, it really gives them a sense of accomplishment,” says VanDoorn. “It gives them the enthusiasm to work on a machine of thatsize. And it creates teamwork within the students as they push toward acommon goal. It excites them.”A Safe Inspection SiteYou can have the best equipment in theworld but, if you don’t use it properly,what good is it? One answer comes fromCaterpillar with the creation of http://safety.cat.com, a new website dedicated topromoting the safety of anyone involvedwith the use of Cat equipment.The comprehensive site features loadsof information, including detailed safe-ty checklists, in printable PDF format,for various machine models. It also hasjobsite safety videos that delve into topicssuch as proper tire maintenance andpotential accident scenarios, the latter ofwhich features the famous victim “ThreefingeredJoe.”And check out the virtual walk-aroundfeature. For example, the Off HighwayTruck walk-around highlights the areasof the machine that the operator shouldcheck when he or she conducts a walkaroundinspection. It helps operators visualizethe locations on the machine thatrequire attention.Links to media and literature and safetynews helps keep Cat users, and otherson the jobsite, as safe as possible.The First 5These items appear on thewheel loader start-up checklist:1. Turn the battery disconnectswitch to ON (if equipped)2. Engage the parking brake3. Adjust seat, adjust mirrors,fasten seat belt4. Move direction controllever into neutral5. Ensure all implementsare groundedwww.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads

Little Guy Oilfield RentalsDarrell Bohlender spent more than a quarterof a century working in the drill bit business.By 2004, he needed a change. WhenBohlender began tossing around possibilitieswith his friend Jack Fraser, the pair came upwith a great idea.“I wanted to get into the rental business,”says Bohlender. “Then we got researching thisinterlocking matting and saw a little bit of aniche for us. We followed through, did ourhomework on it and talked to customers.”That was the beginning of Little GuyOilfield Rentals, a Leduc-based operationproviding interlocking matting that allowsheavy equipment to pass over unstableground. This certainly isn’t a new concept,but Bohlender and Fraser have done wellto meet the needs of customers from B.C.through Saskatchewan by offering heavyduty,six-inch thick mats that are a godsendto workers in the field.The problem with most matting, he says,is that it’s made with nails and wood, orscrewed or bolted together.“At the end of the rental, there’s virtuallyno repair on these mats,” he says of LittleGuys’ products. “Whereas the other ones, theywere just beating them up. Next thing youknow, you have flat tires because the boardsand nails were popping off.” The Little Guyssolved that problem. “With our mats, in 90per cent of cases, you only have to put themone deep.”Bohlender could hardly believe the response,noting that there was a huge spike inbusiness in 2006. While it has slowed somewhatthis year, an industry-wide trend, customersrave about the product. He and FraserTheir trusty 930Gwheel loader, completewith a mat grapple,enables them to loadand unload two of thehuge 2,800-poundmats at a time.have noticed that not only do the mats leavelittle in the way of an environmental footprint,but they also help with morale on sitesbecause the workers find traversing muddy,impassable terrain so much easier.“Over and over again, the work crews say,‘It’s about time. We’re beating the crap out ofeverything, out of our vehicles and out of ourbodies.’” Bohlender says. “It just makes it somuch easier when you’re high and dry – I geta kick out of it.”Little Guys actually use two of their ownCats when transporting the mats, which aremade at Anchor Manufacturing in Nisku.Their trusty Cat 930G wheel loader, completewith a mat grapple, enables them to load andunload two of the huge 2,800-pound mats ata time. They also have a Cat 318C excavator,with rubber tires, to move the matting.“The reason that we chose the 318 is becausewhen you’re on a narrow road, younever have to turn around,” Bohlendersays. “You simply take your machine, spin itaround and pick up what’s behind you, thenspin it around again and place it in front ofyou. You just keep leapfrogging ahead to laythese mats. Heck, you can roar up and downthe road with them.”As for the company name, Bohlender saysit was well thought out. He worked for a companythat employed about 40,000 peopleworldwide and realized customers can growtired of the big guy. ‘Little Guy’ just stayed inthe back of his head.“To me, it’s a fitting name,” he says. “We’rejust a little guy, trying to make an honest livingand trying to service our customers, buildclientele and build our business.”But with such a popular product, the partnersmight eventually be in need of a namechange. “Someone told me, ‘We’re gonnahave to start calling you Medium Guys,’” Bohlendersays with a laugh.10 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

groundbreakerBy the NumbersNumber of pages in B.C.’s officialreport on the $1.5 billion projectto twin the Port Mann Bridge andwiden the Trans-Canada Highway:2,334Attendance at a recentopen house to discussthe report with the public:50Rank of Facebook, in terms ofwebsite popularity in Canada: 1stEstimated number ofcompanies in Canadathat have a presenceon Facebook:1,000 Yearly cost for companies,in terms of lost productivity,of one employee spendingone hour a day on Facebook:Percentage an organization’s profitabilityincreases if it has a highly engagedworkforce: 40Percentage of employeesworking on the Pitt River Bridgeconstruction project in PittMeadows, B.C. who are women:15$6,200Per cent of thetotal corporatebudget an averageCanadian companydevotes to training:2.7Number of weeks ittakes to complete a“roadbuilding andheavy constructionfoundation course” designed by theB.C. Road Builders and HeavyConstruction Association:4Percentageemploymentrate, one monthlater, for coursegraduates: 90www.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 11

Yesterday/TodayStory by keith haddockThe Trackson Company pioneered a new type of earth movingmachine that Caterpillar developed into its first line ofcrawler loadersThe Birth ofthe CrawlerLoaderIn the 1930s, the Trackson Company ofMilwaukee, Wisconsin developed a loaderattachment that mounted on a standard Caterpillarcrawler tractor. By combining the tractiveeffort of the crawler tractor with a reliable andproven cable hoist for the loader, Tracksontransformed what was originally intended asa hauling unit into a machine that could notonly excavate, but load trucks as well. A newtype of earthmoving machine was born.In 1937, Trackson began supplying Caterpillarwith vertical-lift cable-operated loaderattachments for mounting on its tractors,and eventually offered a full line of loadersspecifically matched to the Caterpillar D2,D4, D6 and D7 crawler tractors, calling them“Traxcavators.” The Trackson attachmentconsisted of a heavy frame, mounted overand above the tractor hood. The frame supportedthe hoisting sheaves and bucketarms as well as a cable winch driven fromthe tractor front power take-off. Traxcavatormodels were the T2, T4, T6 and T7 andmatched their respective tractor models withbucket capacities ranging from ½ a cubicyard for the T2, to 2 cubic yards for the T7.By 1950, hydraulics were incorporatedinto the Trackson loaders, the first beingmounted on a modified D4, and knownas the model HT4. This hydraulic loaderdesign was a real breakthrough. Gone werethe complicated cables, winches and mechanicallinkages. In their place was a neattwo-motion hydraulically-powered linkagewith two levers controlling hoist andbucket crowd. Most importantly, the heavyframe and top-heavy draw works, previouslyFIRST OF A KIND: The Cat D2 crawler tractor fitted with aTrackson model T2 cable-operated loading shovel was oneof the first track-type loadersMERGERS AND EXCAVATIONS: After acquiring the TracksonCompany, Caterpillar launched its first integrated crawler loader,the No.6 Traxcavator in 1953mounted high above theengine hood, were eliminated.The result was animble, lighter and moreproductivemachine withvastly enhanced stability.Caterpillar favoured thisnew design so much thatit purchased the TracksonCompany outright in December1951 and adoptedthe Traxcavator namefor its crawler loaders.Initially, Trackson’sformer loader modelswere incorporated intoCaterpillar’s product line.With the exception of thepopular 1 ¼-yard HT4,which continued in Caterpillar’sproduct lineuntil 1955, these modelswere short-lived. Caterpillarengineers soon realizedthat crawler loadersshould be designed assuch, from the groundup. It’s not sufficient tosimply mount loaderarms and a bucket on astandard crawler tractor.The entire machine mustbe designed with correct balance and a strongframe to withstand the rigours of excavating.And there’s more steering involved with theoperation of a crawler loader compared witha crawler bulldozer, putting extra strain onthe steering system.Just over a year after purchasing Trackson,Caterpillar launched its first integrated hydrauliccrawler loader, the No.6 Traxcavator,in 1953. Based on the D6 9U tractor, but witha modified frame and longer seven-roller undercarriage,the No.6 carried a 2-yard bucket.The No. 6 was the forerunner of all Caterpillar’ssubsequent crawler loader models. Twoyears later, the No.6 was phased out to makeway for Caterpillar’s redesigned 900-seriesline of Traxcavators, the first of which werethe 933C (1-yard), 955C (1 ½-yards), and977D (2 ¼-yards).Caterpillar updated and broadenedits range of crawler loaders and in 1980,it introduced its first hydrostatically-drivenmodel, the 943. This 1 ½-yard machine withfront-mounted operator’s seat and rear engineset the standard for subsequent Cat crawlerloaders.12 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

