C O M P A N Y O V E R V I E W
Certified Coating Specialists
A Legacy of Quality
How Certified Coating Specialists became the most respected industrial painter in B.C. Written by: Ian Hanner
Produced by: Rich Gentile
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C E R T I F I E D C O AT I N G S P E C I A L I S T S
CCS has partnered with Vancouver based Kinder Morgan Terminals for ongoing maintenance work.
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ince its inception in 1994, Certified Coating Specialists, Inc. has grown through constant innovation to become “the Navy SEALs of the industrial coating industry.” Certified Coating Specialists (CCS) was originally founded 20 years ago by Cliff and Joy Harper in Castlegar, BC as Kootenay Powder Coating with an operational focus on mostly powder coatings in plant settings. With three full time employees, the company was able to carve out a substantial and growing chunk of the local market, raking 4
December 2014
in about $350,000 in annual revenue for their first three years. “Starting the business evolved out of my wife’s desire to have a job,” said CEO and founder Cliff Harper. “The last of [our] five children was in grade school and she wanted more out of life than sitting around missing them. The first couple of years were all about learning the business of powder coating and finding out there was not enough demand for the service where we were located to justify my continuous focus on the business. We needed something more.”
CONSTRUCTION
CCS is a industry leader in the power sector. Revelstoke Dam, Revelstoke BC
Eager to find their niche, the company branched out, adding thermal plastics and later abrasive blasting to their service offerings. From that point on, the company reoriented itself toward field work and the business took off, with revenue increasing to about $2 million per year. They’ve continuously expanded since, with revenue for this year projected at over $19 million. The success of CCS has a lot to do with how they pass value on to their customers. Through a comprehensive, software-backed approach to planning, estimating,
management, safety, site setup, performance monitoring and quality control, CCS is able to assure its clients that work will be completed on-time, safely and at a reasonable price. For example, when it comes to estimating, the company breaks down every aspect of the project on a line item task basis. “The majority of the industry just bids on square footage and past performance,” Harper said. “We don’t. We look at every job as a standalone, individual project. We break it down to its smallest components in order to w w w. c c s c o a t i n g s . c a
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mobile
Maintenance made easy
Introducing the Interplan Mobile Service from AkzoNobel, the next generation in corrosion surveys ™
• Providing a customized site specific condition survey to prioritize corrosion maintenance work • NACE qualified technical service providing expert advice and assistance • Dynamic online survey reports optimizing asset management • Detailed coatings specifications and procedures • Extended life cycles to reduce overall maintenance costs Together with the International® range of passive fire protection and protective coatings products, we are now more than ever fully equipped to meet your maintenance and repair needs
pcmarketing.americas@akzonobel.com www.international-pc.com © 2014 The AkzoNobel group of companies.
C E R T I F I E D C O AT I N G S P E C I A L I S T S ensure that we’re successful.” He added, “We’re recognized as leaders in providing unique solutions to challenges in access, scheduling, adverse conditions or remote locations. We’re a group of dedicated, ethical, professional tradespeople who are truly striving to be the best at what we do.” And they’ve got the certifications to back up their claims on safety and quality. CCS is the first business of its type in British Columbia to earn a COR certification from the Construction Safety Association, an organization that offers a range of training programs designed to improve safety and reduce capital costs of workplace injuries. In addition to their COR certification, CCS holds both SSPC-QP1 and SSPC-QP2
SUPPLIER PROFILE
CONSTRUCTION
CCS is able to take on any specialty marine coating systems.
AKZONOBEL COATINGS LTD.
AkzoNobel is the world’s leading global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals. Its protective coatings brands, International®, and Devoe™ High Performance Coatings are well established as industry leading brands across North America. The International® brand is further renowned as an industry leader on a global scale. Consistently ranked as one of the leaders in the area of sustainability, AkzoNobel is passionate about developing sustainable answers to its customer’s questions. Website: www.international-pc.com/north-america
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Proven Products from an Industry Leader Bitumastic® Carboglas® Carbothane® Carbozinc®
Phenoline® Pyrocrete® Rustbond® Thermaline®
Carbocoat® Carboguard® Carboweld® Multi-Guard®
Plasite® Sanitile® Carbocrylic® Carbomastic®
Carboxane® Polyclad® Reactamine® Semstone®
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Congratulations Certified Coatings Specialists on your 20th Anniversary!
