An industry leader in the custom fabrication of flexible cellular and plastic materials, Federal Foam serves clients in agriculture, construction, power sports, medical, retail and consumer products, and other sectors. While doing so, Federal Foam has acquired considerable business assets, completed a 100,000-square-foot warehouse expansion, earned an EcoVadis Silver Sustainability Rating, purchased additional industrial property, invested in machinery, and became a certified women-owned business.

“To say that we’re experiencing growth is kind of an understatement,” says Todd R. Kidder, Federal Foam’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We’re expanding in many areas.”

Federal Foam’s roots trace back to the founding of Federal Paper Stock Company in 1914, which expanded into the polyurethane market in the late 1950s. Growing through a series of acquisitions and new business ventures over the decades, parent company Federal International Inc.’s family of companies today includes Federal Foam Technologies, Federal Recycling & Waste Solutions, and Federal Eco Foam.

“For over 75 years, we’ve been supplying our customers with millions of components of the highest quality foam, fiber, and plastic material in markets all over the world including agriculture, construction, power sports, truck/bus, medical, industrial, and retail/consumer products industries,” says President and CEO Wyman Smith. “The company has grown tremendously over the last few years with various acquisitions, investment in new equipment, and new talent brought in.”

To keep up with demand, Federal Foam recently purchased an industrial building and land near its New Richmond, Wisconsin facility. “As our company continues to grow its customer base, expanding our infrastructure allows us to extend our reach, enhance our offerings, and continue to build a robust team,” says Smith.

Kidder adds that, “This expansion is a testament to our continued success and growth as a company. With two locations near one another, we’re looking forward to reinforcing our state-of-the-art plant operations in New Richmond with additional space, capacity, and talent.” The 47,000-square-foot building on 4.3 acres will be converted and up and running this year.

Along with the building and land acquisition, Federal Foam constantly invests in making manufacturing more efficient. The company’s latest investments include a new vacuum former, robotic waterjet, and die press for its New Richmond facility, and a new CNC foam-cutting machine for its Ellsworth facility. The company is also upgrading processes at all its facilities over the next 12 to 24 months to further expand capacity, an investment of over $2 million.

These investments secure the future growth of Federal Foam, says Mark Siegfried, Director of Operations. “Part of it is having the capacity to meet our customers’ needs. Some of the equipment has newer technology than our older, legacy equipment, which will help us further enhance our processing capabilities and energy efficiency.”

Federal International, Inc. has been a private, family-owned business since 1914. In 2022, the ownership transitioned to fourth-generation women family members, which allowed the company to be certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) Midwest last year. To qualify, businesses must be at least 51 percent owned, operated, and controlled by a woman or women.

Federal Foam’s President Smith says there are many benefits to female ownership. It lets employees, suppliers, and customers know that this is a diverse, inclusive company. “We embrace all kinds of different people from all walks of life,” he says, “and it’s exciting. I’ve been with the company for almost 40 years, managing the Federal Foam business, and it’s been part of my nature to have a diverse team. Having a diverse staff and workforce brings a lot of different viewpoints into running the business. It also makes us more attractive in certain bid situations, and some of our customers are looking to have suppliers that have diverse ownership.”

Although the recent WBENC certification is a considerable milestone, Federal Foam has long been a company of inclusion, with many of the women within the company filling key roles. Two out of five executive staff members at Federal Foam are female, as are many working at management levels and on the production floor.

“We’re pretty diverse in our workforce,” adds Smith. “It’s not dominated by any one gender, race, or anything else. I only see us further increasing our workforce diversity.”

Satisfying the need for foam in markets as diverse as industrial, commercial vehicles, healthcare, fenestration, and crafts creates waste, and Federal Foam takes an active role in sustainability.

Federal Foam’s scrap urethane foam trim is 100 percent recycled, and some is baled and sold back into industries that create re-bond foam. Although Federal Foam doesn’t itself maintain the capabilities to re-process the material, the company uses re-bond foam for some of its products.

Products that cannot be re-processed into usable materials do not go to landfills but become waste-to-energy fuel. And outside of polyurethane foam, Federal Foam sends its plastics back to its plastics supplier.

“We take that scrap and interject it into our raw material because we can have a certain amount of what is called re-grind that goes into the raw materials,” Smith explains. “So how much we send them will depend on how much goes into our product. From that standpoint, it’s full-circle recycling for our plastics.”

Sustainability also runs throughout other branches of the Federal family of companies. Federal Recycling & Waste Solutions provides recycling and waste management services for commercial businesses, helping them develop more profitable, sustainable operations. For over half a century, Federal Eco Foam has led the way in recycling polyurethane foams into innovative, high-performing products for diverse applications and industries.

To keep up with changes in the industry, Federal Foam attends trade shows such as Foam Expo North America 2023, which was held in late June. At the Expo, the company also unveiled some of its recent marketing and new branding, which will accompany Federal Foam’s re-vamped website, launching in the coming months.

Many factors continue setting Federal Foam apart from the competition, from its diverse high-quality product and service offerings to its people. “We’ve got some high-caliber, qualified individuals in key areas, whether it be operations, engineering or sales, to make projects successful, not only for us but for the customer,” says Siegfried of the company’s 350+ strong staff. “Being transparent and innovative in our approach is one of our strongest attributes.”

Considerable growth over the years means Federal Foam is no mom-and-pop shop, but still structured in such a way that the company remains extremely flexible. Unlike some companies, there aren’t multiple layers of management to slow down approval processes.

“We’re pretty nimble in our ability to react, get feedback to customers, and make decisions,” says Smith. “That continues to be an asset to us.”

The post Investing in the Future<p class="company">Federal Foam Technologies</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

Fair to say that this most vital sector of the world’s economy is presently in a ferment, with numerous big questions arising, and none yet fully answered.

So, in its 55^th year, the Global Energy Show Exhibition & Conference should be unmissable. It’s the forum for attendees to engage, network, and learn about sustainability strategies, new cleantech initiatives and decarbonization; attend lively and engaging roundtable discussions and presentations by industry experts and influencers; and meet others to share global energy challenges and solutions.

Discussing this year’s upcoming show, Nick Samain leaves no doubt about how enthusiastic he is. As Senior Vice President for the Calgary location of global exhibitions and publishing company dmg events, Samain says the name of the upcoming exhibition was changed from the Global Petroleum Show to the Global Energy Show in 2020 in light of energy sector changes and the need for cleaner technology and reduced emissions.

“All that put together has transformed the show floor of the global energy show, and it’s done so in some important and exciting ways,” he says.

Driving discussion
The Global Energy Show Exhibition & Conference is North America’s only comprehensive, integrated energy event. Of the promise of this year’s show, dmg events says, “As no single source of energy can meet the increased global energy demand, the Global Energy Show is where Canada demonstrates its vision and leadership by bringing the right people together to meet global challenges with real-world solutions.”

Enormously proud of the representation of oil and gas at the event, the organizers are also aware that large petroleum-based producers with international operations are leaders in a changing industry, shifting their businesses and growth toward sustainable hydrocarbon production and lowering carbon emissions. In Canada, for example, the six largest oil-sands producers created Pathways Alliance (https://pathwaysalliance.ca/), committing themselves to both supplying global energy needs and achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

And it’s no coincidence that the Show is being held at Calgary’s BMO Centre at Stampede Park. Renowned for its oil and gas production, Alberta is also home to the 3,300-acre Travers Solar Project—the largest in Canada—and is seeing considerable investment in renewables.

“Overall, it speaks to the theme of the Global Energy Show,” says Samain, adding that the need to meet energy demands is no longer a “this” or “that” discussion about petroleum versus renewables. “I think we need to recognize that no single source of energy can meet the world’s demands. The world has changed a bit. Does LNG displace coal in other parts of the region, and can we make it as clean as possible in Canada? Yes, we can,” he says.

“And those are the types of debates and discussions that happen at the Global Energy Show, because they need to happen, and they need to happen face-to-face, so this event has an opportunity to influence things like policy and investment.”

With great power…
In Canada, we are fortunate to have an abundance of energy and resources, but the same cannot be said for many others around the globe. The country has a responsibility to be a leader in responsible power production, and the Global Energy Show is the ideal B2B exhibition and conference.