yellowironNew Products and Ser vices from FinningFor all your insurance needsFor contractors and equipment operators, Finning offersa multiple-line insurance program for fleet auto liability;commercial general liability; equipment, buildings andcontents; bonding and many other miscellaneous formsof insurance. Flexibility, insurance expertise and an understandingof the heavy equipment industry enables us tocustomize insurance packages for any size of business.Call Finning Insurance Services today at 1-888-FINNING.Caterpillar machines are built to be rebuiltThe extensive Caterpillar Certified Rebuild programincorporates the very latest Cat technology and criticalengineering updates into your machine at a fraction of thecost of buying new. After a thorough evaluation, includingmore than 350 tests and inspections and the automaticreplacement of approximately 7,000 parts, you get alike-new machine and warranty.The WAVS of the futureThe new, versatile Caterpillar Work Area Vision System(WAVS) provides machine operators with views from asmany as three cameras. While not intended to be used inplace of direct views or installed mirrors, WAVS is a greatasset for operators at any level. Developed specifically forrugged applications and environments, WAVS is simple toinstall on any machine and is easy to use, offering powerfulcapabilities and features to improve productivity.Grading made easyThe AccuGrade Laser Grade Control System, a newtechnology tool from Caterpillar, allows dozer operatorsto grade and fill with increased accuracy without theuse of traditional stakes or grade checkers. Ask yourFinning representative about the AccuGrade Systemthat can significantly improve the productivity andaccuracy of grading equipment by as much as 50%over conventional methods.www.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 13

COMPANY PROFILE: Professional ExcavatorsTheHOLE StoryProfessional Excavators isbusy helping to build Calgary –and they’re digging itstory By Tricia Radisonphotography by Ewan Nicholson14 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

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COMPANY PROFILE: Professional ExcavatorsAs Jan Gryckiewicz gazes intothe growing hole in the heart ofCalgary, Alberta, he can’t conceala look of pride. The owner andpresident of Professional Excavators Ltd., afull-service earth-moving company with anoffice in the south end of the city, watches asone of his new Peterbilt gravel trucks rolls upto a Cat 345C L.The bucket of the giant Cat plunges intothe earth twice, each time dumping its loadof rock, gravel and soil into the truck’s box.In less than two minutes, the truck is full.An electronic tarp slides over the load. Thetruck glides away and another one slips intoits place.“It’s just like a symphony,” Gryckiewiczsays with a grin. “If you put music to it, itwould be beautiful.”Orchestrating such a symphony doesn’thappen overnight. Over the past 33 years, thecompany has diligently worked to developthe skills, knowledge and fleet required forsuch a fine-tuned operation.Founded in 1975 by Gryckiewicz’s father,Jan Gryckiewicz Sr., Professional Excavators isresponsible for a lot of big holes in Calgary.The company has laid the groundwork, literally,for innumerable projects, preparing sitesfor roads, bridges, hospitals, shopping centres,industrial facilities, golf courses, officetowers and multi-family high-rises.The hard work is paying off. In April, ProfessionalExcavators was awarded its biggestproject to date – the excavation of an undergroundparkade for a massive downtown officeand retail complex, The Bow. Stretchingacross two full city blocks, the project is arguablythe largest downhole excavation in thecity’s history. When Gryckiewicz’s team pullsout in the spring of 2008, the hole will measure440,000 cubic metres, about double thevolume and area of anything dug by ProfessionalExcavators in the past.It’s a marquis project for the company, andnot just because of the amount of earth it’smoving. The Bow is literally the biggest thingto hit Calgary in a long time and is attracting alot of attention.Designed by London, England firmFoster + Partners, The Bow consists of twobuildings, a high-rise tower and a smaller,seven-story building, as well as an outdoorplaza. At 58 stories, the tower will be WesternCanada’s tallest building, scraping the sunnyAlberta sky at 774 feet (236 metres).Encana Corporation will use the tower asits corporate headquarters. The company’s3,200 employees currently occupy space infive separate locations in the city.But The Bow will meet more than just Encana’sneeds.“When The Bow is complete in 2011, webelieve our city will have a new architectural,business and cultural landmark at its heartand on its horizon,” said Encana’s presidentand CEO, Randy Eresman, in a press release.Envisioned as an urban village offering a bitof everything, the approximately 1.9 millionsquare-foot complex contains 200,000square feet of space allocated for retail andcultural use.In a city that’s fast outgrowing its cowtownimage, The Bow represents a leap intoa more cosmopolitan, sophisticated culture.Mayor Dave Bronconnier has certainlythrown his support behind the project. At theYour Tower Here: The Bow, to houseEncana Corporation, may be the point at whichCalgary trades “cowboy” for “cosmopolitan”16 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

groundbreaking in June, the mayor said, “It isa world-class building, for a world-class company,in a world-class city.”But it all begins with a hole. ProfessionalExcavators began work at the site in June. Asone of the first on site, the company is underwhat Gryckiewicz describes as “horrendouspressure” to not only meet but exceed deadlines.Delays at the permit stage have set theproject back and, while staying on schedule isalways important, it’s crucial on this project.Two years from now, Calgarians drivingon 6th Avenue SW, one of downtown’s majorarteries, will be driving over The Bow’s undergroundparkade. Building the parkade meansdismantling a one-block section of the street,which has been closed to traffic. Calgary commutersaren’t impressed; congestion in thecore is already a problem in the rapidly growingcity. The closure makes the drive to andfrom work that much more frustrating.But more importantly, there’s a parade toconsider. Calgary may be entering a new eraof sophistication and style but its wranglingroots are far from forgotten. And 6th Avenuemust re-open in time for the click of hoofsand the rumble of wagon wheels to resoundon the brand new pavement during the July2008 Stampede Parade.Gryckiewicz is already hearing a questionhe’s used to in his line of work: How can youhelp us stay on schedule? He’s doing his bestto get the project back on track. ProfessionalExcavators’ productivity is at an all-time highon this site, partly due to the leap of faithGryckiewicz took in purchasing the 345C L.It wasn’t unfamiliarity with Caterpillarthat had Gryckiewicz and vice president andoperations manager, Ron Claxton, leery ofthe big equipment. Cat iron is the mainstayof Professional Excavators’ fleet. The companyowns 17 pieces of Caterpillar equipment,including six smaller excavators, 928 and 930wheel loaders, a 433 smooth drum roller andthree 246 skid steers.But when Finning (Canada) equipmentsales representative Kelly Warner first suggestedthe 345, the men balked. Their firstconcern was access. Although the companyworks in all areas of Calgary, its experiencein downtown excavations means a lot of itswork takes place in the core.www.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 17

COMPANY PROFILE: Professional ExcavatorsBig machines aren’t practical for downtownexcavations; there are height and weightrestrictions for machinery on downtownstreets and space is tight. The only way to uselarge equipment is to transport it into the corein pieces and assemble it on site.Assembling on site isn’t an option for thebusy company; there are days when ProfessionalExcavators’ equipment is sent to two orthree different jobs.With the help of Warner, the mendetermined that the 345C L was smallenough for downtown work. “That 345is probably the largest machine you canget down there without ripping the machineapart,” Claxton says.But another problem was unearthed. Thestandard 3.5 cubic yard bucket on the 345wasn’t big enough to make the extra expenseof the larger machine worthwhile. The company’s330s, equipped with three cubic yardbuckets, fill a truck in three passes. The sameamount of earth can be transferred in slightlymore than two buckets with the standard 3.5cubic yard bucket of the 345, but, as Claxtonpoints out, that’s still three passes.Warner knew that increasing productivityis a major goal for the excavation company.Professional Excavators has had a close workingrelationship with Finning for 15 years.Through Gryckiewicz, Warner became awareof the extra time-burdens that working inthe downtown core places on the company.As Claxton explains, traffic congestion in thecore adds to trucking costs, which can quicklyeat through budgets. It can take twice as longas expected for a truck to navigate its wayThe 345C L fills each truck intwo passes, shaving about oneminute off the loading time.LIKE A SYMPHONY: The routine and seamlessmarch of equipment at the Bow is nearlymusical, time saved now pays off laterthrough central city streets in order to dumpits load and return to the site.The ability to fill trucks faster creates ashorter cycle time. The trucks are on theirway more quickly, allowing Professional Excavatorsto not only meet the strict time-constraintsof The Bow project, but also improveproductivity on all downtown jobs.Warner realized he knew somethingGryckiewicz and Claxton did not: the 345can be outfitted with a 4.5 cubic yard bucket.With the addition of a heavier counterweight,the larger bucket improves the production capabilitiesof the machine, saving users such asProfessional Excavators time and money.Gryckiewicz and Claxton gave the big diggera whirl and the results surpassed expectations.The 345C L fills each truck in twopasses, shaving about one minute offthe loading time. With 40 trucks runningthrough the site in the course of aday, that’s a significant saving. The improvedcycle times amaze Gryckiewicz.“This job’s double the size of whatwe’ve done in overall volume, but on a dailybasis, we’re probably hauling three times asmuch as we normally have on these types ofjobs,” he explains.Professional Excavators is removing about4,000 cubic metres of dirt from the site eachday. Due to the strata of materials characteristicof downtown, which includes a relativelyhigh percentage of rock and gravel,Gryckiewicz expects productivity levels to fallsomewhat as the hole gets deeper. “But we’llprobably still exceed record volumes on adaily basis,” he says.18 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

