JATEC - Celebrates 40 Years

POWERED BY PEOPLE

JATEC celebrates 40 years

Written by Nerissa McNaughton | Published by Mark McDonald

Photo by Rebecca Lippiatt

Back Row: Marco Almeida, Lindsay Jacobs and Tyler Checkley. Front Row: Alex Stenner, Barry Campbell and Jim Allen.

It’s 1984. Wolf Willow Crescent on Edmonton’s west side is a new development. It promises spacious lots for family living in an ideal location. Construction has started and things are looking good. A pickup truck rolls up and two men get out. There is a big reel of wire on the back. Two men get out, unload the wire and start rolling it down the street.

These days when Jim Allen, founder and CEO of JATEC, looks back at that Wolf Willow job, he can laugh – and so can the developer who has yet to let Allen live that day down. The developer still hires JATEC 40 years later. In fact, many of JATEC’s earliest clients still do. Why? Because this is an electrical company with a difference. It’s not powered by profits or margins or flashy sponsorships and awards. JATEC is powered by the people who work there, the people the company serves and the communities to which it gives back.

Allen, who started the business with Dan Hamilton, remembers the early days fondly.

“Dan and I got laid off as electricians. We thought, how hard could it be to start a business? We went out on our own… with just $1,200 to our name!”

Undaunted, the ambitious young men registered the name and jumped into business ownership.

“We didn’t make a lot of salary in the first year,” he readily admits. “We didn’t have lines of credit or equipment. It was just the two of us, so, we did it all ourselves. Electrical, payables, admin – everything. Since we lacked manpower and equipment at the time, that is how we wound up rolling the bale of wire down the street on one of our first jobs.”

Allen and Hamilton gained traction by doing smaller electrical jobs for schools, restaurants and local businesses. However, it quickly became apparent that there was not a lot of work to be had for their burgeoning company in the highly competitive commercial industrial market. A chance encounter would soon change the direction and the future of the company.

“We met an engineer who asked us to get involved in digging electrical,” says Allen. “That was a very pivotal point in our journey because now it is the mainstay of our business. We service subdivisions by putting in underground communications and electrical. We are the company that is there long before the builders

start their part of the project. Our first job was a six-lot subdivision and we had to rent a backhoe. Now we do 200-lot subdivisions and use our own fleet, which has about 200 pieces of equipment for digging and trenching.”

In time, Hamilton moved on to other pursuits. Allen has run the company as the sole owner since the mid-1990s. Today, JATEC has developed into a multifaceted company as Alberta’s largest shallow utilities contractor, offering a comprehensive suite of turnkey installation services.

Allen’s summary of JATEC, “We are a very diverse underground electrical and communications company. We dig. We are good at that,” merely scratches the surface of how deep the company goes.

JATEC is a leading provider in the installation and maintenance of essential utility services, an expertise that forms the foundation of its operations. The company is well-versed in handling residential and commercial high-voltage and secondary servicing, along with natural gas installations and the construction of duct banks and vaults.

In addition to utility services, JATEC has carved a niche in highway lighting and signage. Operating across Alberta and Saskatchewan, the company’s scope of work includes the manufacturing, assembly and installation of components such as lighting systems, traffic signals and overhead sign structures.

The telecommunications sector also benefits from JATEC’s expertise. The company plays a significant role in the construction, installation, testing and maintenance of buried and aerial telecommunications infrastructure. Their services extend to civil works, directional drilling, hydrovac

excavation and the intricate task of placing and splicing underground and aerial fiber.

JATEC’s proficiency further extends to commercial and industrial services, catering to the needs of shopping centers, high rises, office buildings and industrial and institutional facilities. They provide comprehensive electrical distribution services, including street and parking lot lighting, power cabinets and accent lighting.

Airports, too, benefit from JATEC’s expertise, thanks to their upgrading of airport infrastructure, encompassing high-voltage and secondary power upgrades, telecommunications enhancements and improvements to runway lighting and aprons.

In response to the global shift towards wireless technology, JATEC has successfully ventured into the installation and upgrade of wireless communications infrastructure. This includes localized distribution projects and distributed antenna systems, which are vital for enhancing wireless connectivity across various settings.