Welcoming representatives from over 111 countries, the event (from June 13-15) is a place to have conversations about Canadian energy and our supply chain with an international audience, and gain—and give—new perspectives that may lead to positive changes.

“It’s three days of really supercharging that industry and that’s how we plan the show, with a day-after approach,” says Samain.

“A year out, we get our governing body members together and say, ‘it’s the day after, let’s put our minds there right now. What’s happened? What were the important discussions? What’s that feeling I‘m going to get, walking the Global Energy Show?’ It’s the next 20 years of energy, and the greatest general moonshot opportunity that we’ve got.”

The entire value chain
Billed as North America’s only exhibition featuring the entire value chain, the Global Energy Show is the largest B2B exhibition and conference of its kind. It’s a place where energy industry pros gather and talk about the global energy transition, the role of all energy resources, and the latest innovations and technologies.

This year, the exhibition show floor will host over 600 exhibitors spread over five exhibition halls and an outdoor zone. Along with the exhibition, the event features a strategic and technical conference, and special presentations like the Global Energy Show Awards, the Plug and Play Innovation Theatre, the Emissions Reduction Theatre, and much more.

Over 30,000 participants are expected to attend, along with 22,500 companies doing business. The 2023 strategic conference will discuss topics such as the vital role of oil and gas in a functioning economy, cleantech investments and renewable energy, and the potential of hydrogen to power our lives. And experts and industry leaders at The Global Energy Technical Conference will discuss the future of energy and technology.

The Top 3 Strategic Conference Panels, meanwhile, will discuss Balancing the International Scales: Do Unsettling Geopolitical Situations Threaten the Energy Transition?; Nuclear, The Myth, The Legend; and The Great Carbon Capture Debate—A Real Solution or Another Way to Extend the Use of Fossil Fuels?

Moderated by industry experts, Interactive Roundtable Discussions will focus on a range of specific technical topics, such as Clean Energy Ecosystems: Is it Possible to Achieve Net Zero by 2035?; New Transformative Tech to Decarbonize the Energy Sector; Scaling and Growing the Hydrogen Market: The Challenges versus the Opportunities; and Challenges and Opportunities for CCUS [carbon capture, utilization and storage] Commercialization.

All sessions will be recorded, and full conference delegates will have access to the library for six months.

“There are two conferences,” explains Samain, “but at that main strategic conference, you can expect premiers to be speaking, international Ministers that regularly speak on the stage; real experts and leaders in industry such as presidents and CEOs of different international companies, as well as leaders here in energy like Dan Balaban, CEO of Greengate. The mix of speakers is back to that matrix of energy, no single source. All roads lead back to electricity.”

Back to in-person
Headquartered in Dubai, UAE since 1989, dmg events is behind 84 events in 24 countries, with some events drawing over 150,000 attendees. When COVID hit in March 2020, dmg, like many large event organizers, thought it was temporary.

In-person, face-to-face events—the foundation of the company—kept being pushed to later dates until 2022, which became the first full year that dmg could again mount all the events in its calendar. 2023 is the second year that dmg is operating on its regular cycle, which is vital for the Global Energy Show, since it attracts domestic and international visitors.

“We need people because we are different from many conference producers,” says Samain. “All of our events always have a large exhibition attached to them, and exhibitors want to see people, busy aisles, and qualified attendance, especially conference delegates. We say, ‘An educated buyer is an empowered buyer.’ So they go to conferences, learn about a new technology, a new market, or investment opportunities, and go into the exhibitions which are really a marketplace for sectors, whether that’s broader energy or something specific like carbon capture or hydrogen, and do business.”

The location of the show, Calgary, represents a new chapter in Canada’s energy sector. Alberta is the heart of the country’s energy sector although it has faced some challenges over the past few years. There is, however, a momentum now in the industry, one creating many dynamic opportunities.

“It’s not quite ground-level, but it’s exploding out here in a great way,” says Samain. “And for anybody who’s in a supply chain, whether it’s manufacturing or allied resources, technology, AI, or anything else, the energy sector has all of that and more, and it touches so many important Canadian industries in the supply chain. I would say, come out and see what it’s all about. It will be worth your while because we are booming in a new era for Canadian energy.”

The post What’s on Show? Just the Entire Energy Value Chain<p class="company">dmg events and The Global Energy Show & Conference</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

Approaching 70 years in business, Archrock is distinctive for its fleet of natural gas compression equipment, certified technicians, unparalleled customer service, safety culture, and forward-thinking sustainability initiatives. Along with long-time partnerships with original equipment manufacturers and distributors, Archrock lives by its motto, “Our Time Is Your Uptime®.”

Superior services
Since its founding in 1954, Archrock has remained committed to providing its customers with the best natural gas compression services possible. Conducting itself with professionalism, honesty, and integrity, Archrock has grown to become America’s compression services leader, operating the largest fleet in the nation, consisting of more than three and a half million horsepower. “Moving gas is what we know,” states the company. “And as the leader in natural gas compression, it’s what we do best.”

Among the company’s many advantages are its decades of firsthand experience, says Eric W. Thode, Senior Vice President, Operations. Part of a dedicated leadership team, Thode’s experience with Archrock goes back to 2004. Serving in different commercial and operations roles, he was promoted to his current position in 2018. “Virtually all our competitors—especially our primary competitors in the industry—have all started since the year 2000,” says Thode. “No company has the decades of experience we have in the industry, and we have relationships with top customers that extend more than 20 years.”

As a compression services company, the bulk of Archrock’s more than 1,000 employees are operations-based, with over 700 of them in Thode’s organizational chart. From field service technicians skilled at working on engines and compressors on location, to shop mechanics getting units back into operations for customers, to supply chain and administrative staff, Archrock’s team can handle any challenges that may arise.

With a customer base that is the who’s who of the oil and gas space, Archrock works with the largest producers and midstream companies in America. As the leading provider of natural gas compression services in the oil and natural gas sector, Archrock focuses on the midstream segment of the market, with its large horsepower compressor stations primarily supporting natural gas gathering operations. Forming partnerships with leading manufacturers like CAT, Ariel, and Waukesha, Archrock serves customers across all major oil and gas plays in the U.S.

Respecting the environment
A good deal of oil and gas service companies talk about sustainable practices and respect for the environment, but Archrock puts those words into action. A great believer in giving back, the company is also investing in helping its customers reduce their environmental footprint.

In March, Archrock published its 2022 Sustainability Report, which detailed its ongoing commitment to the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. At the time of its release, President and Chief Executive Officer Brad Childers stated: “This sustainability report reflects our commitment to aligning our corporate strategy with our purpose to power a cleaner America. This includes maintaining robust governance practices and integrating quantifiable ESG goals into our compensation plans, connecting our employees’ actions to our pursuit of a sustainable future. As the leader in U.S. natural gas compression, we remain dedicated to our critical role in transporting affordable and cleaner energy for the benefit of America and the world, and to continue doing so in a safe and environmentally responsible way.”

Some of the highlights in the 45-page report include Archrock achieving “a 12 percent year-over-year reduction in 2021 Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO₂ emissions intensity,” investment in electric drive compression horsepower, developing a unique patent-pending methane capture technology, and securing minority investment in a methane-emissions monitoring company.

“For years, we’ve been doing the essentials, like recycling and things of that nature,” says Thode, “but an area where we can have a big impact is in electric motor drive packages.” Focusing on large horsepower compressors between 400 hp up to 5,500 hp electric motor drive packages, Archrock keeps adding to its fleet to keep up with customer demand.

In April of 2022, to further its commitment to sustainability, Archrock acquired a minority equity stake in ECOTEC International Holdings LLC (ECOTEC), a worldwide leader in methane notification, identification, and qualification (NIQ). The move will enable ECOTEC to get its products into the oil and gas arena. “They are the only company that has all three aspects of the NIQ,” states Thode. “A lot of companies are into notification, and some are into identification, but no one has a suite of products that deals with notification when there is an issue, identification of the issue, and then the ability to quantify how large the issue is.”

Archrock is investigating how to take methane leaks and put them back into the gas stream. The result is a patent-pending product—known as the Methane Mitigation Skid—that gathers up certain operational losses of methane and re-injects them back into the stream of gases being compressed. Customers can then sell the captured gas that would have otherwise been released into the environment, thereby realizing dual benefits. Additionally, Archrock is looking into CO₂ capture and sequestration.