The heavier bucket has been challengingfor site foreman Will Fraser. The companybegan operating the Cat with the standardcounterweight while waiting for the heavydutycounterweight to arrive.An experienced operator, Fraser is able tohandle the unbalanced machine. “You justhave to be conscious of the weight of the machine,the balance. You have to operate a littlecloser to the centre of gravity than what themachine is designed for,” he explains.The machine is equipped with a 12-foot,10-inch stick and a reach boom, as well as astandard 2.5 cubic yard digging bucket.It’s too early for Fraser, who’s put about200 hours on the Cat, to judge the 345. Hesays that each machine develops its ownpersonality and requires breaking-in beforethat personality becomes evident. For now,he’s pleased with the comfort of the roomycab and the power of the C13 engine withACERT Technology.Professional Excavators has several otherpieces of yellow iron on the site: a 953 trackloader, 430 backhoe loader and two 330s.They assist with loading and also break therock chopped by the powerful 345 intosmaller chunks.Gryckiewicz is grateful to a lot of peoplefor helping the company reach its currentpeak, and the folks at Finning are high on hislist. He cites service as the most important aspectof the relationship. In Gryckiewicz’s experience,salespeople often disappear afterthe sale is made. In contrast, Warner remainsa phone call away, available to assist with everythingfrom parts that don’t fit correctly toequipment failures.In one memorable situation, Warnerspent an entire day in hard hat and safety vestworking alongside a mechanic to determinewhy a newly purchased concrete breakerwasn’t doing its job. It’s the kind of service thecompany requires, especially on high-profile,deadline-driven projects, like The Bow.Professional Excavators’ fleet manager,Troy Bell, agrees that service is the reason thecompany digs Cats. Tight schedules are easilycompromised in Calgary’s unpredictable climate.There’s little tolerance for equipmentfailures. For Bell, the attention Finning partsand sales support representative Garett Dickgives Professional Excavators is priceless.“When a machine goes down,” Dick says,“my phone starts ringing. Guys don’t carehow or why it’s down. They just want it upand going again. Having a guy like Garett justmakes my job a whole lot easier.”All doubts about the 345C L have vanished.In fact, Gryckiewicz and Warner arealready discussing adding another of the bigexcavators to the fleet before the year is out.rendering courtesy foster + partnersTied up with the BowThe Bow’s 58-storey tower will make anoticeable difference to Calgary’s skyline.Constructed of steel and glass, it’sshaped like a bow or crescent.The design maximizes views of theRockies and the city’s two rivers. Moreimportantly, it’s also environmentallyfriendly. The building requires less materialdue to its innovative shape, whichreduces wind load.Windows provide natural light, andan atrium running up the tower pulls inthe sun’s heat. Project owner H&R RealEstate Investment Trust reports thatthe tower’s design, materials and technologiesshould cut energy use by 30 percent.Each office floor will be approximately32,000 square feet. The firsttwo floors are dedicated to retail space.Builders will create indoor gardens onthree separate floors higher up, to serveas meeting areas.The façade of the 77-year-old YorkHotel will enliven the south block of theproject and the 94-year-old St. Regishotel is being renovated to become partof The Bow.The Bow will be connected toCalgary’s Plus 15, a series of enclosedwalkways connecting most downtownbuildings.www.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 19

EQUIPMENT PROFILEFAMILY VALUES: From front to back are Andrew Surkon(president),Denise Surkon (Secretary Treasurer), Carrie Cline (Accounts Manager),Craig Surkon ( Equipment Manager), Kelly Surkon (General Manager),Ken Surkon ( Manager)20 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

Sticking to its niche, site prep, KonConstruction has been thrivingever since Alberta’s boom started –the first one, that isStory by Jim Veenbaasphotography by charles hopeKon is Prorciduisit doloreet, sustrud min hent prat.Iduissequat nulla feuisit lum aut aliquat autveliquatet, velis nulluptat, quiscil laorerciduissim hen eugueril he started iriure out, ming Andy exerat Surkon etuerilla had grew along with his reputation and the companystarted adding staff and taking on big-Wfeuismodthree magna pieces commodi of equipment gniatuer and a amcorti visionfor ncidunt the future. wisim The qui Calgary tet accummy businessman nostie ting ger projects. Even during the lean years of thepushed ex elenim dirt zzriusto and cleared dipisi. sites Metuer for aut constructioning exero projects eu facilit throughout illam nostrud the city. te He dolore did bust, Kon Construction managed to surviveipsum 1980s, when businesses fell victim to the oilmost verostrud of the magnit, work himself vel iure during veliqui those ssecte early feugaitaugue in the facip late 1960s. eugue eratue min ut ex essit “We’ve weathered everything and we haveand thrive.daysutpatum Fast forward aut autpat 40 years lor and seniscipsum Surkon has ex built et always had work. For 40 years our equipmentKon wisim Construction in ullaorperci into tionsequatue one of the largest con excavationacing ex outfits el do eugait in Alberta. acipit The dolor company inim eu now facil times, if you went into the shops at Finninghent has been running steady. During the badhas dolumsandre more than dolore 150 employees molor sequi and those te molorer three and other service companies, some of the onlymachines ilisi. have grown into a fleet of more equipment you would see was ours. We keptthan Agna 175 pieces augiamconsed of equipment. doluptatum dolor those shops running because we were one ofauguero “We started dolorem by dolorperci doing most esenit of the vel iure landscapingfaccum ad and elisi. excavation work for the Calgary Kelly Surkon, Andy’s son and the company’ste the few companies working at the time,” saysBoard To od of Education. tinci el doloborerat. I liked what I was doing, general manager.my Ed wife ero liked del working et nulputet, in the office vel endreet so we just do Kelly inherited his dad’s gift for businesskept diam moving verat. Am ahead,” iusto says exerili Surkon. ssecte “Then dolesecte we and has been heading up Kon Constructiongot endre into vel housing estinciduis subdivisions, augiating we eliquat, did preparationconullamcore work for cortion a couple ullaoreet major dams lutpatis and alis-irri-office, the company had 25 employees andvero for the last 17 years. When he moved into thegation mod te canals magna down ad doloreetuero south and even eriurem widened nis was enjoying nice growth. The pace of growtha adit chunk delissectet, of Highway vel dolobor 2, north si. of Airdrie.” has picked up steam since then, and Kelly hasSurkon Ulla feugiam quickly conulput carved out lobore a reputation ad for te- been instrumental in the company’s expansioninto new doing Gait venim quality venis work. amconsenit The volume dolorem of business iliscidmarkets.www.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 21

EQUIPMENT PROFILETHE NICHE: Kon stayed viable in lean times by specializing“When I first became general manager, therewas me and one girl in the office and we dideverything, from the estimating and payroll,to the accounting and project management.I could deal with every issue. Now we have astaff of 10 in our two offices,” says Kelly. “Ourbiggest challenge now is finding workers. We’vegrown to 150 employees and it has becomemuch more difficult finding new people andkeeping the staff we have.”The excavation company has stayed trueto its roots and has rarely diverged from itscore business of moving dirt and clearingland. “We come in and knock the trees down,move the dirt and prepare the site, whetheryou are putting a road there, or a pipe or a pitor a house or a building. That’s our area ofexpertise and that’s what we keep our focuson. Once the dirt is all done, we take off andsomeone else comes and puts the pipe in orthe paving.”Kon’s growth wouldn’t be possible withoutits fleet of excavation equipment, whichis now one of the biggest in Alberta. The175 machines include scrapers, articulatedtrucks, graders and excavators. In fact, thecompany has purchased more than $20 millionin equipment from Finning over the lastfour years.A 50-acre developmentwas considered big10 years ago, but that’sdwarfed by today’smega-projects thatexceed 2,000 acres.“We might have 10 pieces that aren’t Cat.With the scrapers, no one really competeswith Cat on quality and our clients are usuallyimpressed when they see our equipmentlist. We have toured the factories, we haveseen how the equipment is made and you cantell they take a lot of pride in what they do,”says Kelly.“They know what equipment we have sothey tend to stock the parts fairly well. In theend though, it absolutely comes down to service.If Finning is going to carry 100 mechanics,it makes us feel a lot more comfortable thana dealership with four or five mechanics. Wecan’t afford to have our equipment down forany length of time.”The size of the equipment is growing andthe technology is changing, boasting suchitems as laser-guided control systems and GPStracking. Those advances have helped Konand other contractors become more efficientand productive, but the bottom line is havingreliable and durable equipment that runssmoothly when you need it.“The electronics make it quite a bit easier tooperate the equipment. The cabs are a lot nicer,but a scraper is a scraper,” Kelly says. “And it’sstill the best way to move dirt. We have 45 scrapersbecause that’s the equipment that earns usthe money.Graders are important because they keepthe haul roads smooth and the equipment22 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

