NGC Compression Celebrates 10 Years

NGC Compression Solutions

Celebrates 10 Years

Written by John Hardy Photos by Bookstrucker Photography

(Background photo): Waukesha 7044GSI Engine (1680 Horsepower) Ariel JGK/4 Compressor (3 Stage) Customer: RMP Energy Ltd. Location: Ante Creek Alberta

L- R: Shayne Ouellette, Keith Buck, Emily Sweet, Alan Halbert, Cathy LaPlante, Alyssa Guiltner, Shane Guiltner.

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s unconventional as it may sound, some of the secrets to NGC’s hard-earned success are: customer focus, industry expertise, integrity and problem solving.

Of course physical limitations in the NGC plant and on the shop floor create real constraints, although the specialized and virtually customized logistics and fabrication enables NGC to be flexible and precise.

Effectively managing the roller-coaster ups and downs of the natural gas industry has boosted the respected, Calgarybased company to solidify its industry-leading reputation for innovative improvisation and consistently turning lemons into lemonade.

“Initially, the target we were after was reconfiguration,” explains Shane Guiltner, president and CEO of NGC Compression Solutions. “It was our main focus for the first three years. And then, we sensed an opportunity to build a field service business to enhance the customer relationship. It was simply a natural extension.

“Outsourcing the manufacturing of equipment and deal-

ing with the constant and unexpected schedule delays and quality control problems was frustrating for our clients.

That’s what eventually led us to do it ourselves, and how we got into the fabrication business.”

When the natural gas industry hit various speed bumps, it was a challenging time for many companies in the business, including the upstart NGC. Again, the company called on its willingness to be flexible, adapt and change.

“When natural gas prices went from $10-$12 to $2-$3, it was a painful adjustment,” Guiltner candidly admits. “Some of our customers (like Encana) had hedges; for us, managing overhead, staff and maintaining our levels of service were the only viable options.

“And, although things have mostly stabilized, we are still adjusting to the new market realities. But there are also some really good opportunities.”

He is extremely plugged-in and has his finger on the pulse (and quirks) of Canada’s natural gas industry. “I think things

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will continue to be a bit tough and challenging into 2015. Or until some LNG plants get built, maybe by 2017.”

Despite being a seasoned industry professional and a gung-ho optimist, Guiltner is cautious when wondering what the world price of natural gas may be, by the time Canada actually starts exporting LNG. This is a special NGC year.

It is the company’s 10th anniversary as a respected and leading provider of natural gas compression solutions to producers in Western Canada.

“Our business is built on three primary segments: reconfiguration of existing compression equipment, using our proprietary OptiFit technology, custom fabrication and field service of gas compression equipment.

“We have an energetic and highly skilled engineering design staff, dedicated to servicing customers and providing efficient design work – using Creo Parametric, a 3D design tool, for all new compression packages and reconfiguration projects, ensuring that little is left to chance regarding form, fit and function – whether it’s for a field retrofit or new compressor package being built in our Calgary facility.”

Guiltner is rightfully proud of NGC’s determination and resilience, building customer relationships while weathering the various industry storms and broadsides while managing to maintain positive NGC momentum and growth.

In addition to the 22,000 square feet of NGC manufacturing facilities and the head office in Calgary, the dynamic company also has service and parts distribution branches (as Guiltner says, “near the action”) in Drumheller, Stettler, Grande Prairie and Fort St. John.

With a loyal and growing client base and exceptional field services, the development of cutting-edge technology and virtually customized design and fabrication, NGC is solidly established as an industry leader in compression reconfiguration – the optimization of existing reciprocating compressor units.

And again, innovation and flexibility are proving to be key NGC factors.

As Shane Guiltner repeats and underscores, “It’s all about the needs and requirements of the customer!

“NGC will restage, re-cylinder, refurbish and repackage all existing types of natural gas reciprocating compressor

L- R: Shayne Ouellette, Shane Guiltner, Alan Halbert.

packages and handle almost any size of retrofit, in the field or at one of our locations.

“About eight years ago, as we were determined to survive and become more and more efficient, we analyzed our entire workflow and came up with 15 per cent savings in labour,” he explains.

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As a Chevron 1st Source Elite marketer we are proud to be NGC’s supplier of quality Chevron lubricants.

We congratulate NGC on achieving 10 years in business.

Congratulations to NGC Compression Solutions on 10 great years of service!

All Chevron trademarks are property owned by Chevron Intellectual Property LLC or their respective owners.

NGC Compression Solutions | 10th Anniversary | 2

www.ngc-ltd.com 403.274.6106 “We called it value-added production and it was vital to concentrate on the value of our efforts. Some call it ‘lean manufacturing’ and in Calgary it is a seven-stage assembly line with sub-assembly stations supporting the main line.”

One block away from the company’s Calgary head office and main fabricating plant is the 10,000-square-foot, ASME-certified, U-stamp pressure fabrication facility where the company’s experienced and skilled trades manufacture all the specialized NGC pressure equipment like scrubbers, pulsation bottles, separators and process piping spools.

Since service continues the key NGC customer focus, Guiltner points out that by applying value-added production techniques, the company constantly creates improvements such as lead times and unit option flexibility to better serve NGC customers.

He is genuinely enthused about NGC’s continued push for the latest in industry technology, like new gas compression equipment manufacturing (specializing in sub 2,000 horsepower natural gas compression) and NGC’s dedicated field maintenance and constructions crews who do the OptiFit reconfiguration and also service all makes of engines and compressors anywhere in Western Canada.

“It’s our competitive edge,” he says with genuine pride.

“Our superb staff works very hard to create and achieve the desired customer experience and earn customer loyalty.

We are in a fiercely competitive service industry and our primary goal is to reduce downtime and cost, so the customer’s operation is as effective as possible.

“Monitoring and maximizing the customer relationship is unconditionally our top priority.” •

Congratulations

to NGC Compression on their 10th Anniversary!

Wishing you many more decades in the industry!

300 South Railway Avenue East, Drumheller, AB 403.823.3635 | www.allieddrum.ca

Wishing NGC Compression Solutions congratulations as they celebrate their 10th Anniversary! ~ From all of us at Above & Beyond Compression Inc. www.abcomp.ca

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