Closer to home, the company is focused on other ways to preserve the environment. This includes reducing the amount of driving its fleet of vehicles through telematics. A combination of telecommunications and informatics, telematics technology gathers real-time data and uses GPS. Through telematics, Archrock can send the nearest vehicle to customer sites being provided compression services by the company, reducing drive time and saving gas. And through telematics on compression units, the Archrock team monitors pressure, temperature, and more, and can react immediately if there are any issues.

A strong team
In 2022, Archrock was named one of Houston’s Leading Companies in the Houston Chronicle 100, with good reason. Fostering a company culture of respect and work-life balance, Archrock believes in the “whole employee experience.” This includes Friday work from home days at the Houston office and various bonus programs.

In support of the broader community, Archrock’s charitable initiatives include the Houston Food Bank, Toys for Tots, and employees maintaining a two-mile, highly trafficked stretch of a Farm to Market road near its headquarters through Texas’ Adopt-a-Highway program. “The family atmosphere and camaraderie that both garners participation in these charitable endeavors and that is exhibited during them means a lot,” comments Thode. “We always focus on our employees. Great ideas, including each of those employee-sourced charitable opportunities, percolate up from our employee base rather than originating or being mandated from on-high. At Archrock, opinions and ideas count and great ideas are put into action. Archrock employees recognize that and appreciate being a big part in moving the company forward.”

To help start all new field-based employees off on the right foot, Archrock provides a two-week orientation and technical training program before stepping into the field. All aspects of this training are infused with the Archrock safety culture and its Target Zero safety program. A source of pride for Thode, he tells each NAFO (North American Field Orientation) class that the only thing keeping him up at night is making sure that every employee goes home exactly the same way they arrived in the morning.

“Safety is more than a slogan or something we paint on a wall, talk about at a meeting, or put into an annual report,” he says. “I don’t want an employee to even [need to] get a Band-Aid; our Target Zero program is going to make sure we have the policies, procedures, and personal protective equipment (PPE) in place focused on keeping people safe. This includes staff, customers, customer locations, our equipment, our customers’ equipment—I want everything protected every day.”

Future goals
Not content to rest on its soon-to-be 70-year history, Archrock’s executive team continues to build a resilient business to ensure the company’s success in the years to come. This includes further embedding sustainability in the company’s corporate strategy and everything it does.

For customers, Archrock will continue adding electric motor drives to its fleet and evaluating ways to capture and sequester carbon and mitigate methane leaks.

“You can retrofit your current fleet to meet those needs, or you can continue to move into the electric motor drive direction,” explains Thode. “We’re currently exploring parallel paths, because you don’t just replace a billion-plus dollars’ worth of equipment overnight, so that has to be a gradual transition.”

Along with adding additional products and services to its existing contract compression and aftermarket service business, Archrock plans to keep building its team. “We are confident we are the most experienced, most financially sound compression services company in the business, and we intend to continue to build on that.”

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Supported by an extensive network of Certified Distributors, Labrie Environmental Group offers products and support for all customers, including field service representatives, a 24/7 customer support system, repairs, and service and parts through LabriePlus™.

For over 50 years, The Labrie Group has proudly distributed and supported its brands throughout the solid waste industry. These include Labrie™ side loaders, Leach™ rear loaders, and Wittke™ front loaders.

Decades of quality and service
The history of Labrie goes all the way back to 1930, when Equipement Labrie was founded. Wittke Iron Works started light manufacturing of farm implements in 1936. The legacy of Leach goes back even further to 1887, when Elmer Leach started producing logging tools at Oshkosh, under the Oshkosh Logging Tool Company.

Over the years, Labrie, Wittke and Leach introduced many innovative products to the market. In 1947, Leach unveiled the Leach Packmaster for waste collection. For Labrie, 1980 was one of the company’s biggest years on record, when it transitioned from distributor to manufacturer. The early 1980s saw Wittke enter the refuse body business with the Burro, a unique side-loader, followed by the Pegasus and Starlight front loaders about a decade later. And for Labrie, the 1980s and 1990s welcomed the Top Select™, the Labrie Expert 100 front loader, the Labrie 2000, and the Optimizer Front Loader, to name a few.

“Through innovation and timely acquisition, Labrie Environmental Group has built itself into a major force in the North American market, and sports its most advanced and diverse product line ever,” states the company.

When recycling started becoming popular in the early 1980s, the company created a curbside recycler. Used for manual and semi-automated residential recycling collection, the Top Select was the first ever recycling unit built, “and continues to be the most sold unit in its class in North America,” according to the company.

From there, the company continued creating trucks designed to transport solid waste and automated solid waste, primarily concentrating on side-loading vehicles, manual or automated with an arm. After manufacturing products for residential needs, Labrie started working on commercial trucks for refuse management companies, providing them with front loader solutions.

The years to come saw acquisitions of rear-loader brand Leach, and Wittke, known for its front loaders. By 2006, the company had amassed a whole portfolio of products—residential, commercial, side loader, rear loader, front loader—and soon acquired the after-sales division of Federal Signal Corp. (FSC). Stated the company at the time, the transition “positions Labrie as a top-tier North American leader in waste management equipment, in line with our corporate strategy to consolidate our offering within the solid waste management equipment industry.”

Other innovations soon followed, including an e-commerce parts purchasing portal and an online truck configuration tool. This enabled distributors to go online, configure, and order trucks. Shortly after, the company acquired Pendpac and the Pendulum Packer. With a unique ‘pendulum’ technology that moves from three o’clock to six o’clock, then back to three, it is designed to collect solid and organic waste. Unlike trucks from other manufacturers, it is designed so liquids from organic matter are contained inside the truck, instead of spilling onto streets.

“The pendulum is really good for food waste, because it is self-cleaning and watertight, since food waste can be really sloppy,” says Steve De George, Regional Sales Manager. It can be used for solid waste as well, but the watertight and self-cleaning ability is the big advantage. “The liquid content is very high, so you need a body that doesn’t leak.”

Not all trucks are created equal
Throughout its history in the solid waste industry, Labrie Environmental Group has earned a reputation for providing well-designed, long-lasting, and revolutionary products in its three brands, Labrie, Leach and Wittke.

“We are not selling companies, we are selling trucks,” says Marketing Manager François D’Amours of the company, which transitioned from distributor to manufacturer in 1980. “The idea is, we are selling Leach rear loaders, Labrie side loaders, and Wittke front loaders. They each have their own website, each have their own identity, and own brand penetration.”

Purchasing the chassis from other manufacturers, Labrie Environmental Group then manufactures truck bodies. Long before the two are married, modifications are made, including controls, packers, and arm mechanisms. And although some trucks used for hauling trash, compost, or recycling may appear similar, their features are different depending on where they are used and how. A truck navigating narrow alleys, for example, needs to be smaller and have a different type of arm than a truck intended for main roads.

Some municipalities prefer automated trucks, others manual. To make selection easier, The Group and its brands’ websites feature an Application checklist where customers can narrow down their choices by residential, commercials, organics, alleys and tight areas, electric vehicles (EV), compressed natural gas (CNG), and other criteria.

Along with style and vehicle type, there are other factors to consider, such as the truck’s size, and where it will be used. Depending on the location and requirements, truck construction varies. Sunny California is extremely environmentally and weight-conscious, and the state demands lighter-bodied trucks which put less wear and tear on roads. In the middle of the United States, trucks tend to be a bit heavier, and able to transport bigger loads of waste, compost and recyclables. Along the east coast and in cities like New York, where extreme temperatures are the norm, super duty trucks are designed and manufactured specifically for their environment. “It’s a different environment entirely,” explains De George.

Customers not only have individual needs for waste collection, but must also abide by regulations, be they state, provincial, municipal, or national. “We have to adhere to those,” says D’Amours.

Experienced and aware of rules and regulations, Labrie Environmental Group provides clients with a range of non-standard options tailored to their needs, another way in which The Group stands apart from the competition.

“That’s the difference between Labrie Environmental Group and others,” says D’Amours. “We meet the challenge and develop new ideas with our customers, and that creates an innovation cycle. It turns all the time, and it’s been like that since the company started in 1980. Research and development is not only a department here, it is our way of doing business, and sees us develop new innovations that are often copied.”