AT THE SITE: Kon Construction and itsCat fleet are booming with the times.Its fleet of scrapers move up to 40,000cubic metres of dirt a daymetres a day. We still have 10 scrapers andeight rock trucks hauling around there. Ledcoris starting to build now, but we have anotherhalf year of work there still,” says Kelly.Like many construction companies in Alberta,Kon has experienced explosive growthin the last decade. Revenue increases are measuredin triple-digit percentages. For Kelly, thebiggest challenge is finding a healthy balancebetween taking on new projects and maintainingthe company’s commitment to quality.The company has made a conscious decisionto stay out of Fort McMurray, for fear that thatthe volume of work may stretch them beyondreasonable limits.Kon has always taken a cautious approachto expansion. It moved into the Edmontonmarket in the 1990s when only 400 houseswere being built annually. There wasn’t a lotof business to go around and the competitionwas fierce. Kon grew a loyal customer base andhalf of its equipment fleet is working in thecity at any time.“It’s a totally different market. It took a litrunning,”Kelly says. “But if we keep the scrapersmoving, we are earning revenue.”Those scrapers have been running doubletime lately. Not only has the volume ofwork exploded in recent years, but so hasthe size of the projects. A 50-acre developmentwas considered big 10 years ago, butthat’s dwarfed by today’s mega-projects thatexceed 2,000 acres. The biggest of the big isCrossIron Mills, a shopping and entertainmentcentre being built in Balzac, just northof Calgary. When it’s completed in 2008, theshopping centre will have more than one millionsquare feet of retail and entertainmentspace, a horse racetrack, a hotel and a casino,making it one of the largest shopping mallsin North America.Kon has been doing all the excavationwork at the site and has moved more than fivemillion cubic metres of dirt. That’s enough dirtto fill 2,500 Olympic-size swimming pools.“That’s an insane amount of dirt. At one point,we had over 30 pieces of equipment there. Wewere moving upwards of 35,000 to 40,000tle bit of adjustment, but we figured it out. Youcan’t operate the same way we do down herein Calgary. Now we are one of the biggest inthe city and Calgary’s building something like10,000 houses this year. We’re doing quite abit of commercial work too – the Wal-Martsand things like that.”The construction boom gripping Albertahas sparked the birth of countless new constructioncompanies, but when the dust settlesand the economy slows down, Kon Constructionwill still be moving dirt and prepping siteson some of the biggest projects in Calgary andEdmonton.“Everyone is trying to jump into it rightnow, but we have established some tremendousloyalty over the years and have a greatrelationship with our clients,” says Kelly. “It’sgoing to be really interesting down the road.Even if the economy just levels off, there’sgoing to be a lot capacity. For some people,that levelling off will seem like a disaster. Forus, we will survive the hard times. And we’llbe there during the next boom.”www.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 23

COMPANY PROFILE: Gilbert Smith Forest Products Ltd.Still Having Fun: (Left to right) Ted Smith Jr, his cousin Greg Smithand Ted Smith Sr., survey the mill’s operation from a CAT 14D grader24 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

Strong,Like CedarA family of B.C. loggers knows thatthe beauty of cedar is about morethan just the wood. It’s aboutthe history of a regionStory by Katherine Fawcettphotography by kelly funkCedar is a wood-lover’s wood.Its musky aroma whispers ofginger, red wine, earth andfresh air. Such a unique smellfrom this powerful timber is like oxygen forTed Smith senior, and for his family.President and general manager of GilbertSmith Forest Products Ltd., Ted was born 75years ago in Blue River, B.C. and has neverstrayed too far from his forest roots.His business story starts many years beforehe was born, when Western Canada was amostly untamed land of thick forests, mountains,wild animals and First Nations People.A few rugged souls were being tempted intosettling here by the beauty of the land and itspromise of prosperity. Town and communitieswere just beginning to spring forth. Workwas done with strong arms, sharp tools andreal horsepower.Hardworking men cleared trees to makeway for rail lines. Others built the new infrastructure.The air was charged with energy andoptimism, and Gilbert Smith, Ted’s father,rode that current. Gilbert was an entrepreneurand a woodsman in B.C.’s North Thompsonregion. He knew how to swing an axe and usea crosscut saw, how to scare off a black bearand sniff out opportunity. His word, alongwith a firm handshake, was a contract. Theforest and its fortunes were his passion. In1925, young Gilbert saw an opportunity asa middleman for the transfer of cedar polesfrom fellers to fellows.By the time Ted was born, his dad wasknown as an honest and hardworking buyerand seller of timber. “It was big businessback then,” says Ted, the third of Gilbert’sfour sons.Suppliers would haul the logs out of theforest using horses, bring them to the railwaysidings, where Gilbert would write themcheques. “It was pretty good money for thoseguys and they were paid per piece, dependingon the size.” Of course, Gilbert made a goodliving as well.Ted joined his brothers and father in thebusiness in 1948, when he was 16 years old.He helped with scaling, sorting, loading andunloading cedar poles, pine poles and firpiling. Gilbert Smith Forest Products incorporatedin Barriere, B.C. in 1956. The com-www.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 25

COMPANY PROFILE: Gilbert Smith Forest Products Ltd.pany continued to purchase cedar poles thatmen had cut along the CN and Grand Trunkrailway lines. They also bought from privatecontractors on Adams Lake. Provincialgovernments purchased almost all the firpiling. Others purchased the cedar polesand pine poles for use as hydro andtelephone poles.Ted also took part in the supply end ofthe equation. For many summers and winters,he’d head into the forest as a lumberjack.“I used to like it out in the woods,” he reminisces.“I’d fell the timber, another fellowwould peel it, and then I’d scale it. When wegot enough poles, we’d load them out, usuallyabout once a month, at our Barriere yard.”THE KINDEST CUT: A Cat 980H loader dumpscedar logs on the mill’s deck to awaitthe first cutFor Gilbert Smith Forest Products Ltd.,the 1950s were all about the combustion engine.They already had a small crawler Cat 22and in 1954, bought a two-cylinder crawler,“the kind that went ‘pop pop pop,’” says Ted.In 1956, it was a Dodge single axle pole truckand trailer, onto which poles were loadedmanually, but could haul larger loads thanever before. That’s when Gilbert retired, Tedtook over the family business, and thingschanged even more. In 1961, brother Carman,now an R.P.F., came back to work inthe business. The company’s first loader waspurchased in 1962. Next came an automatedpole-peeler. The equipment meant increasedcapacity, and the company was able to increaseits timber purchases.In 1967, Gilbert Smith Forest ProductsLtd. built a sawmill, and it was the beginningof the end of the cedar pole business.“The B.C. Forest Service strongly suggestedthat we should be using the whole tree, notjust the best parts,” explained Ted. Until thenthey would discard the tree’s butt end if it wasat all rotten. The narrow top portion of thetree was usually looped off as well. The solutionwas to build a sawmill, where they couldproduce lumber that combined the highestquality sections with the other sections toproduce a strong, usable piece of wood.Production at the mill was reasonablebut the local demand wasn’t. The companylooked for new clients, and found them alongthe B.C. coast, throughout Alberta and intothe U.S. “(My father) was quite proud of whatwas taking place,” recalls Ted. “We used to discussthings with him all the time.”With expanded markets and a growingbusiness, Gilbert Smith needed more equipment.“First we bought a Cat 235 excavator.That was in the 70s, and it was the very firstone in the valley.” They also acquired additionalequipment including a used Cat D7.“The machines worked together and we usedthem to start building and maintaining ourown logging roads in the North Thompson.”Gilbert Smith Forest Products Ltd. soldits last cedar pole in 1982. “All the cedar goesinto lumber now,” says Ted. Although thereis still a demand for cedar poles, “putting theentire log into the mill makes a better gradeof lumber.”It’s obvious that Gilbert Smith ForestProducts Ltd. takes pride in its history asB.C. forestry and sawmill pioneers. There’s a1952 Cat grader – a classic antique that waspurchased at an auction sale – on display inthe yard. Another loader, circa 1970, is alsoon display. “I’ve got lots of good memories.Lots,” Ted says fondly.He also knows that living in the past won’tdo much for his three grandchildren. Today,being modern, efficient and forward-thinkingis how Gilbert Smith stays competitive.In the road-building division it has a new Cat26 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

