KPCL is a leader in the earth-moving industry
For Kelly Panteluk Construction Ltd. (KPCL), it all began in 1953 with one man and a bulldozer. That man was Walter Panteluk, an established worker in the industry who had a vision for a company that could literally help build Saskatchewan.
“At that time, Walter was well-known and well-respected by all the earth-working companies in the province. His name was Walter, but everyone called him ‘Jumbo,’ ” said Scott Manson, chief operating officer for KPCL. “He was a massive man with an even bigger heart.”
In the early days, Walter focused on building dugouts. Eventually, he brought his brothers on board and the company gained a reputation as one of the better road builders in the province. In 1985, Walter’s son Kelly began operating the company and has guided its continued growth ever since.
Today, KPCL is one of the largest privately owned heavy equipment earth moving and underground services company in Saskatchewan. Operating out of Estevan and serving clients throughout the Prairie Provinces, the company moves in excess of eight million cubic metres of dirt per year and boasts annual revenue of around $100 million. The company employs approximately 300 people during peak season.
As Manson explained, the key to the company’s growth has been approaching things one cubic metre of dirt at a time – maintaining the same standard of quality regardless of the high volume of jobs.
“Everybody can move a cubic metre of dirt, but it comes down to how efficient and effective you can be while doing it,” said Manson. “With a modern, well-maintained fleet of over 250 pieces of heavy construction equipment, we pride ourselves on helping customers solve difficult construction problems. A significant portion of our business is focused on the completion of large, technical projects that involve challenging soil conditions and intricate earth structures.”
KPCL’s capabilities enable it to tackle multiple projects, including: mine development and expansion; oil field builds, reclamations and contaminant solutions; power generation structures; transportation infrastructure; and water control structures.
The company was the prime contractor for the Global Transportation Hub and logistics centre project, which is now an international port to receive and ship goods. The scope of work included rough grading 1,200 acres, installing water-control structures and drainage channels, and preparing roadways integral to the hub. To complete the job, the company used GPS Grade Control finishing equipment, which Manson said highlights its innovation.
“This technology allows us to create models of whatever we’re building,” he said. “In the 3D space, the operator can view how much fill he’s got to take or cuts he needs to take to finish off the job to the tolerance that the engineer is looking for.”
KPCL has also been heavily involved in the potash industry over the years. It has focused largely on constructing salt evaporation ponds — shallow artificial ponds designed to extract salts from sea water or other brines. KPCL has worked on projects with Agrium, K+S Potash Canada, The Mosaic Company, PotashCorp and many others.
Kelly Panteluk noted that safety has always been at the forefront of the potash industry, and KPCL’s commitment to safety has made the company an attractive suitor. The company boasts a fully integrated health, safety and environmental program.
“Health and safety is our first thought before we undertake any work task,” said Panteluk. “Doing the job right within a safe working culture ensures our employees remain injury free on the job.”
Currently, KPCL is taking part in its largest project to date: the CP Rail Belle Plaine Railway Spur. The Canadian Pacific Railway Company is constructing 30.5 kilometers of new railway from K+S Potash Canada’s Legacy Project mine located near Findlater to the existing Kalium Spur near Belle Plaine to get the product to market. KPCL was chosen as the general contractor to manage and construct the new rail grade, which includes a 108-metre-long steel girder and precast span bridge to cross the Qu’Appelle River and a multi-plate steel tunnel structure to carry municipal traffic over the railway spur.
“We are going to end up moving approximately 12 million cubic metres of dirt throughout this project. To put this into perspective, your average highway job may run you a million and a half cubic metres,” explained Manson. “This is the type of project you have an opportunity to work on once or twice in a lifetime.”
It’s clear that KPCL has come a long way from one man with a bulldozer building dugouts. Mason feels that the company has truly grown with the province.
“The key to our success has been our ability to foresee what’s happening in the province, anticipate changes, and have the capacity and resources available to jump on those opportunities,” he said.
Along the way, KPCL has not only been focused on helping to grow the province’s infrastructure, but the community as well. For the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games in Estevan, KPCL donated about $200,000 of work to bring the track up to speed. Earlier this year, KPCL donated $450,000 to the Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan, which will assist in benefitting families from across the province by providing increased access to healthcare services.
“Our family has always had a history of giving back to the community,” said Panteluk. “We care about the province and want to help the province succeed. Part of that is having the facilities and services in place that keep people in the province.”