Through its extensive distributor network—and direct sales in Québec—Labrie Environmental Group sells trucks across North America, and some to international customers. Orders can be for as little as a single truck or as many as 200. The Group’s many distributors also have the means to service trucks, and are supported by the company for training, parts, knowledge, and more. Some distributors have been part of the Labrie Environmental Group family since the 1980s, a testament to the company’s longevity and industry-wide reputation.

While many of the company’s trucks are powered by diesel or CNG, Labrie is seeing an increase in requests for EVs. No matter the type of truck, Labrie Environmental Group and its brands remain committed to meeting the waste collection needs of all customers. Says D’Amours: “Quality, fit, and finish is what we are known for, and a very strong service network behind that.”

The post Often Copied, Never Duplicated<p class="company">Labrie Environmental Group</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

In the United States, the mining industry produces over $80 billion in minerals each year. Along with oil and gas, the resource sector provides millions of direct and indirect jobs globally, lowering trade deficits and generating tax revenue used to build and support hospitals, schools, and public infrastructure.

Even with its countless economic benefits, resource sector industries continue facing challenges. From environmental pressures surrounding decarbonization to geopolitics—the hardships of which increased following Russia’s war on Ukraine and mining companies selling off assets—and the ongoing need for costly investment in machinery, the issues are many.

One of the largest remains the skills shortage. An aging workforce combined with a growing number of retirements and too few younger people taking on positions poses risks to productivity and profitability.

A recent survey from McKinsey & Company revealed 71 percent of mining leaders believe the shortage of talent is preventing them from “delivering on production targets and strategic objectives,” and that to many, mining as a career is “not currently an aspirational industry for young technical talent to join,” with significantly lower enrolment and graduations in mining engineering reported in Australia and the United States.

Describing the current situation as a “talent squeeze,” the survey lists several reasons for the lack of new workers, including workplace culture, concerns about destroying Indigenous cultural sites, and “recent public failures of the industry relating to safety.”

Perception and reality
Even with improved guidelines and technologies, accidents still happen on oil drilling and mine sites. This year alone has witnessed many mine-related incidents, including miners killed or trapped after a series of Colombian coal mines exploded, and workers reported missing after the collapse of an illegal quartzite mine in Rwanda.

In Peru, a fire at a gold mine left 27 dead, making it the worst incident in the country in over 20 years. And recently, over a dozen miners died when flooding collapsed the Talavera mine in Venezuela. Reportedly “operated in a rudimentary approach by informal miners in search of gold,” the mine is in an area known for human rights violations.

While some may say these tragedies are happening in developing nations where safety standards are subpar, that’s not always the case. In April, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) reported a staggering 355 safety violations during special inspections of 20 mines in 15 states. In one case, a single mine received 67 citations.

Along with greater sensitivities to environmental issues—and the perception that resource sector work is invariably dirty and difficult—such safety concerns make it harder to recruit fresh talent. Younger persons entering the workforce are more aware of safety issues in the resource sector than ever before.

Another sector that’s finding hiring increasingly difficult is forestry, which is not without its own safety challenges. These include working in extreme heat or cold, high risk of falls on uneven terrain, biological hazards from animals, plants, and insects, and the dangers of operating chainsaws and other equipment. And like mining, oil and gas, coal, forestry, and logging, the pulp and paper sector is also finding it challenging to recruit new workers.

Addressing—and preventing—burnout
Along with a lack of new recruits, the resource sector presents unique challenges to its existing workers. Working in remote locations distant from family and friends, and often putting in long shifts, resource sector workers are prone to stress, sleeplessness, feelings of isolation and depression, and physical and mental exhaustion. Physically, there is the risk of workplace injuries and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from repetitive tasks. To cope, some employees, men and women alike, may turn to substance abuse in the form of drugs and alcohol or other risky self-medication.

Some resource sector workers face other issues. A 2021 study conducted by Virginia’s Black Lung Clinic at Stone Mount Health Services resulted in calls for better mental health provisions. This came after the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine reported that over a third of current and former miners with black lung are dealing with depression. More than one in 10 of those surveyed also said they have considered suicide.

Even with organizations focused on making work safer, such as the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), physical and mental risks remain. However, good progress has been made with tools such as safety training and protective equipment to protect the body; and, now, more resource sector companies are creating programs to support mental health.

In Canada, one of the most recent was implemented for workers at the Detour Lake Mine in Ontario. Since it was introduced, the mental health program has expanded to the company’s offices in Timmins and its Macassa mine in Kirkland Lake.

Helping resource sector workers cope with mental and physical stress is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach since all issues are unique. Fortunately, there is an increased awareness of the challenges that come from working in the sector, and companies are taking a more active role, starting at the corporate level.

PPE for body and mind
One of the biggest hurdles is overcoming the stigma of needing help for mental health. Just as bodies are outfitted with personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, helmets, and boots, the mind must be equally protected. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways.

Some companies are championing employee-driven programs, tapping into the experiences of long-time workers who themselves struggled with job site depression, anxiety, or anger issues. These programs, which often take the form of weekly meetings held in a supportive, non-judgmental environment, allow staff members to speak freely about their challenges and be assured they are not alone.

Along with tapping into internal assistance, more resource companies are using experts from organizations like Workplace Safety North (WSN). A not-for-profit association, WSN was established by the Ontario government and serves to “provide approved health and safety training and services to the mining and forest products industries,” according to its website.

One of the strengths of WSN is providing mental health awareness training for new worker orientation programs. Other groups, including the non-profit Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), also provide programs, resources, and advocacy supporting mental health, and they work to challenge perceptions in the industry.

The resource sector is at a point unlike any other in its history, one bursting with contradictions. On the one hand, there is a worldwide push for carbon reduction, greater respect for nature, and a cleaner environment. On the other, the need to feed the demand for electric vehicle (EV) production and its associated minerals means that even a greener future will still necessitate mining and other extractive processes.

The challenge, then, is to provide the workers in these industries with the utmost in care, safety, and appropriate protections. The future of PPE is promising, combining AI with technologies like wireless methane sensors, proximity detection systems, temperature, heart rate, and respiration sensors, and more. The next step is making sure that we are safeguarding workers’ mental health as well as the physical.

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Fair to say that this most vital sector of the world’s economy is presently in a ferment, with numerous big questions arising, and none yet fully answered.

So, in its 55^th year, the Global Energy Show Exhibition & Conference should be unmissable. It’s the forum for attendees to engage, network, and learn about sustainability strategies, new cleantech initiatives and decarbonization; attend lively and engaging roundtable discussions and presentations by industry experts and influencers; and meet others to share global energy challenges and solutions.

Discussing this year’s upcoming show, Nick Samain leaves no doubt about how enthusiastic he is. As Senior Vice President for the Calgary location of global exhibitions and publishing company dmg events, Samain says the name of the upcoming exhibition was changed from the Global Petroleum Show to the Global Energy Show in 2020 in light of energy sector changes and the need for cleaner technology and reduced emissions.

“All that put together has transformed the show floor of the global energy show, and it’s done so in some important and exciting ways,” he says.

Driving discussion
The Global Energy Show Exhibition & Conference is North America’s only comprehensive, integrated energy event. Of the promise of this year’s show, dmg events says, “As no single source of energy can meet the increased global energy demand, the Global Energy Show is where Canada demonstrates its vision and leadership by bringing the right people together to meet global challenges with real-world solutions.”

Enormously proud of the representation of oil and gas at the event, the organizers are also aware that large petroleum-based producers with international operations are leaders in a changing industry, shifting their businesses and growth toward sustainable hydrocarbon production and lowering carbon emissions. In Canada, for example, the six largest oil-sands producers created Pathways Alliance (pathwaysalliance.ca), committing themselves to both supplying global energy needs and achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

And it’s no coincidence that the Show is being held at Calgary’s BMO Centre at Stampede Park. Renowned for its oil and gas production, Alberta is also home to the 3,300-acre Travers Solar Project—the largest in Canada—and is seeing considerable investment in renewables.

“Overall, it speaks to the theme of the Global Energy Show,” says Samain, adding that the need to meet energy demands is no longer a “this” or “that” discussion about petroleum versus renewables. “I think we need to recognize that no single source of energy can meet the world’s demands. The world has changed a bit. Does LNG displace coal in other parts of the region, and can we make it as clean as possible in Canada? Yes, we can,” he says.