324D excavator high-ride forestry package“with all the bells and whistles.” This machineis mainly used for road building and stumping– ripping Douglas fir stumps out of theground to get rid of root rot – and for roaddeactivation once an area has been logged.The 324D works alongside a D7G from1978 that “still works like a charm,” accordingto Ted. This Cat isused to spread gravel,push a grade andcross-plow snow.Greg Smith, AssistantGeneral Managerand Ted’s nephew,says the new 980Hand older 980F areirreplaceable for “moving logs from trucksand feeding them into the sawmill.”“We’ve tried a lot, and we do like the Catequipment, mainly because Cat’s style andserviceability. Parts are always available, andthe nearest dealer in Kamloops is only 40miles away,” says Ted.But the best new equipment and greatproducts mean little without quality people tocoordinate and operate the business. “The bigIn 1968, Gilbert SmithForest Products built asawmill, and it was thebeginning of the end ofthe cedar pole business.thing is that we’ve been able to pull togetherthis great group of people,” says Ted. Employeesat Gilbert Smith all reap the benefits ofthe job; there is a profit-sharing plan that letseveryone enjoy the company’s success.Looking ahead, things are changing forthe company. Although the pine beetle staysaway from cedar, it is certainly having an impacton the entire industryand on Tedpersonally.“It’s a terrible, sadthing that is happeningto our forest. Itlooks terrible. It destroysthe ability tohave a lush, growingforest.” He says that companies are loggingpine as fast as possible in areas where thebeetles have arrived. However, this creates anoversupply of pine on the market, and Tedsays there is a sense of worry in the air.Forestry is the predominant industryin and around Barriere. According to theChamber of Commerce, approximately 75per cent of the area’s labour force is directlyor indirectly dependant on it. Forest changesSO LONG: An employee since 1972, operatorRichard Turner stands in front of a Cat 980H.He is retiring this yearwww.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 27

COMPANY PROFILE: Gilbert Smith Forest Products Ltd.are felt deeply by everyone in the community.“It’s a self-sufficient town,” says Greg. “Thereare a lot of families around here who relyon logging.”However, Ted says that the cedar supplynear Barriere is decreasing. “We’re going furtherand further away from our sawmill. We’resawing more than we used to, but it’s gettingmore difficult to access.” Gilbert Smith ForestProducts Ltd. has had to expand its base ofsuppliers, reaching further than ever to fill thegrowing demand for cedar lumber.“There are always challenges,” says Greg.“We’ve learned a lot over the years. We’veseen people come and go.” He explains thatGilbert Smith’s success comes from its familyatmosphere and hands-on managementstyle. “It’s a good business to be in. I’m confidentabout the future.”Ted, at 75, is still very much a part of thebusy day-to-day company operations. Hetalks to clients, travels to trade shows, andsigns the cheques. When he’s not at his deskor in the yard, Ted also water skis, downhillskis, takes an annual trip to the palm trees ofHawaii, enjoys his two children (one, Ted Jr.is a heavy equipment mechanic at the Mill)and three grandchildren and relaxes withhis wife Dot on their scenic home midwaybetween Barriere and Kamloops.The patriarch has no plans to retire.“I should…but I’m having fun.” If and whenTed does hang up his hard hat, he’ll no doubtenjoy lounging in a cedar chair, on a cedardeck at Adams Lake with the unmistakeablearoma of cedar still lingering around him.Cedar, so sweetSome First Nations people refer to westernred cedar as “The Tree of Life” or“The Life Giver.” It has sheltered themfor thousands of years, in both longhousesand as poles for tipis. Canoes, totempoles and ceremonial masks were carvedfrom cedar with stone, bone or shell tools.The supple bark was often woven intomats, baskets, rope and even clothing.Along the Pacific coast, vast forestsof the aromatic timber enabled pioneersto use cedar to build their homes. As farback as two centuries, settlers chosecedar for its strength, beautiful rich hues,and the ease of making logs into straight,flat planks.Cedar is also durable. According tothe Western Red Cedar Lumber Association,its natural oils make cedar weatherresistantand less likely to rot. It doesn’trequire chemical treatment before use.Cedar also contains a natural pesticideand the wood’s unique smell is repellantto most insects.Unfinished cedar ranges from a warmyellowy tone to deeper reds and burntbrowns. Its warm hue accompanies aneven, relatively knot-free texture. Cedarcan also be painted, oiled or stained. Becauseit’s virtually resin-free, it drinks inthese treatments. Cedar remains popularwith many, from DIY deck-buildersto contemporary architects. Its beautyand permanence have made it the firstchoice for siding, posts, decks, roofs,window and door frames. Beautiful cedargazebos are a popular feature in upscalegardens. Some houses even use cedarto create one-of-a-kind interior finishingtouches.In addition to being renewable andbiodegradable, Cedar does not requiretreatment with toxic chemicals becauseit’s naturally resistant to rot and insects,and its own natural preservatives helpprotect it in harsh weather. In otherwords, Western Red Cedar is ultimatelymore earth-friendly than composites.28 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

Safety FirstStory by rick overwaterillustration by chris pyleSometimes it’s not one big injury, but a thousand littleones, that can lay you out and stop you workingErgonomicIndicators“There was an employee last week who wason a creeper, welding underneath a large machine,and he had to continually hold hishead up in one position to see,” says Jon Pel,Senior Environment Health and Safety Advisorfor Finning (Canada). “He ended uppinching a couple of nerves in his neck.” Thatwelder isn’t alone. It turns out that soft tissueinjuries are on the rise, not only because of repetitivemotion, but because, like the welder,workers might be maintaining static positionsfor long periods.Ergonomics involves fitting the tasks, systemsand workspace of a particular job tothe worker and not the other way around,and it’s becoming a major consideration ofworkplace safety. But when it comes to incorrectwork design and the often-resulting injuries,what may be surprising is that some ofthe culprits are the tools we most commonlyuse in the workplace, and how we use them.Most of the soft tissue injuries that Finningemployees report are to the upper arm, shoulderand back. And there are almost as manyreasons behind them as there are injuries.Problems can stem from the awkward positionof a tech’s arm, for example, when hereaches over a large engine to tighten downcylinder heads, overextending his arm andstraining his shoulder. Other times, a techuses heavy tools in hard-to-reach places.“Or the wrist might be bent and they’reholding on to a five- or 10-pound impactwrench for a long period of time,” Pel says.“So the vibrations are causing injury to theblood vessels and the force applied is injuringligaments and tendons.” But problems aren’tlimited to the shop floor.“One of the biggest problems we see isoffice chairs” says Mike Harnett, Presidentof the Association of Canadian Ergonomists(AB/NWT). “You can have a $1,000 dollar officechair and all people know is how to moveit up or down. As a result, they could be sittingimproperly and that causes grief and pain.”Harnett has applied her more than 20 yearsof knowledge to the benefit of a wide varietyof industries. So when Jon Pel needed assistancelaunching a new program entitled theFinning Ergonomic Initiative, Harnett’s company,workSMART, was a logical choice.“The results of annual reviews of our safetystatistics pointed out ergonomics-relatedinjuries as a growing problem,” says Pel.“It was widespread among our shop employees.Now, obviously we have an awful lot ofshop mechanics, but we also have welders,field mechanics, warehouse personnel andoffice employees, too.”In the office, chair-related causes of injuryare numerous. They might include employeessitting at the keyboard in such a way that theirwrists aren’t in a neutral position, or bendingtheir arms at less than a 90-degree angle. Orthey may be overtaxing a shoulder by extendingthe mouse arm too far. Size of the chairis often a factor, especially for women. If it’stoo big, the arm rests are likely too far apartand a worker will lean to one side, straininghis or her back. Even with the perfect chair,position and posture, “if you just sit there foreight hours a day, you’re going to get hurt,”says Harnett. “Our bodies are designed formovement.”The red flag rose when Pel and Harnettobserved that soft tissue injuries accountedfor around 50% of all injuries. Sometimes referredto as “strain and sprain” injuries, theycome from a variety of incidents includingrepetitive use, awkward positioning and suddenmovement. It’s important to note herethat the concept of “soft tissue injuries” or“musculoskeletal injuries” is slowly replacingthe more commonly recognized term “repetitivestrain injuries.” There’s good reason forthat. “‘Repetitive strain’ has been kind of amisnomer because there are a lot of injuriesoccurring from very static positions,” saysHarnett.Workplace assessments in hand, Peland Harnett are now declaring war onFinning’s soft tissue injuries. Education isthe first part of the process. They teach thateven if pain ceases quickly when you finisha task, you may be at stage one of a soft tissueinjury. They show how to do preventativestretches to counter the onset. And they payattention to the work environment and thetools themselves.Revamped tools include hydraulic torquewrenches and pin presses to slide-sledgehammers,in which the head of a sledgehammerslides down a shaft and takes the impact offthe user. There is nothing that modern healthand safety personnel are unwilling to rethink.But few remedies, says Harnett, are as importantas the micro-break – giving your body arest accompanied by stretching opposite tothe motions you are making. In other words,stop what you are doing periodically.“Some people, God bless them, have awork ethic that won’t let them stop,” says Harnett.“But giving your body the breaks it needswill help keep you on the job.”Visit the Canadian Centre for OccupationalHealth and Safety website at www.ccohs.caor workSMART www.worksmart.cawww.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 29

