Manitoba Growth

C M Y K SPECIAL SECTION Manitoba GROWTH WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY MARCH 27, 2021 5 By Todd Lewys J ust over 40 years ago, Sperling Industries started out as a family- owned welding shop that operated out of a small building in the town of Sperling, which is located 40 minutes southwest of Winnipeg. Brothers Russ, Jeff, and David Nicolajsen began the business by providing steel fab- rication, machining, and site repairs to the local farming community. As their expertise in structural and mechanical systems grew so did the business. Crews began travelling across most of Western Canada throughout the mid-to- late 1980s with maintenance and upgrades to wood crib elevators and agriculture-relat- ed facilities. By the early 1990s, Sperling Industries was providing full turnkey structural and conveyance systems for major high through- put grain terminals and processing facilities such as the canola oil processing facility in St. Agathe, Manitoba. At the same time, the company also pro- vided services in the beef and pork kill in- dustries all over Western Canada and as far south as Texas. In 2000, Sperling purchased Cincinnati Boss Company based in Omaha, Nebraska, solidifying their presence in the meat indus- try. "The oldest Boss Dehairer Machine was sold in 1932 and we are still able to provide most parts and service to this day" com- mented Colin Nicolajsen at the time. In 2004, the company incorporated in Australia where they won a contract to supply and install major processing compo- nents for a large-scale beef plant. In the 2000's, Sperling industries took on a larger challenge with the fabrication and installation of structural, mechanical, and piping systems for a major canola oil pro- cessing plant in Yorkton, SK. "We fabricated about 1500 tons of struc- tural framing, set all the major equipment, and did the process and steam piping sys- tems for the prep, extraction, and refinery buildings" says Jeff Nicolajsen. "It was a major project. A project of this scale has its challenges but despite these, everything came together on time. We continue to have a lasting relationship with the customer to this day." Sperling Industries has also been demon- strating their abilities with sanitary design and construction methods in the food in- dustry. "We've made leaps and bounds in the de- sign improvements of our products for both wet and dry processing environments" says Adam Nicolajsen. "Customers are focusing on prevention of pest and contamination is- sues through the process of sanitary design". Today Russ and Jeff Nicolajsen, along with their families, maintain ownership and operation of Sperling Industries. The second-generation work in all areas of the business from shop supervision to design and engineering to administration and ac- counting. Sperling Industries differs from most fab- rication companies in that they are a full- service provider. From design and engineering, to fabri- cation, to field install, they have the facili- ties, equipment, and knowledge to handle a project from start to finish. The shops have grown in multiple locations in and around Sperling totaling over 81,000 sq ft in size. A full fleet including mobile cranes, lifts and other equipment complements the com- pany's field operations. Throughout the years much has changed around the business. "Safety went from being a non-docu- mented common-sense approach to requir- ing full-time staff," says Clayton Nicolajsen. "We currently employ about 100 people and it is imperative to management that ev- eryone goes home safe". Over the years, Sperling has rapidly adapted with the advancement of technol- ogy. "We have one of the most technologically advanced shops and BIM processes in west- ern Canada. Our products are designed in 3D environments and data is communicated downstream to automated CNC equipment for fabrication," says Adam, who manages the engineering team. "Having said that, it's important to remember that the company is human driven, not process driven. At the end of the day our employees enable us, not technology." Colin Nicolajsen says all of management is appreciative of the business they have built on hard work, trust and technical abil- ity. "As we look to the future, we take time to appreciate the employees, customers, and philosophies that have brought the business to where it is today." What would the perfect project for Sper- ling Industries look like? "Complex, multidisciplinary, and indus- trial," say Russ and Jeff in unison. "We look forward to the challenges that require col- laboration with a customer and the adop- tion of new inventive solutions to get things done." SPERLING INDUSTRIES: FROM A SMALL START TO A GREAT FUTURE "As we look to the future, we take time to appreciate the employees, customers, and philosophies that have brought the business to where it is today." - Colin Nicolajsen ABOVE: Sperling Industries' welder in action. P H OTO BY DA R C Y F I N L EY. RIGHT: Providing on-site repair in Manitoba. S U P P L I E D BY S P E R L I N G I N D U ST R I E S .

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