“And those are the types of debates and discussions that happen at the Global Energy Show, because they need to happen, and they need to happen face-to-face, so this event has an opportunity to influence things like policy and investment.”

With great power…
In Canada, we are fortunate to have an abundance of energy and resources, but the same cannot be said for many others around the globe. The country has a responsibility to be a leader in responsible power production, and the Global Energy Show is the ideal B2B exhibition and conference.

Welcoming representatives from over 111 countries, the event (from June 13-15) is a place to have conversations about Canadian energy and our supply chain with an international audience, and gain—and give—new perspectives that may lead to positive changes.

“It’s three days of really supercharging that industry and that’s how we plan the show, with a day-after approach,” says Samain.

“A year out, we get our governing body members together and say, ‘it’s the day after, let’s put our minds there right now. What’s happened? What were the important discussions? What’s that feeling I‘m going to get, walking the Global Energy Show?’ It’s the next 20 years of energy, and the greatest general moonshot opportunity that we’ve got.”

The entire value chain
Billed as North America’s only exhibition featuring the entire value chain, the Global Energy Show is the largest B2B exhibition and conference of its kind. It’s a place where energy industry pros gather and talk about the global energy transition, the role of all energy resources, and the latest innovations and technologies.

This year, the exhibition show floor will host over 600 exhibitors spread over five exhibition halls and an outdoor zone. Along with the exhibition, the event features a strategic and technical conference, and special presentations like the Global Energy Show Awards, the Plug and Play Innovation Theatre, the Emissions Reduction Theatre, and much more.

Over 30,000 participants are expected to attend, along with 22,500 companies doing business. The 2023 strategic conference will discuss topics such as the vital role of oil and gas in a functioning economy, cleantech investments and renewable energy, and the potential of hydrogen to power our lives. And experts and industry leaders at The Global Energy Technical Conference will discuss the future of energy and technology.

The Top 3 Strategic Conference Panels, meanwhile, will discuss Balancing the International Scales: Do Unsettling Geopolitical Situations Threaten the Energy Transition?; Nuclear, The Myth, The Legend; and The Great Carbon Capture Debate—A Real Solution or Another Way to Extend the Use of Fossil Fuels?

Moderated by industry experts, Interactive Roundtable Discussions will focus on a range of specific technical topics, such as Clean Energy Ecosystems: Is it Possible to Achieve Net Zero by 2035?; New Transformative Tech to Decarbonize the Energy Sector; Scaling and Growing the Hydrogen Market: The Challenges versus the Opportunities; and Challenges and Opportunities for CCUS [carbon capture, utilization and storage] Commercialization.

All sessions will be recorded, and full conference delegates will have access to the library for six months.

“There are two conferences,” explains Samain, “but at that main strategic conference, you can expect premiers to be speaking, international Ministers that regularly speak on the stage; real experts and leaders in industry such as presidents and CEOs of different international companies, as well as leaders here in energy like Dan Balaban, CEO of Greengate. The mix of speakers is back to that matrix of energy, no single source. All roads lead back to electricity.”

Back to in-person
Headquartered in Dubai, UAE since 1989, dmg events is behind 84 events in 24 countries, with some events drawing over 150,000 attendees. When COVID hit in March 2020, dmg, like many large event organizers, thought it was temporary.

In-person, face-to-face events—the foundation of the company—kept being pushed to later dates until 2022, which became the first full year that dmg could again mount all the events in its calendar. 2023 is the second year that dmg is operating on its regular cycle, which is vital for the Global Energy Show, since it attracts domestic and international visitors.

“We need people because we are different from many conference producers,” says Samain. “All of our events always have a large exhibition attached to them, and exhibitors want to see people, busy aisles, and qualified attendance, especially conference delegates. We say, ‘An educated buyer is an empowered buyer.’ So they go to conferences, learn about a new technology, a new market, or investment opportunities, and go into the exhibitions which are really a marketplace for sectors, whether that’s broader energy or something specific like carbon capture or hydrogen, and do business.”

The location of the show, Calgary, represents a new chapter in Canada’s energy sector. Alberta is the heart of the country’s energy sector although it has faced some challenges over the past few years. There is, however, a momentum now in the industry, one creating many dynamic opportunities.

“It’s not quite ground-level, but it’s exploding out here in a great way,” says Samain. “And for anybody who’s in a supply chain, whether it’s manufacturing or allied resources, technology, AI, or anything else, the energy sector has all of that and more, and it touches so many important Canadian industries in the supply chain. I would say, come out and see what it’s all about. It will be worth your while because we are booming in a new era for Canadian energy.”

The post What’s on Show? Just the Entire Energy Value Chain<p class="company">dmg events and The Global Energy Show & Conference</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

Agriculture and agri-food are vital contributors to the country’s economy, employing an estimated 2.1 million people, and generating Can $134.9 billion, approximately 6.8 percent of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP).

To achieve this, many of the country’s 189,874 farms, whether small or large, use chemical fertilizers to enrich their soil, provide plant nutrition, and increase crop yields. Used for decades, some chemical fertilizers contain potassium, ammonium phosphate, and nitrogen, used in the formation of protein.

So the Government of Canada’s announcement that it was targeting a 30 percent reduction in nitrous oxide emissions from synthetic nitrogen fertilizer by 2030 to reduce greenhouse gases met a fiery reaction from farmers and associations like the Alberta Wheat Commission.

Calling for greater clarity, the Commission said the 2030 target “has fueled confusion and frustration due to a lack of clarity on what will be measured and how,” adding that farmers were not consulted over the proposed nitrogen reduction, which is aimed at “what seems to be an arbitrary and unachievable target.”

Some, like Joshua Day Chief, CEO at AdvancedAg, and son of the founder, Dr. Phyllis Day Chief, believe farmers suspected that limiting nitrogen in fertilizers was inevitable, but there was uncertainty over when it would happen.

“I felt a lot of farmers knew something like this was coming,” says Day Chief. “And whether or not they thought it was going to be federally mandated—even for their own farms—they knew what they were doing for years wasn’t sustainable. It just wasn’t.”

The future of farming
Described as “A family-owned Canadian business to the core,” AdvancedAg was created in 2016, yet the roots of the company go much deeper than that. Beginning long before the company—and its unique focus on using innovative, cutting-edge biology to improve soil and water health—even existed, founder Dr. Phyllis Day Chief worked at Alberta’s Lethbridge College as a technical writing instructor for almost 35 years.

Working with other entrepreneurs across North America, Phyllis saw a new technology being developed out of Cleveland, Ohio, for cleaning wastewater and ponds. Approaching the supplier, she asked if anyone in Canada was working with the product. The supplier replied by asking her why would anyone want to treat bodies of water that are frozen half the year.

Through her college connections, Phyllis met Cal Koskowich, Industrial Technology Advisor at National Research Council Canada, and formed a partnership with Lethbridge College’s Aquaculture Centre of Excellence.

“During the early stages of our business, we partnered with them, and the research we were doing turned out to be quite important,” says Day Chief. Now 36, Joshua remembers helping at AdvancedAg as a kid, moving boxes and getting a feel for the Indigenous-owned business and its research. Later, attending Lethbridge College and graduating from the Environmental Assessment and Restoration program, he briefly worked in the reclamation industry before entering the family’s business full-time in 2014.

“It was mom and I, and we were focused on water treatment at the time, setting up presentations to talk to municipalities,” he says. “Our bacteria are capable of so many things depending on how we grow them, but we decided we wanted to focus on water remediation—large lake and storm pond remediation for municipalities—rather than spread ourselves too thin,” says Day Chief.

Growth throughout Canada
Making annual trips to Cleveland to meet with their head scientist and suppliers, AdvancedAg was shown a biotechnology that was being used on high-value crops such as pineapples, avocados, aloe vera, and bananas, centred mainly in developing countries where crops were treated with backpack sprayers.

However, the company also knew that the research it was conducting, and the bacteria it was culturing for large-scale operations, were relevant to Canadian crops and conditions. So, the next year, AdvancedAg applied the technology to a farm and saw positive results right away.

Partnering with several third-party consulting agencies and research centres to get replicated trial work done on the crop side of things soon saw data come back. “It was incredible how the bacteria were responding in the soil, producing larger plants and roots and increasing overall biomass, which was leading to healthier crops,” says Day Chief.