EQUIPMENT PROFILELegendsof RockAn unlikely Island aggregatepartnership is adding up to morethan just pebbles in the sandStory By Robin Brunetphotography by Adrian lamThe lengthy chain connecting the differentelements of the construction industryis only as strong as its weakest link, andtwo years ago Mike Kelly discovered what thatlink was. Discovery made, he and his partner,Marty Block, promptly bought themselves arock quarry. In doing so, the Victoria-basedentrepreneurs have not only spared southernVancouver Island contractors some wildly inflatedaggregate costs, but they’re sitting on agold mine.Kelly and Block, own South Island Aggregates,which consists of a 40-acre aggregatequarry in the Shawnigan Lake district, 45kilometres north of Victoria; a sand quarryleased from a First Nations band near Duncan;and an eight-person crew. On both sites,a small fleet of Caterpillar equipment excavates,transports and processes material forcontractors to pick-up.As far as quarries go, South Island seemslike a routine operation, and the easy-goingKelly may seem like an unlikely saviour tothe hard-hat set. That is, until one realizesthat developers in his neck of the woods havedepended largely on two regional quarriesfor their aggregate needs, and these quarriesare being redeveloped. “I figure if Marty andI hadn’t plunged into this venture, contractorswould have had to barge in aggregate andtheir costs would have doubled,” says Kelly.Kelly, 40, has a hearty laugh, a can-do attitudeand a generous spirit: in short, the kindof guy whose success inspires admiration insteadof envy. “None of this was by design,”he stresses. “We both held many jobs to paythe bills over the years, and some made moresense than others.” One that made moresense was a job in paving. “I seal-coated residentialdriveways and I liked the work,” herecalls. “After a while I got hired by anotherpaving firm, and I wound up buying thatbusiness when I was 25.”One of Kelly’s many clients was MartyBlock, a burgeoning residential developer. “Iworked on his lots, and he was quite a character,”Kelly says. “He had launched his ownconstruction company at the age of 21, andseveral years later he bought himself a jet helicopterthat he used to go fishing.”Kelly takes pains to paint a portrait of ahumble labourer working for a high-flyingentrepreneur, but in fact he, too, was gainingacumen as a developer. “I’d been buying residentialreal estate since I was 21,” he admits.“My first project was subdividing a Saanichland parcel into 15 lots, providing surfaceservices like paving, cable and lighting, hiringcontractors for sub-surface work, then sellingthe lots.” Before long, Kelly and Block werebuying and developing land together.Although the duo purchased aggregatedaily, they didn’t give the substance muchthought until several years ago, when southernVancouver Island’s largest supplier, ConstructionAggregates Ltd., which supplies60,000 tonnes per month to builders, announcedit would be closing its depletedquarry in 2007 and prepping the site for residentialdevelopment. Goldstream MeadowsLtd., which provided 20,000 tonnes of aggregatemonthly, made a similar announcement.“Suddenly everybody realized that aggregateavailability was going to dry up,” says Kelly.“C.A.’s closure meant we would also lose aneasily-accessible fill site and have to transportfill farther north to Duncan for an additional$150 per load.”Whether it was serendipity or his radarlikepenchant for new business opportunities,Kelly soon heard about a 50-acre property locatednear Construction Aggregates that wasoriginally supposed to become an equestriancenter but was also zoned for rock extraction.30 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

HARDHAT HEROES: Mike Kelly (left)and Marty Block caught wind of aproperty zoned as a quarryBUSINESS ROCKS: With the help of machinessuch as the Cat 980G below, Block and Kellyare looking at a bright futurewww.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 31

EQUIPMENT PROFILE“My antenna went up,” he recalls. “Marty andI hired a surveyor to examine the acreage, andhe estimated it had an eight-million-tonneyield at a 40-foot excavation, or roughly a 25-year lifespan.”Kelly pauses to consider his next statement.“When we crunched the numbers relatingto our own resources, Marty and I figuredwe were about two years premature to buysuch a site. We went ahead anyway, and theperson who bought the land for $272,000sold it to us for $1.5-million.” The purchasewas financed partly by proceeds from real estatesales in Saskatoon, an experience that initself was hair-raising. “We sold the land viaa Ritchie Brothers auction without a reserve,”Kelly explains. “It was a huge risk, but wemade a tidy profit.”Before Kelly and Block opened shop, thepartners had to obtain a Mines Act permit inorder to operate legally. After that, transformingthe acreage was a relatively simple task ofstripping overburden.“We exposedthe rock, installeda scale and otherfacilities, drilledthe rock, blastedit and processedit for our firstcustomers,” saysKelly. Whether or not the pro-mining provincialLiberal government exerted influence, thepartners received the permit in 45 days – thequickest a permit of this kind had been issuedin B.C. in 14 years.Of his inventory, Kelly says, “We have twoCat excavators, seven Cat loaders and twoKenworth trucks powered by Cat engines,plus a new Mormak washing plant (see sidebar)that’s Cat powered.”Finning Victoria representative GreggWhitson has sold Kelly and Block all their Catequipment. “They have two 966Gs, a 966F a330C, a 320D, a 322B, a D5H, and just thismorning he walked in and bought three 725rock trucks.” When asked if this was a spontaneouspurchase, Whitson replies, “Very muchso. That’s the kind of guy he is, not afraid totake chances.”Whitson describes the Kelly/Block partnershipas “Oil and water. Mike is off thewall and always going, whereas Marty quietlymanages the quarries. They complement eachother very well.”“Cats are reliable, period,” Kelly says ofhis Cat fleet. “Thanks to their ruggedness andthe Finning service policies, I never have toworry about my business. And if we happento get ourselves in a bind where more equipmentis required, Finning provides easy accessto rentals.”Downtime would be costly to the pair.“Mike and Marty also understand the importanceof servicing and rely on us to keepeverything running,” Whitson says.“This is key, because their business is growinglike wildfire.”A resource analyst has valued the resourceat South Island Aggregates at between $8- and$12-million, plus the residual value of theland. When Kelly starts talking numbers it’s awonder he isn’t tempted to sell out and retireto a tropical island. “We’ll be able to accept$32-million worth of fill and produce $85-million worth“Cats are reliable, period.Thanks to their ruggedness andthe Finning service policies,I never have to worry aboutmy business.”of rock, andeven thoughw e ’ r e o n l yfinishing oursecond yearwe’ll achieve$5-millionworth of businesscompared to our inaugural year whenwe grossed $1.2-million in nine months,” hesays. A busy day sees 30-odd trucks transport1,000 tonnes of aggregate from the quarryand half that amount in sand. “I transportrock from our aggregate quarry to our sandquarry and vice versa, that way each site containsboth materials for our customers in bothmarkets,” says Kelly.If Kelly has a minor regret, it’s not beingable to satisfy the aggregate needs of Californians.“Over six million tonnes of B.C. rockis being barged to that state yearly. But I’m aninland operator and it makes more sense thatI provide the best possible service to truckers,”he says.As for early retirement, Kelly is appalledby the notion of handing over the proverbialgold mine to someone else. “We’ve alreadyhad two different companies approach us tobuy our property, and we turned them downflat!” Laughing good-naturedly, he concludes,“We took a gamble on this business and it’spaying off more than we could imagine.So we’re happy to go the long haul beingknown as the southern Vancouver Island’spremiere aggregate suppliers.”Rock laundryThere’s more to providing aggregatethan simply drilling and blasting. Forexample, clay sticking to rock, if leftintact, will prevent the effective formulationof concrete. So that’s why one ofSouth Island Aggregates’ most valuablepiece of equipment is its Mormak washingplant.This plant, which can be transportedfrom one quarry to the next, if required,consists of a belt feeder, three five-footby eight-foot screen decks, a 36-inchby 25-foot greystone sand screw anda host of discharge chutes, walkways,water manifolds and access ladders.“The rig looks complicated, but in factit works pretty simply,” says companypartner Mike Kelly.The screens sort incoming aggregateaccording to size. Water sprays cleanthe aggregate, while the sand screwremoves dirt and dries incoming sand.“That’s all there is to it,” says Kelly.“Aggregate is agitated by water to removethe clay, a necessary processingstep whether the rock is intended forconcrete, paving or drainage.”The Mormak also boasts a Caterpillarpower plant – in this case a 3306Bsix-cylinder diesel with a 10.45 litredisplacement. “If I don’t buy Cat thenyou can bet my other equipment will bepowered by Cat,” says Kelly. “I wouldn’trely on any other brand.32 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

www.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 33

COMPANY PROFILE: Pacific Group of CompaniesACE IN THE HOLE: A Cat 345D is at workon the Waterfront Station site of theCanada Line extension34 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

