Six decades strong

A Weyburn family business recently celebrated 60 years of being in business.

In 1956, Jerry Mainil started out hauling water before he took a welding course, which was fairly new to southeast Saskatchewan back then. He incorporated in 1961, hired a few employees and bought a couple one- and two-man operations out to get them to come on board. Work consisted of pipelining, welding, dirt-moving and overall construction.

“He continued to build a small company into something larger,” Dale Mainil, vicepresident of acquisitions of Jerry Mainil Ltd., and son of Jerry Mainil himself.

In 1992, Dale, his brother Dennis Mainil and brother-in-law Calvin Tracey took over the business from Jerry, but Dale says he is “never going to retire”.

“He’s 86, and he still works as hard as anybody,” Dale says, adding he used to help his dad with pipelining alongside his brothers.

Currently, Jerry Mainil Ltd. boasts 80 to 100 employees depending on seasonal work. Services include reclamation, dirt leaves preparation, facilities, pipelining and general maintenance.

Although the company has survived and thrived for 60 years, Dale says like any industry, it has seen some lean years. However, they have their staff to thank for working hard and sticking by them.

“Our people are diverse. They can multitask and run different equipment,” Dale says. “People in our community and southeast Saskatchewan have good values and good work ethic. We’ve been fortunate; it’s been a great team. We all have a role; everyone is just as important. I always compare it to a football team: you need quarterbacks, receivers and defensive linemen. If you’re weak in one area, you’re not successful. Our company has good coaches and good personnel down to the frontline.” Some projects that stand out over the years include the Weyburn Unit flood back in the 1960s, which injected water back down to the formation to capture more oil, as well as the carbon dioxide injection system that came out in the early 2000s.

Safety is also a key part of Jerry Mainil Ltd.’s success. “We pride ourselves on safety and addressing environmental concerns,” Dale adds. “our industry in general, not just Jerry Mainil Ltd., has seen a lot of change over 60 years, and it’s all for good. Our Canadian oil and gas industry is second to none in safety and environmental concerns. We do have all those in mind, and we do an excellent job. It’s a great industry.”

What’s in store for the next 60 years of Jerry Mainil Ltd.? To continue the legacy of Jerry Mainil. Dale says he is grateful to his father for giving him and others the opportunity to work in the industry.

“We all owe him a ‘thank you’; we want to continue that legacy of hard, honest work and excellent craftsmanship,” Dale says. “It’s been difficult the last seven years, but we’re hoping to turn a corner. The energy sector is not going away, and we will work in a respectful, responsible, clean manner.”

CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE SERVICES

MECHANICAL: ■ Fabrication of the following piping: • Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel & Chromoly Piping • Threaded Piping • HDPE & Fiberglass Piping ■ Blasting & Painting ■ Hydrotesting ■ Torqueing ■ Vessel Modifications ■ Equipment Installations ■ Demolition STRUCTURAL: ■ Cutting & Capping of Piling ■ Fabrication & Installation of the following: • Structural Pipe Racks • Stairways & Landings • Safety Ladders • Platforms • Stiles ■ Equipment Bases ■ Torqueing ■ Blasting & Painting ■ Demolition CIVIL: ■ Excavations, Backfilling & Gravelling ■ Concrete Framing & Placement for: • Tank & Equipment Bases • Concrete Pile Caps • Concrete Piling ■ Grouting (Cementitious and Epoxy) ■ Demolition MISCELLANEOUS: ■ Plant Turnarounds & Maintenance ■ Hot Shot Services ■ Safety Services

HEAD OFFICE: P.O. Box 236, 7 Brock Drive Brock Industrial Park, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 4N8 FIELD OFFICE/SHOP: 315 Evanston Drive, Weyburn, SK S4H 0Y9 306-693-3030 www.rcesi.com