“So that’s really where it all started. Being here in Canada, in such a small, tight-knit community of agriculture—I’d say not just in the prairies, but across Canada coast-to-coast—you’re probably only a couple of people away from knowing everyone in the agriculture industry.”

Word about the company and its results spread quickly, and Day Chief was approached by farmers who said they wanted to focus on their soil health and soil biology—that they had hit a wall. Already using too many expensive chemical fertilizers and synthetic products, they were compelled to use more and more to get better crops.

Soon, circumstances prompted them to begin envisaging AdvancedAg as a leader in improving soil and water through 100 percent natural, organic-certified products, supported by decades of research and innovation. “Since 2016, we now have about 50 locations brewing our bacteria across the country,” Day Chief says, “and we have a couple in the U.S. as well. It’s really taken off for us.”

In 2020, AdvancedAg won the Environmental Stewardship Award, as well as the Technology and Innovation Award in 2022 at the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Awards. The company is now being considered by the Alberta Chamber of Commerce for the Indigenous Business of Distinction Award.

Natural by nature
The team at AdvancedAg sees a day soon when its all-natural bacteria products are widely available—ideal for both small and large farming operations, parks and recreation, golf courses, water treatment, and home and garden. AdvancedAg has recently launched a retail division for customers outside of large-scale agriculture called A*LIVE Bio. The company is now in many SiteOne Landscape Supply locations, helping customers create more vibrant and healthier lawns, gardens and flowers.

“It’s not just farmers that need a better way to grow things,” says Day Chief. “Other people want that too, to put something on their lawn or garden that’s safe enough to have your kids or dogs run right through it after applying. With a lot of chemical fertilizers, they can’t do that. We’re seeing huge growth on the retail side as well.” (As an aside for home gardeners, Day Chief notes that the product also works well to repair dog urine burns on grass.)

At present, the company’s line of eco-friendly “A*LIVE” bioproducts are available at 15 SiteOne locations in Western Canada and should soon be in other stores across the country.

“A consortium of function-focused microbes”
The bacteria in AdvancedAg’s ACF-SR “perform key functions in the soil, including fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere, solubilizing essential nutrients, such as phosphorus and potassium, and producing phytohormones, which provide the full spectrum of plant growth promoting (PGP) functions in the soil,” according to the company.

“Yet it isn’t a fertilizer that you apply to your lawn and it’s lush in a day or two,” emphasizes Day Chief. “It can sometimes take a couple weeks. We’re fixing the soil for improved root development so plants can grow healthier for longer, using sustainable practices and technology.” He also says the company is moving away from the word “bacteria,” using “microbes” instead, since bacteria seem to have a negative connotation for some.

“What we’re using is a consortium of function-focused microbes,” says Day Chief. “Each species of microbes we use has one or many functions for plant growth. And when we use similar ones for water treatment, each one of those species has a function for nutrient cycling, like breaking down solids, or outcompeting algae for food,” he explains.

“It’s just incredible how we are able to train these bugs. We put them through a series of tests so we know what they’re going to do when we apply them, and that’s also something that separates us from many other biological products.”

Saving money and nurturing growth
Along with being better for the environment and free from chemicals, AdvancedAg’s products are considerably cheaper than fertilizer, resulting in cost-savings for farmers and other customers.

“Even if we are able to achieve the same yields as farmers had before, but they’re cutting back 20 percent of their fertilizer, that’s money in their pocket,” he says. “We also know the quality of the crops is much higher, and long-term, it’s also an investment in their soil, so their kids can take over the farm in a better spot than where their parents and grandparents left it.”

Through AdvancedAg’s products, farmers are saving money and nurturing future growth by building root development and increasing available nutrients in the soil, seeing better results year after year.

“The farmers who have used ACF for multiple years are seeing better results than the first year,” says Day Chief. “We’re really changing things in the soil, so it’s more of a regenerative approach, compared to historically, where farmers were putting down so many pounds of fertilizer and hoping for big yields that year.”

Along with improving overall soil conditions for farmers, AdvancedAg’s products are being used by municipalities to improve the condition of water in storm retention ponds, which are used to collect nutrients and waste. “You have green spaces, parks, baseball fields, people’s lawns. We know that only roughly 40 percent of all nitrogen applied to any type of crop is used by the plant; 60 percent of that runs off into our water, and about 50 percent of phosphorus is used by the plant, so these fertilizers aren’t very efficient,” Day Chief explains.

“We know that by using bacteria and utilizing what’s already in the soil and atmosphere—as opposed to putting something on—plants are going to use nutrients efficiently and we’re going to have zero harmful runoff at all,” he says.

AdvancedAg isn’t out to replace synthetic products such as fertilizer—which is extremely important, although it has had bad press in the mainstream media. The issue, says Day Chief, is that producers have become over-reliant on synthetic chemicals because there has been a lack of options to meet yield requirements.

“We are just hoping to create more of a balance, and we know we can cut back [on fertilizer] and put something else in place where we’re going to get a better long-term result,” he says. “It’s a balance. I think agriculture, and the way we’ve been fertilizing and using chemicals, has been way off balance over the last 50 years.”

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“Our sustainability program is based on three pillars: environment, social, and governance,” says New Age’s COO Josh Urlacher. Last year saw the release of the company’s second annual Sustainability Report, where the company highlights its many impressive initiatives.

Through special designated collection bins, New Age has diverted thousands of aerosol cans from landfill, these being sent instead to a facility that can properly recycle them. In the past few years, about a ton of wood pallets and spools have been repurposed, with local artisans transforming them into tables, chairs, and outdoor porch furniture. And instead of it taking up space, the company has recycled 148,000 pounds of steel.

“These are mostly downhole items that could end up in landfill, or sitting in customer lay-down yards onsite, rusting away,” says Urlacher. Believing even modest changes make a big difference, the company’s switch to hand dryers in its facility has brought a 25 percent reduction in paper towel use. And by using half a dozen digital apps and making fewer colour copies, the company has saved thousands of sheets of paper.

Ethics and safety
Making positive changes benefits not only New Age but its many customers. Focused on the economy and business ethics of the industry—including recycling and reuse—the company introduced a successful clamp refurbishment program in its shop. “We sell our customers new clamps,” says Urlacher, “but we also push the reuse of these products.”

Working with two of the world’s biggest clamp / protector manufacturers, New Age maintains a large inventory of new and refurbished clamps, along with tubing, instrumentation, and cables.

“Customer clamp refurbishment increased over seven percent from the previous year,” says the company in its Sustainability Report. “The more we refurb, the less impact on the environment for New Age and our customers, a partnership in reducing the impacts of mining for raw materials. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is not just a catchy tagline, it’s an action!” Through specialized testing and in-house engineering, New Age proves to customers they can reuse clamps a set number of times based on scientific data gained from their clamp testing equipment.

“We all see that the direction the industry is heading,” says Urlacher. “COVID kind of put oil and gas in focus again. All eyes are on the industry, and it’s time to take a look at our practices and try to create awareness among employees about what we’re doing, and what we can do better, to be a sustainable part of society. So we include our staff,” he says. “The report is created by a few people, and we have regular meetings throughout the year where we pull staff from all divisions to get involved, and provide ideas and suggestions.”

Safety, like sustainability, is integral to New Age’s beliefs and practices. With full-time safety staff, the company prides itself on a top-tier safety program comparable to much larger oilfield service businesses.

“At New Age Oilfield, we believe that safety is an integral part of the company’s operations,” says President Mark Rhodenizer. To date, the New Age has an impressive Certificate of Recognition (COR) Audit score of 97 percent, and well over 2000 days since its last lost-time accident.

With memberships in ISNetworld (ISN), Avetta, Partnerships in Injury Reduction, and other safety-related organizations, New Age practices the old saying, “Safety is everyone’s responsibility.”

This includes managers, supervisors, all employees, and others on job sites, and encompasses everything from identifying safety requirements to communicating and investigating hazardous conditions; providing competency training and taking part in safety training programs; wearing personal protective equipment (PPE); and much more.

“When you’re in the oil patch, safety is number one,” says Rhodenizer, “and we need to maintain a safety program that ensures our employees return home safe from every job, and above industry standard safety stats that make us attractive to our customers. Many of our customers use online safety monitoring platforms that are even managed outside the country. If our stats meet the approval of those monitoring companies, we are free to work for the oil companies, so in the interest of providing our employees a safe place to work and the workload to support steady growth, focus and attention on our safety program must be paramount.”