GroupDynamicsThe Pacific Group of Companieshelps free a buried worker, movesa whale’s tank and blasts carefullyin downtown VancouverStory by jim stirlingphotography by stuart M c CallImagine it: You jump on the Sea-Bus, West Coast Express or SkyTrain to Vancouver’s WaterfrontStation. From there, you are just a25-minute train ride from the airport. There’sno more expensive taxi trip or begging ridesfrom busy friends. Best of all, you can eliminatethe hassle of the snarl of traffic that’s partof life in the Lower Mainland. Building theCanada Line extension between Vancouverand Richmond isn’t quite as easy, but at leastthe Pacific Group of Companies is part ofthe team.Completing highly specialized constructionin the heart of the urban jungle necessitatesan eye to detail and a lot of experience.The Canada Line rail extension, which followsVancouver’s Cambie Street betweendowntown and Richmond, literally intersectspeoples’ front yards. Safety is paramount, andtraffic control – of people and vehicles – is anissue, especially given the restricted workingarea. Vibration and noise are among the moreobvious safety concerns.And then there are the technical and logisticalchallenges of actually getting the jobdone. Crews have to protect undergroundservices, such as sewer and utility lines, whileblasting in preparation for the Canada Line’sroute. It’s a style of construction called “cutand-cover,”whereby crews reconstruct andrepair behind them as they go, working in assmall a footprint as possible. “We haven’t hadany issues yet with china breaking in people’shomes,” reports Dave Reynolds. “Our blastingguys are pretty good.” And that comes asno surprise.Reynolds is vice president of asset managementfor the Pacific Group of Companies,based in Burnaby, B.C. One of those companies,Pacific Blasting & Demolition Ltd., wasinvolved with that section of the Canada Lineextension.The group as a whole thrives on difficultand schedule-sensitive challenges, asa lengthy résumé of demanding projectsreadily attests.“We are, by and large, an entrepreneurialcompany,” explains Reynolds.“We have a team of extremely creativepeople with a lot of experience. They have theability to think outside the box and developinnovative solutions.” He says the group operatesas a sub contractor on its jobs for a varietyof owners and that helps it perform better.“It forces us to be quick on our feet.”Reynolds describes the Pacific Group collectivelyas “B.C.’s largest specialized constructioncompany. And what that really means isthat we offer layers of expertise.” The groupwas formally established in 2000. But its rootstrace back to the mid-1950s and a companycalled Pacific Blasting. It worked on blastingand drilling projects around B.C.’s LowerMainland. What has followed is a series ofnew partnerships, expansions and businessconsolidations as the company – and latercompanies – responded to shifting economiccycles in B.C.A significant excursion into diversificationhappened for the company in the 1970swhen Pacific Blasting & Drilling added demolitionwork to its repertoire.“There were synergies there in the types ofequipment, in the market and with skills andexpertise,” Reynolds says of the overlappingundertakings. That integration of expertiserepresents a continuing thread. It allows thePacific Group to offer a package of specialistservices to its customers.Foundation, excavation and shotcretingwork followed, reflecting the surge in highriseconstruction in and around Vancouver.The Pacific Group, through its variouswww.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 35

COMPANY PROFILE: Pacific Group of Companiespartnerships, offers a suite of services to theconstruction industry: blasting; drilling; demolition;excavating; shoring; design-build construction;civil work and industrial moving.Other projects the Pacific Group has undertakenindividually or in joint venture havebeen as varied as they are daunting.For example, Bel Contracting, a divisionof Bel Pacific and part of the PacificGroup, is doing road work on the southside of the Fraser River for the proposedGolden Ears Bridge. Company crewsare also busy on site development work onthe athlete’s village for the 2010 Winter Olympicsnear False Creek in Vancouver.Apex Industrial Movers Ltd. has been partof the Pacific Group since the early 1990s.Apex specializes in oversize and overweightdelivery and equipment placing. It handlesmodules weighing as much as 1,100 tonnes.It has been called on for such diverse tasks asmoving a special tank for a killer whale at theVancouver Aquarium to removing aircraft thathave skidded off runways. “When it comes tobeing entrepreneurial, Apex flies the flag,”credits Reynolds.“We’re the ones to go to if you want somethingmoved out of there,” he says.The size, class and power of the345 is well suited to working indowntown Vancouver.LNS Services, another Pacific Group division,was involved recently in two highprofile construction projects in downtownVancouver requiring surgical precision to execute.(See page 37.) One of the keys to thePacific Group of Companies’ successful developmenthas been its ability to forge andmaintain mutually productive business relationships.Few have been more enduring thanthe one between the Pacific Group and itspredecessors with Caterpillar equipment andFinning (Canada).“We have an outstanding relationshipwith the guys at Finning and we refer to themas our partners,” says Reynolds. “They domore than just sell us Cat equipment.”Emilio Iachetta is Finning’s point man inVancouver on the Pacific Group file. “They’rea very creative company,” Iachetta says.“Whenever there’s a significant constructionproblem, the Pacific Group are the ones ownersturn to.” Not all members of the PacificTUNNEL VISION: The Canada Line extensionwill run under parts of Vancouver and serve asa hub to the airport and beyondGroup use heavy equipment. Those who do,have relied heavily on Cat since the 1970s.Reynolds reckons the companymaintains a fleet of 35 to 40 pieces ofCat equipment. They are primarilyused for earthmoving and road workand include excavators, loaders, trackeddozers and vibratory compactors.The Pacific Group’s bread and butter machineis the Cat 345 excavator. Depending onthe task at hand, the 345 can be fitted withdifferent attachments. Some cut steel, for example;others break concrete. The size, classand power of the 345 is well suited to workingin downtown Vancouver. Much of theground comprises native tills and sandstoneand proves a hostile environment for equipment.It needs to be ripped before it can beexcavated.Cat muscle is evident elsewhere in thePacific Group’s operations. Its fleet of aircompressors and drills run on Cat power.Reynolds says one thing he’s learnedin more than 30 years in the construction36 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

industry is that real challenges begin whenequipment eventually breaks. “We look forquality machines but really, what’s moreimportant are the people who are going tosupport the equipment and keep it running,”he says.And there, Finning shines.Machine downtime in the context of amajor downtown excavation project has dramaticand far-reaching implications, he explains.If the excavation is halted, the clockstarts ticking. A fleet of dump trucks are instantlyidled. So is support for the shoringcrew and drilling equipment. Investmentcosts are high and they quickly ripple upwardsuntil they reach a corner office in adowntown high-rise where an owner’s ulcerstarts complaining.“We are at the beginning of a projectand we’re under a lot of pressure. Time losthere is hard to recover,” observes Reynolds.“The onus is on us to keep on working.”Comprehensive maintenance of equipment,and keeping on top of the small thingshelps. Finning’s after-sales service lets thePacific Group fulfill its obligations.And the fact that the Pacific Group isstaffed by pros goes far to its success. A recentincident at a limestone pit near Ashcroft, B.C.sheds an insight about the Pacific Group’speople.A slide had buried an excavator and itsoperator under giant blocks of rock, someof them the size of a city bus. Crews fromPacific Blasting & Demolition were quickto volunteer and help out at the site. Somehad done work there and were familiar withthe layout. They are also experts at rappellingand working on rock faces. Reynolds recountsthat when crews got to the accidentsite, what was feared to be a recovery missionturned suddenly into a rescue. They heard afaint tapping coming from beneath the limestonerubble. Gingerly, they worked towardthe sound. Eventually, after about 13 hoursof entombment, they reached the operatorand managed to extricate him from his mangledmachine. Miraculously, his injuries wereminor. At last report, the operator was lookingforward to getting back to work.What lies beneathThe remaining old buildings in Vancouver’sdowntown core add to the charmand appeal of the ground level cityscapeand contrast dramatically with thetowers of glass, steel and concrete surroundingthem.The charm and appeal, however, takeon different dimensions below grade.LNS Services was contracted to excavate15 metres below Hastings Street toprovide access for part of the new CanadaLine rapid transit corridor connectingthe existing Waterfront Station with Richmondand the Vancouver InternationalAirport. LNS is a division of Lexspan LPand part of the Pacific Group of Companies.The group makes extensive use ofCaterpillar equipment including the 345class size of excavators.Several of the buildings are approaching100 years old. And that means a lotof the services – the umbilical cords supportingthem – are equally venerable andvulnerable. Working there required a cautiousapproach. “We had to carefully relocatethe services,” recalls Tara Van VoorstVader, project manager for LNS Services.Some were repositioned to an excavatedwall using temporary support structureswhile the route was carved out.Excavating 15 metres under 100-year-old buildings brings additionalchallenges. Suitable frame structureshad to be designed and strategicallyplaced to underpin the old buildings whileconstruction work continued beneaththem. “There was lots of monitoringgoing on to see if there were any movementchanges around the buildings,”she explains.Above ground, traffic managementflow in one of the busiest sections of thecity introduced a different set of problems,continues Van Voorst Vader. Streetclosures and single lane traffic flows werenecessary at times. The process was compoundedby east-west excavation underadjacent Granville Street. LNS had to accommodatelocal businesses and pedestrianmovement around the excavation.“A further problem is getting the excavatorout of the hole,” she says. Theyplan to close Hastings Street briefly whilea 2,500-tonne crane plucks the machineback into the light of day, freeing it for anew assignment.LNS is active on another Pacific Groupproject downtown, which also involvesVancouver’s eclectic mix of old and newstructures. Jameson House is a new,37-storey condominium developmentwith a completion date of 2010. Ultramodern,it remains rooted in Vancouver’shistoric past.The 131-unit structure will rise fromthe site of three old buildings, whosefaçades will be integrated into the newcondominium design. Securing and underpinningthe surviving structures is akey element in the project, explains VanVoorst Vader, and one that’s in line withLNS’s expertise.www.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 37

meeting the challengephotography by ewan nicholsonBringing Home the BarleyPADDLE HOME: The rotary paddle separation system wastes less grainPLAYING CHASE: Superior cleaning area and capacity gets the job done38 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

