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SPRING 2019 45 BY JIM BENDER A Brandon wellsite geologist traded in his hard hat to drill into an independent business of his own — and that venture is starting to hit pay dirt. After Leland Kirton spent five years in the oil fields in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, he made a life-changing decision four years ago. "With the downfall of the oil industry, I was at a crossroads between waiting out the return of the oil industry or trying something new," Kirton says. "So, I decided to open my own shop." That shop is a powder coating business called Ion Coating, which he initially ran out of his home garage. Powder coating is a free-flowing dry powder that adheres to metal electrostatically, creating a highly-durable finish that is resistant to chipping, flaking, solvents, corrosives and general wear and tear. Used most frequently in the auto industry, it is more environmentally friendly than other painting methods because it does not use solvents. The process is also used for restoring vintage items, coating garden tools, and many other objects. "I've always been a do-it-yourself guy and I had already been building my own car parts and I wanted to refinish them myself," says Kirton. "My girlfriend — who's now my wife (Samantha) — had bought me a powder coating setup kit for my hobby." That was before Kirton, 29, started working in the oil fields. Eventually, it became more than just a hobby. "I started doing all this work in my garage and posting the products on social media," he says. "It didn't take long for word to get out about the quality of the work I was doing." The business was becoming so successful that he couldn't keep up on his own. So his younger brother Taylor — who is also a wellsite geologist, although he has never worked in the field — joined him as a partner. "We made a name for ourselves in the automotive industry, which is a passion of mine," Leland says. "You hear about ion coating, but we were filling a niche because no one was taking it to the level that we were. "The care we put into our product is linked to our success. And my business took that personal connection." The Kirtons moved into a building of their own in 2016, and they are already looking to move into an even bigger facility. Leland Kirton (left and bottom right) and his brother Taylor Kirton have earned a reputation for quality work. Photos by Taylor Kirton CONTINUED >>

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