With an all-inclusive training and competency program, new employees benefit from multiple in-person and online training courses and orientation programs from oil companies. This ensures they get a good background in New Age’s safety requirements before even setting foot on a rig site. Even customers and new crews are provided training on installing clamps and the safe handling of ESP power cables that transmit power to the downhole ESP equipment.

Engineering in-house
Primarily focused on Alberta and Southeast Saskatchewan, New Age’s coverage area also includes Northern British Columbia and Southwest Manitoba.

To further meet client demand, the company created its own in-house engineering department in 2017 after hiring Peter Lang, New Age’s Vice President of Engineering. Previously, the company had third-partied its engineering support but realized it needed more as it grew, including equipment design, builds, and continuous improvement on servicing equipment. When Lang became available around 2016, they knew the timing was right.

“Having engineering capabilities allows us to be a one-stop shop in many cases with our clients,” says Rhodenizer. “It also allows our customers to discuss conceptual ideas with our team, knowing that from all angles New Age has them covered. The other big benefit is that our customers do not have to deal with multiple companies to get the same result, which we know can lead to more invested time, higher cost, and open up room for overlap or errors.”

Growing to a staff of 60 , New Age’s varied talent pool includes employees with experience in mechanical engineering, artificial lift (including ESPs and pump jacks), electrical, production testing, cementing, downhole oil tools, and other relevant areas.

Perks for new employees include hiring and referral bonuses, company-paid benefits, and an RSP program. The way the company treats its staff and customers has resulted in a solid retention rate and great reviews.

“Our reputation exists in this field because we’re focused on quality, providing quality trained employees and products, and having our equipment look 100 percent at all times,” says Rhodenizer. “Oil companies have hired our competitors, but when we show up on site, it’s a big difference for them.”

Space age
In 2020, New Age built its own 10,500-square-foot full Heavy and Light Duty Maintenance shop. This way, the company doesn’t waste time, money, and fuel delivering units to third party shops. “We also have our own wash bay in our main shop so our field employees can wash their units upon returning after their jobs are completed. By doing this, we also lower our risk because it’s less unnecessary travelling, with lower wait times and cost savings,” adds Rhodenizer.

“In 2017 we went from a 12,000-square-foot shop to a 26,000-square-foot shop and we house all our divisions in one location, which allows us for future growth, for future service offerings, and we’ve been focusing on efficiency because of it. It also increases our on-site reliability and reduces potential loss of jobs.”

Recently, New Age expanded into pump jack servicing and is working on transformer refurbishment. Until now, step-up transformers for ESP were often left in a field and forgotten after being used. To address this, the company is purchasing, refurbishing, testing, and supplying these warrantied refurbished units, making them look and function like new.

Patent success
Along with servicing and rebuilding pump jacks, New Age has also designed a locking sleeve for fittings downhole, and thermal applications to deal with heating, expansion, and contraction experienced on SAGD (steam-assisted gravity drainage) wells.

“We were recognizing some failures that were occurring because of this, so we designed a locking sleeve apparatus that slides over the fitting and makes it impossible for the fitting to come loose,” says Rhodenizer. “That’s in the works of becoming patented. And we also have our encapsulated multi-point thermocouple strings, pressure rated wellhead systems. We manufacture and test these in Leduc, and install them on our winter observation well projects for all of our heavy oil customers, who utilize the temperature sensor arrays for reservoir monitoring. That way, our customers have multi-point temperature readings throughout their observation wells in a small and durable package.”

As the privately-owned company looks forward to turning 20 next year, the team is looking forward to what the future will bring.

“Our business is very diverse,” says Rhodenizer. “Based on requests over the years, we’ll continue to be diverse. Any time we’ve grown, it’s because a customer called us and said ‘Can you do this?’ and we would take it back to the table and discuss it and ‘Yes, actually, we can do that.’ And here we are.”

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Researchers and inventors have experimented with different batteries, some more successful than others. In 1859, French physicist Gaston Planté devised the lead-acid battery. Although he didn’t invent it—that honour goes to Wilhelm Josef Sinsteden just five years earlier—Planté improved on the original by adding extra plates, making the battery commercially viable.

Pioneering technology
Building on Sinsteden’s and Planté’s work, others made improvements to lead-acid batteries. One of them was Camille Alphonse Faure. A French chemical engineer, Faure increased the capacity of batteries. This not only saw lead-acid batteries begin to be made on a large scale in 1881, but it was the beginning of the rechargeable batteries used in automobiles. Versions of this battery are still being used in cars today.

Continuing to evolve, rechargeable batteries, as compared to their single-use cousins, are meant to be charged, discharged, and recharged again and again. Over time, various versions have emerged, including nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), lithium-ion (Li-ion), and many others.

As Li-ion, NiMH, solid-state batteries (SSB), and other types of rechargeable batteries gain popularity because of their energy efficiency, users are also benefiting from lower discharge levels, increased range, faster charging, and other considerations.

Reducing emissions
In a similar way to what’s happening in the auto sector with EVs, the resource sector, mining in particular, is turning away from equipment powered by diesel or other fossil fuel, and moving toward rechargeable battery power.

A key reason for the shift is pollution. Unlike gas-fueled trucks, mining drills, and other equipment, battery-powered vehicles do not spew greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) like carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

While there is always the counter-argument to be made by citing the mining of minerals for EC batteries like lithium, nickel and cobalt itself being responsible for GHG, the numbers of electric vehicles continue to grow. Worldwide, mining companies and others in the resource sector are embracing electrification to slash harmful CO₂ emissions. One such mining site is the Jansen Potash Project. Located about 140 kilometres (87 miles) east of Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, the project is slated to “be one of the world’s largest and most sustainable potash mines,” according to multinational mining, metals, and natural gas petroleum giant BHP.

Last year, Normet Canada was awarded a contract from BHP for the delivery of an extensive fleet of multi-use, battery-electric vehicles (BEV) for the Jansen project. A leader in innovative technology, Normet’s offerings include underground mining and tunnelling services and equipment, chemicals for construction and Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), rock reinforcement, products, and more.

“BHP aims to develop the underground mining equipment and automation solutions with a focus on sustainability,” says Normet in a media release.

“Emissions reduction, improved productivity and advanced health and welfare of employees were key inputs to BHP Jansen’s decision to adopt BEV technology. With the mine’s pursuit of electrification of mobile equipment and technology that mitigates natural gas emission, Janseni will emit about half the average CO₂ per tonne of product compared to the average Saskatchewan potash mine.”

In other words, through the use of these heavy-duty EVs, CO₂ emissions on the Jansen site will be reduced by 50 percent compared to the average.

Delivery of the new BEVs is slated to extend into 2024, with production set to commence in 2026. Considering that the Saskatchewan-based site is predicted to be in operation for a century, the purchase represents a bold step forward for electric vehicle technology in Canada.

Making the switch
One of the world’s largest mining, metals, and natural gas companies, BHP is far from alone in making the switch to electric vehicles and battery-powered equipment like drill rigs in the interests of decarbonization and sustainable development.

Backed by US$400 million in investment in its climate investment program, the company is actively working to lower its emissions, and on low carbon steelmaking. During the 2020 calendar year, the company’s investment in energy transition hit US$501.3 billion, the highest level to date—and switching to EVs represents a big part of BHP’s change.

“One of the mega-trends expected to shape our long-run operating environment is the electrification of transport,” says Dr. Huw McKay, Vice President of Market Analysis and Economics, on a section of the company’s website dedicated to the electrification of transport.

Two and a half years before the 2019 post, BHP spoke about the “bullish outlook for electric vehicles,” which slowed for a time because of COVID-19. Although delayed by the pandemic, BHP and many other resource-sector companies are back on track in their pursuit of electrification.

Mine sites worldwide, especially underground operations, continue investing in EVs and battery-powered machinery to lower their carbon footprint. In 2022, analytics and consulting company GlobalData Plc detailed the rise in mining investment in electrification as the industry transitions to cleaner technologies.

This includes the presence of 157 electric loaders (LHDs) and 45 electric trucks operating in the world’s underground mines, in locations including Canada, Russia, Sweden, and Australia, an increase of 20 from 2021.