TRIO: Three combines fill a waiting grain cartHARVEST: A full cart is a warm Alberta sightHarvest time is no small challenge in Alberta and nobodyknows that better than James Palin. From his home on thefarm near Blackie, Alberta, Palin harvests 9,000 acres ofwheat, barley and canola. At Palin Farms, they use an all-Cat fleet to get the job done. On this beautiful fall day,Palin’s four Cat 590Rs are hard at work.“The 590s outperform everything else,” Palin says.“They produce clean samples, with no junk in the grain.”Equally important to Palin is the fact that the Cat combinesdon’t waste the grain that he has invested so much timeand effort in. “There’s less grain loss with the Cats.”The 590R has a C-13 engine with 345 kW (462 hp). Ithas tracks, rather than tires. Tracks have been shown toincrease flotation in soggy conditions, thus reducing soilcompaction, meaning there’s less soil loss. When you’recaring for fields in an acreage the size of Palin’s, these arenot small considerations.In addition to the four combines, Palin has four Cat875B tractors that boast C-18 engines that run at 425 kW(570 hp). He has a Challenger 755 and a SP 115 B with a36-foot draper. All told, there are 11 Cats at work on PalinFarms’ southern Alberta fields. And the after sales serviceallows Palin to rest assured that his mammoth harvestgets done, no matter what. “If I ever have any downtime,”it gets resolved pretty quickly,” he says.Investing in Cat’s big combines has let Palin do morewith less. The paddle rotation separation system in his four590Rs cleans an area of almost six and a quarter metres.“It’s cut our harvest time,” he says. “We used to run fivecombines and now we only need four.”www.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 39

FIELD TESTREAL RESULTS: Three months in, the Cat/KTIcombo shows no signs of weaknessBigstone,Big PowerA Northern Alberta forestry company turns toCat for heavy hardwood processing solutionsStory by Tony Kryzanowskiphotography by Rob SwystunBigstone Forestry Inc. had issueswith its three delimbers. Sometimes,a delimber would needservice and would sit idle waitingfor parts or service. Meanwhile, the remainingtwo were working overtime, and riskingthe related damage, attempting to keep upwith stripping branches and processing primarilylong lengths of heavy hardwood.The situation became unsustainablefor the Wabasca, Alberta-based company.Even though the delimbers could handleprocessing 75-foot hardwood logs into 37-foot lengths, the company was working theattachments in a manner for which theyweren’t designed. The saw on a delimber ismeant as a topping saw, not as a merchandizingsaw of the type you’d find on a treeprocessor. As a result, Bigstone Forestry wasexperiencing significant equipment downtime.As maintenance went up, productivitywent down.Meanwhile, the company was requiredto deliver 335,000 cubic metres of wood annuallyto roadside. About 90 per cent of thatwas hardwood delivered to Athabasca-basedpulp producer, Alberta Pacific Forest Industries(Al-Pac) or to Tolko Industries in SlaveLake. To keep up with its commitments, BigstoneForestry decided to replace its threeaging and failing delimbers.After an extensive investigation into availablereplacements, Bigstone settled on twoCaterpillar 324DLFM carriers equipped withTreeKing processors, supplied by Kerik TechnologiesInc. (KTI) of Grande Prairie.“From my perspective, the fewer movingparts, the better,” says Bigstone Forestry’sgeneral manager, David Lloyd. The simplicity,versatility and ruggedness of the KTI processor,fitted with the tough Cat carrier, was justthe combination that he was looking for tominimize downtime at the First Nationsownedlogging company. Because of its simpleyet productive design, the company isnow able to quickly troubleshoot and handlemost processor servicing on its own, keepingproduction downtime to a minimum.Switching to the Cat/TreeKing packagedidn’t come without risks. Bigstone was, afterall, purchasing the first and second units builtby KTI that were capable of processing 37-foothardwood logs. This was also the first collaborativeeffort between Cat dealer Finning and40 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

Grande Prairie-based KTI. (KTI is a branchof a logging company owned by Neil andLes Kerik.) But Bigstone reps found thatthe processor was being used successfullyby loggers elsewhere who were harvestingand processing hardwood and softwoodvery similar to that found in the Wabasca,area. And, coupled with the personal attentionprovided by both KTI and Finning’s technicalsupport staff, Lloyd was confident thecarrier/processor package was the solutionBigstone needed.The TreeKing doesn’t use feed rollersto control and propel a log as it’s beingdelimbed and processed, Lloyd says, and theresult is less damage to the wood. In additionto producing better quality fibre, he saysthat the processor is accurate in its measurements,delivering logs to within two inches ofoptimum; Al-Pac’s tolerance is plus or minussix inches.The Keriks of KTI were introduced to theScandinavian TreeKing processor prototypein 1996. Realizing its potential in the Canadianmarketplace, they sought rights to marketthe product in Canada. They modifiedthe original design to withstand tough NorthAmerican forestry applications as well as thedemands of their own logging business.With about 1,000 hours on each carrier/processor unit, Lloyd says there is no doubtthat Bigstone Forestry made the right choice.“Our operators’ coveralls are not gettingas dirty as they used to because we are notdoing as much mechanical work,” says Lloyd.“In fact, they can probably go a full twoweeksession without having to look for asecond pair.”Never mind the coveralls, Dave Lloyd isfinally getting some rest. “I can sleep at night,”he says. “I haven’t been dragged out to themachines yet during the evening. That’s howI gauge everything – quality of life.”Making the switch from delimbing toprocessing at roadside was definitely a challengefor Bigstone Forestry’s operators. Aftera month, they were still processing about asmuch wood with the processors as they werewith the delimbers. However, the major dividendwas in equipment uptime, which is exceeding95 per cent availability.Operations manager, Glen Gladu, saysthe carrier offers a comfortable operatingenvironment with excellent visibility. The carrier/processorpackage has exhibited plenty ofpower to handle the heavy and long lengthsof hardwood, and maintenance is much easierthan on the older delimber units as greasepoints are all easy to reach.Lloyd says he was concerned whetherthe Cat 324DLFM carrier was properly sizedfor the TreeKing processor, which is a danglehead that weighs in at nearly 3,700 kilograms(8,200 pounds). Bigstone Forestry usesmotion meters to monitor vibration todetermine if a carrier is the proper match forthe attachment.“We had a heck of a time to find a placeon the machine that would send a vibrationto the motion meter to put a black line on therecording card,” says Lloyd.Given the size and constant movementof the attachment, he was also concernedwhether the carrier could keep its balance.With more than three months under its beltin an actual working environment, feedbackfrom operators indicates that the carrier’s balanceis no problem.Lloyd wanted a rugged carrier that couldtake the beating from the constant movementof a heavy processor with attachments.The company had experienced a number ofexpensive car body rotation bearing failureswith other equipment brands. Operatorsat Bigstone report that the interfacing doubleroller bearing on the Cat 324DLFM carrieris able to withstand the stress of almostconstant car body and attachment rotation– the KTI processor is capable of 180-degreerotation – as well as the side motion of theattachment when processing trees.In Grande Prairie, KTI agreed to makeupdates to its processor, including rollers onthe sliding boom, that would accommodateBigstone’s requirements. So far, Lloyd says theCat carrier combo has met all expectations.Taking a tour of the Cat factory wherethe carrier was built also helped to assurehim that the company was making the rightdecision. “I’ve been in places where they bragabout the trim, finish and paint,” says Lloyd.“When I went to the Caterpillar factory, theywere almost fanatical about the quality of thesteel they use and how they ultrasound alltheir welds.”And the carrier wasn’t the only thing toimpress the guys at Bigstone. Based on whatthey saw at the Cat factory, Bigstone also purchaseda new Cat 521 feller buncher.minimal impact: The TreeKing doesn’t usefeed rollers to control and propel a log as it’sbeing processedwww.finning.ca Winter 2007 • tracks & treads 41

Count On UsRock solidA Caterpillar 955H track loader earns its keep atthe Udinise Cole Co. in New Hazelton, B.C. in 1964.The owner reported that the power shift transmissionmade the 955 a “top producing machine” that provided100 per cent availability. New Hazelton’s forest industry,which included a local sawmill, was its mainstay in themid-20th century.42 tracks & treads • Winter 2007 www.finning.ca

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