JATEC’s fleet encompasses all the equipment needed to handle these projects in-house. Their fleet enables them to execute complex projects efficiently and safely, adhering to their commitment to excellence and safety in all their operations.

Photo by Rebecca Lippiatt

Back Row (Standing): Dave Tarkowski, Barry Campbell, Marco Almeida and Tyler Checkley. Front Row (Sitting): Alex Stenner, Jim Allen and Lindsay Jacobs.

Over the years JATEC became the go-to name to work on highly impactful projects such as the Anthony Henday, Regina’s ring road and Southeast Stoney Trail in Calgary.

Regarding the Anthony Henday job, Allen notes, “That was a long-term project that took us about three years to complete. On this project we learned a lot about working alongside other large companies and planning how to make large-scale projects successful. We appreciate the impact of the Anthony Henday because it opened up the city and made access and commuting a lot easier for everyone.”

However, it’s not the projects that command JATEC’s main focus. It has always been the people.

Allen firmly believes that when you look after the people involved with the company, the company, in turn, looks after its people. His reasoning has proved correct time and time again. From an outstanding company culture to supporting the communities in which it operates, from focusing on the end-users of a project to the other contractors during a build, JATEC has a caring reputation that precedes every job.

“Our motto has always been to leave an area better than we found it,” Allen explains, demonstrating how deep the people-first philosophy goes. “This includes using a street sweeper to clean up the streets and sidewalks as we work. Our clients are good to us, and we are good to them.”

Safety is a major value at JATEC too and is very deeply ingrained in the company’s culture and operational philosophy. Recognizing the invaluable nature of its workforce, JATEC places the well-being and safety of its employees, partners, clients and the communities

dedication to safety is evident in the accolades it has received. For instance, the company was honoured with the PCL safety award, a recognition of which Allen

Another example of the people-first culture is seen in the 30th anniversary celebrations. JATEC didn’t just host a party for key clients. The company also hosted celebrations for the employees and then a third event

Caring for the team was very evident during COVID.

“That was challenging, very difficult,” Allen somberly remembers. “We were fortunate that construction did not suffer the same restrictions that restaurants and retailers did but it was still important for us to make changes to keep our people and clients safe. It was a very trying time for a lot of businesses on all fronts, including mentally.”

Further demonstrating the commitment to JATEC being powered by people, Allen notes, “The most rewarding thing for me is the great team we have here. It is a pleasure to work alongside them every day. The relationships I have with our employees is very key. Additionally, JATEC is very focused on charitable work and serving the community. I don’t just ‘look out for myself;’ I look out for everyone involved with JATEC and in turn, the company supports me, the employees, the clients and our communities.”

JATEC supports, among many other organizations, Kids with Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity, the Festival of Trees, Alzheimer’s research and amateur sports. For many years, Allen sat on the board of the University Hospital Foundation’s Brain Campaign.

Humbly, Allen feels that his and JATEC’s contributions are the norm for Edmonton’s business community.

“Our local business community is very generous with time and money – mostly time. A lot of industries take the time to volunteer for many causes and give their time to sit on boards. It makes a big difference and is something I greatly appreciate about the city of Edmonton.”

As he looks back over 40 years, Allen has much to be thankful for and he expresses his appreciation for the team, many of which are long-term employees, and for the clients, many of whom have been with JATEC since the formative years.

“It’s astonishing to see the number of employees who have been with the company for many years, growing alongside the business. These long-term team members have not only witnessed JATEC’s evolution but have also played a pivotal role in its achievements. Their dedication and willingness to step up have been instrumental in driving the company forward. Both clients and employees are the bedrock of JATEC’s success,” he notes.

Looking to the future, JATEC is poised for continued expansion. With an influx of new projects on the horizon, the company is set to grow further, yet this growth is carefully managed to ensure sustainability. JATEC is committed to expanding its operations without overextending its capabilities, focusing on organized growth that guarantees the same level of excellence and personal touch that has become its hallmark.

As JATEC continues to expand its horizons, it remains rooted in the value that has guided the journey for four decades: people first.