New Saskatoon Facility a One-stop Solution for Your Mining, Agriculture and Construction Needs
Opportunities appear to those who are observant, but proximity can bring those opportunities into focus. This understanding helps to explain the evolution of Northern Strands Group of Companies (NSGC) in Saskatchewan. The group consists of three companies who now operate out of one location in Saskatoon, with satellite branches in Regina, Esterhazy and Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The companies supply the mining, agriculture, and construction industries with the qualified personnel, training, recertification, equipment, tools, supplies, and services they need. Being together in one location makes it clear how the companies can live up to their shared mission – Three companies. One solution.
“We have so many customers who have no idea the depth of what we do. They couldn’t always put together why we would have this division or that division,” said Garry Clarke, owner of the Northern Strands Group of Companies. “But when you see it now in this one spot, you can see how it’s all related. It’s really given our customers an awareness of what we are as a whole group.”
There is Northern Strands, which offers tools and technical knowledge in mine hoisting and attachments, general rigging, engineered fall protection, suspended access and training to the mining and construction industries. The company also supplies agriculture towing and rigging products, bucket elevator solutions, railcar progressioners, and innovative safety equipment, such as Bin Safe.
Then, there is Certified Sales & Rentals, which offers specialized equipment to the mining and construction industries. Finally, Fortis Mining Engineering and Manufacturing has a global focus that offers mining, engineering, and manufacturing services to many industries. Fortis can serve as a supplier, contractor, subcontractor, or consultant.
All three companies are trusted to deliver quality workmanship and cutting-edge innovation while remaining committed to health, safety, the environment, and community. Locating all their operations in one place gives their customers the opportunity to see all they have to offer – and seeing is believing. Recognizing opportunity is also now easier for the 250 employees working at NSGC.
“Even though they were within blocks of each other here in town, some of our employees from one company didn’t know the others,” said Clarke. “They needed to interact, but it wasn’t very easy, and it wasn’t always that smooth. Now, because we’ve got everybody in one building, you can ask any one of our employees, ‘What are your resources here?’
Being able to conceive what is possible within your surroundings is how the idea for Northern Strands came about more than 50 years ago. In 1970, a small group of mining employees saw an opportunity to supply the potash industry, which was fairly new within the province. They sought to supply a specific product out of France, the Arcelor Mittal mining rope, and became an exclusive dealer of it in Saskatchewan and Canada.
Over time, that ownership group was narrowed to a single owner, Larry Mote, who began to diversify the products being offered and expand the customer base. Through Mote, Clarke became part of building the future of the company. As a contractor to mines in Saskatchewan, northern Manitoba and Ontario, Clarke had spent long periods of time on-site building relationships. At times, he would be asked about sourcing difficult-to-find mining equipment. Other companies did not even recognize the equipment the mines wanted to purchase, but working out of Saskatoon, Clarke was able to track down what they needed, which led to buying, repairing and recertifying equipment – and the founding of Certified Sales & Rentals.
Then, Clarke noticed another opportunity – one related to human resources. He identified that within mining, there would be a wave of retirements in the province. These individuals possessed extensive knowledge that would leave with them when they exited the industry. These experienced employees understood exactly how to complete projects, such as changing hoist ropes. But newer employees at the mines might not have the same level of experience to be as efficient, safe and cost-effective. Clarke knew NSGC could offer that quality of service to support the mines experiencing this generational change.
“There was no continuity there in some cases, so we would quickly change the ropes and do these different projects for them. We had good procedures and a good safety record, and it grew from there,” said Clarke. “We knew that going from site to site to site we had to operate to the highest standard,” said Clarke who explained they would use the highest standards in North America to complete their work, at times introducing this level of quality to places in the world that had lower or no established regulations and influencing change there.
Clarke says innovative procedures are what allowed NSGC to be efficient, safe, sustainable, and cost-effective.
“We did it as fast as we said we would do it or better, and again, that was because we had such good procedures. We have really, really detailed procedures,” said Clarke.
Then there is the importance of proximity. There are about 25 operating mines in Saskatchewan producing potash, uranium, coal, gold, salt, sodium sulphate, and clay.
Clarke says that so many mines in one geographic area is a key reason Saskatchewan can supply not only its resources to the world, but also its mining expertise. This has allowed NSGC to establish an international footprint, having worked on projects in Mongolia, Australia and the UK, amongst others.
“When we go to different countries, what we find is that Saskatchewan is famous because we have some companies that can create big mining machines. We have other companies that deal with conveyors and gearboxes. We have a company like ours that deals with the hoisting side of it,” said Clarke. “If you actually looked for the square miles of land in Saskatchewan and how many head frames there are here because of the potash mines, there is quite a concentration of mines. It’s basically the potash bed in Saskatchewan that’s caused a lot of these businesses to sprout up over the many decades. Then there’s a lot of subject matter experts and a lot of experience that comes with it.”
The growing global demand for potash is nurturing further innovation and growth within the province that is seeing results internationally. NSGC’s Saskatchewan-made expertise and innovation is vital not only for local industry, but also for the international mining community. Innovations developed here are becoming the standard around the world.
The possibilities available to NSGC because of its location in Saskatchewan continue to impress Clarke in the decades since he moved to Saskatoon.
“Saskatoon, and Saskatchewan, is a great place to live and a great place to work and a great place to have a business,” said Clarke. “Like I say, we’re right in the middle of all these mines, but it is also because it’s a great place to be a business owner. There are just so many of these business owners who work well together. They are competing against the next person, but they will also absolutely help when you get too busy – and that’s your competition.”
The success and expansion that NSGC has managed to achieve is a great example of how Saskatchewan businesses are at the forefront of resource development, ensuring the provincial economy continues to grow, thereby protecting local communities and the people who call this province home.