Newly formed Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (a merger of Kirkland Lake Gold and Agnico Eagle) reportedly had the most LHDs and trucks in operation with 49 (combined), “including 27 battery or electric-powered LHDs and 17 battery-powered underground mining trucks at its Macassa mine in Canada,” says GlobalData.

The rising popularity of EVs in underground mine operations is fully justified. Electric vehicles not only reduce greenhouse gases, but they are quieter than their diesel-powered counterparts, do not run as hot, and have fewer parts than traditional equipment. Especially important are the health and safety benefits.

Regular diesel engines produce significant quantities of noxious gases and submicron aerosols, including CO₂, CO, NOX and hydrocarbons (HC). To counteract these gases and the exposure of workers to them in underground mines, costly ventilation systems are needed to increase the flow of air, dilute harmful gases, reduce dust, and regulate temperature.

Providing electricity to power these ventilation systems is a significant expense for mine operators. In the Hard Rock Miner’s Handbook, author Jack de la Vergne wrote, “The highest operating cost to provide contemporary mine ventilation is the electrical energy for the fans, which typically represents more than one-third of the entire electrical power cost for a typical underground mine.”

Since EVs operating underground don’t create harmful emissions, about 40 to 50 percent less ventilation is required, and the power that would be used for ventilation can instead charge EVs and equipment.

Mining and resource sector companies, large and small, are embracing EVs for their reliability, safety, and drastically reduced emissions compared to diesel-fueled vehicles. One of the world’s biggest mining companies, Glencore, placed an order last summer for battery-electric mining equipment from Sweden’s Epiroc, one of the country’s most prominent mining and infrastructure-equipment manufacturers.

The new fleet will be used at Glencore’s nickel and copper mine, Onaping Depth Project, in Ontario, Canada. “Glencore is taking a major leap forward in the mining industry by going all-electric with its Onaping Depth Project,” said Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO in a media release. “We’re excited to collaborate with Glencore and deliver battery-electric vehicles and automation features on their journey to build a mine of the future.”

164 years after Gaston Planté’ created the first practical electric storage battery, versions of his invention are ‘coming to power’ in every kind of vehicle everywhere. Undoubtedly, he would be pleased to see just how far his technology reaches today.

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At many of Germany and France’s historic Christmas markets, revellers felt something was decidedly less festive than in previous years.

Fragrant evergreens had fewer multi-coloured lights. Huge artificial ice rinks, a standard of outdoor seasonal festivals for decades, were closed in some cases or replaced with ice-free roller rinks. And stay-up-late partying crowds found that decorated streets, stalls, bars, and restaurants shut down early. The holiday season was not the same.

In a post on his LinkedIn page and in remarks to the press, Martin Cohen, Deputy Mayor of the French City of Tours and responsible for energy and the environment, said that the reason for substituting the popular man-made ice rink with roller skating was the cost of electricity.

Just a few years earlier, in 2020, the price tag for keeping the ice rink going was 15,000 Euros (USD 16,300); after shrinking the rink’s size the following year, the figure dropped to 7,500 Euros, some USD 8,150. Although less expensive, the decision was made to eliminate the ice risk entirely for 2022.

To some, the Deputy Mayor of Tours seemed more like The Grinch than Santa Claus when he insisted that there was no sense keeping the artificial ice frozen “just to maintain a sense of Christmas,” adding that the magical vision of the holidays—massive trees adorned with thousands of lights, and twinkling displays—was a thing of the past, and it was time that “some elements have to evolve.”

The price of war
For a nation already on high alert and fearing power shortages during the coldest months, Cohen’s views, shared by many other European politicians, were met with everything from grudging acceptance to outrage. This was Christmas after all, and families felt they deserved merriment.

Slowly emerging from the doom and gloom of COVID, Europeans faced economic uncertainty over Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine. Now, after years of pandemic-related closures and job losses, the realities of not having enough gas to keep furnaces going added to the misery.

Along with France and Germany—the latter of which, by some estimates, received about 55 percent of its natural gas from Russia before the attacks on Ukraine—the United Kingdom is facing another hurdle: the price of power. Already struggling with fewer customers and not enough staff, many UK pubs and other businesses fighting to survive in a post-pandemic climate are now dealing with unaffordable electricity bills.

Newspapers and TV stations broadcast that businesses would be paying a staggering four times more for power than they’d paid in 2020. For many pub owners, the challenge meant covering some or all of the increase themselves, charging much more for a pint and risking alienating customers, or padlocking the door and declaring bankruptcy.

For Germany, the combination of rising fuel prices and limited natural gas supplies continues to take a brutal toll. Limited natural gas supply and the standoff over closing the Nord Stream 1 pipeline from Russia are impacting homeowners and businesses alike. Especially hard-hit are the country’s manufacturers. Long dependent on unlimited sources of energy, a lack of natural gas and price spikes have seen paper companies—who consume massive amounts of natural gas during the drying process—forced to close shop or transition.

One of the oldest, Hakle, began the process of self-administrating insolvency last year and began exploring the use of waste coffee grounds to keep production afloat. Others, such as the Engelbert Schlechtrimen family bakery in Cologne, Germany, were forced to close forever. Surviving The Great Depression, World War II, and countless recessions over 90 years, the owners said they simply could not afford to keep the ovens on any longer.

Energy insecurity
In the past few years, terms like “food insecurity” and “energy insecurity” have been making the rounds for good reasons: people are worried not only about their future but about the present in the United States and Canada. Inflation rates are spiking, along with higher prices for everything from gas to groceries, leading many to question how and where they’re spending their money.

And while protecting the environment remains a critical issue, some are questioning the cost and timing of imposing carbon taxes during a recession.

While some dispute the capital “R” word, choosing instead to qualify our present predicament as a lower-case “moderate recession,” there is no doubt that North America is in murky financial waters. With the Bank of Canada recently raising interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.50 percent—coming after seven consecutive rate hikes in 2022—and with the U.S. Federal Reserve likely to follow suit, people are scared.

For many forced to cash in their savings, borrow from the banks, or rack up credit card debt to pay for groceries and utility bills, goals of early retirement are evaporating. As if that wasn’t enough, utility prices are increasing. The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) recently approved changes to Enbridge Gas rates, with the customer charge increased to $23.98 a month. Add to that the Federal Carbon Charge of 9.79 cents per cubic metre, which increases annually each April. Multinational pipeline and energy provider Enbridge minced no words in stating clearly: “All of the money collected for this charge goes to the government.”

For homeowners, businesses, and manufacturers across Canada, the timing of these increases could not possibly be worse. In Someone Tell Trudeau: Energy is now about security, a recent opinion piece in the Financial Post, the author said that energy security has replaced climate change. “The world is not going back to the kumbaya days of the Kyoto and Paris climate accords,” wrote Ted Morton, Alberta’s former finance and energy minister.

The crunch is coming?
In Europe, the high price of gas has driven many countries into a recession and economists are wondering how soon it will be before North America feels the crunch. In a report issued last year, the Royal Bank of Canada predicted the country will face an energy shortage as soon as 2026, “and must decide between various energy sources, including eliminating gas altogether from the grid,” according to RBC Capital Markets.

The big question is: how can Canada’s federal government balance the country’s energy needs with its climate strategies and ensure citizens and businesses don’t go broke in the process?

In June 2021, The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act became law, and “enshrines in legislation Canada’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050,” according to the Federal Government. Stating that tree planting, carbon capture, and other technologies are the way to go and are “essential to keeping the world safe and liveable for our kids and grandkids,” many beleaguered Canadians are wondering how, exactly, these measures will result in a stronger economy.

Another issue is the Great White North’s climate. Canada is a country of extremes, damnably cold in winter and bloody hot in the summer. While many grew up without central air conditioning, it is now de rigueur for year-round comfort in households, offices, and factories.

Heating and air conditioning require a lot of power, and Canada’s energy consumption is expected to increase 50 percent in just the next decade. That’s a lot of energy for a country with an aging grid. In Ontario alone, more than 600,000 customers were without power during the ice storm of 2013, which also affected much of the northeastern United States for weeks.

Rising power prices and energy shortages across North America may be inevitable; their true impacts, and how renewables and other alternatives might be able to fill the gaps, remains to be seen.

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