™
mobile
Maintenance made easy
Introducing the Interplan Mobile Service from AkzoNobel, the next generation in corrosion surveys ™
• Providing a customized site specific condition survey to prioritize corrosion maintenance work
One Stop Source for Abrasive Blast Cleaning Equipment & Accessories
• NACE qualified technical service providing expert advice and assistance • Dynamic online survey reports optimizing asset management • Detailed coatings specifications and procedures • Extended life cycles to reduce overall maintenance costs Together with the International® range of passive fire protection and protective coatings products, we are now more than ever fully equipped to meet your maintenance and repair needs
Leading Canadian manufacturer and supplier of abrasive blast equipment Congratulations CCS Coatings on 20 years of success! 1040 78th Avenue | Edmonton, Alberta T6P 1L7 | Canada 780-468-2588 | 1-800-661-3842 | info@manusabrasive.com
www.manusabrasive.com
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www.modublast.com
pcmarketing.americas@akzonobel.com www.international-pc.com © 2014 The AkzoNobel group of companies.
C E R T I F I E D C O AT I N G S P E C I A L I S T S C O N S T R U C T I O N certifications. These are awarded by the 64-year-old Society for Protective Coatings to signify that CCS is able to responsibly deliver quality work in surface preparation and industrial coating applications, as well as hazardous paint removal in an environmentally responsible manner. Their diverse range of service offerings and credentials have earned CCS some high profile
jobs, such as the current project removing hazardous, leadbased coatings at the Waneta and Mica Dams where BC Hydro is upgrading their power generators, according to Harper. This is a major project that showcases CCS’s reputation as a dependable coating company that can handle large-scale jobs. This same recognition earned the company a contract to perform
CCS took on the challenging restoration of the historic HAGWILGET Bridge, New Hazelton, BC.
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C E R T I F I E D C O AT I N G S P E C I A L I S T S
Coatings Inspection Equipment, Sales & Service.
Stone Tucker Instruments is Canada’s premier supplier of Coating Inspection and NDE Instrumentation. Our goal is to provide industry professionals with quality products, timely calibration, and repair service, all at competitive prices.
39 College Street, P.O. Box 650 Fonthill, Ontario, L0S 1E0 Ontario: 905-892-6142 | Edmonton: 587-758-8367 Email: info@stone-tucker.com W W W.STO NE-TUCKER.COM
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December 2014
CONSTRUCTION
surface touch up services on erected steel at the multi-billion dollar Rio Tinto Alcan smelter expansion project in British Columbia, a large project coating silo interiors at a coal-fired plant for Capital Power and a high-profile contract painting new steel for a bridge deck replacement at Halifax, Nova Scotia’s Angus L. MacDonald Bridge. These projects, and the many that preceded them, could form the core of Harper’s legacy as he transitions out of the company. With the company reaching a point of substantial success and reputation, Harper recently sold his majority interest position in the company. “Today my role is to prepare the team we assembled for ‘life after Cliff,’” he said. “[I have to] hand over my thoughts and systems to others to develop and implement. I’m in the background able to respond where needed while continuing to build confidence in where the new leadership is going.” While it’s difficult to let go of anything you built from the ground up, especially a company celebrating its 20th anniversary, Harper says he’s proud of what he helped build. “I’m proud of what the team has achieved to date. I look forward to watching them continue to expand the service across the country. I am proud of the group of people that carried this brand forward.”
Company Information INDUSTRY
Industrial & Marine Painting Services HEADQUARTERS
Castlegar, BC, Canada FOUNDED
1994 EMPLOYEES
~120 REVENUE
$19 million
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CERTIFIED COATING SPECIALISTS 1840 Co-op Lane Castlegar, BC, Canada V3K 6V2 (250) 365-5900 www.ccscoatings.ca