Timeline 1912 A young man named James Francis Burns I started a concrete and excavation business in Calgary, Alberta using his team of work horses, hand shovels and a four-wheeled dump wagon.
1945 J. F. Burns I gives his son first opportunity and
a short period of time to buy the business, the price was reluctantly agreed to by Jim II.
1950 Jim II continued the family tradition of innovation by introducing one of Western Canada’s first central mix plants for concrete, True Mix Concrete.
1955 Jim Burns III becomes the General Manager of J.F. Burns Sand & Gravel at the age of 20.
1974 Jim Burns III buys the remaining
interest of J.F. Burns II and Pearl Burns in BURNCO Industries Ltd over 15 years.
1976 Pickering Rock Products is purchased in Banff and Canmore,
1946 First office at 46th Avenue Calgary & Jim II’s company
setting up BURNCO’s first concrete plant distant from Calgary.
car, a Hudson ‘38 Terraplane.
1987
Having previously worked summers in various capacities in the business or been at school continuously since he was 15, Scott Burns, the 4th generation, begins his full time career in the business initially as Executive Assistant to Jim Burns III, then within BURNCO’s Aggregate Division.
1996 BURNCO begins expansion into nearby Edmonton
Centres, Leduc, Acheson, Fort Saskatchewan and the west side of the City, eventually replicating its positions in the Calgary District. In the same year Fort McMurrary operations commence.
2008 BURNCO sells its precast and packaging business and begins expansion into the aggregate business in B.C.
1988 BURNCO enters the retail market supplying do-it-yourself 1954 Asphalt paving operations began with Jim II and partner
1923 J. F. Burns I purchased a truck that could haul
gravel and tow a mixer to jobsites. Work horses were being phased out in favour of mechanization and a growing work force.
1948
Clayton Carroll starting a business called Pioneer Paving Ltd.
Jim II expands his sand and gravel operations from mining the Bow River by purchasing land and opening up the Manchester Gravel Pit.
packaged products along with landscaping materials for retail customers and contractors.
1958 Jim II asks Clayton Carroll and Jim III to join him in acquiring land, together they form the joint venture, Carburn Aggregates. This company would continue to purchase land in support of the operating businesses.
1960 Jim III creates Enterprise Trucking & Loading Ltd with Joe Pearson.
Fort Saskatchewan
1928 At the age of 14, J. F. Burns II started working full
time for his Dad and soon after he was placed in charge of the crew. His duties included quoting prices for work, supervising the work and collecting the money after the job was done. He also began his development into an accomplished concrete finisher.
1949 As a summer student at the age of 14, Jim Burns III
goes to work for his Dad taking on various jobs each summer: shoveling gravel, driving trucks, working in the office and operating equipment. In 1953, after returning from the University of Alberta, he began full time work.
1955 Jim II and two others come together to form Southside
company started a 24 day continual pour of concrete to build the Calgary Tower. The slip-form technique they used was a relatively new idea, the record pour over 24 hours was 39 vertical feet.
BURNCO begins to conduct its own real estate operations.
1993 BURNCO begins operations in the Edmonton market area.
2004 BURNCO operations commence in British Columbia
and now operate from multiple sites in Metro Vancouver and the Okanagan/Shuswap Districts.
1978 The Company expands to Red Deer, Okotoks, Airdrie, 1983
known as BURNCO Industries Ltd.
2010 Mike Powell, joins the Company as the first non-family President.
BURNCO Rock Products Ltd to hold all of the operating business except Pioneer Paving.
2011 Landscape Centres continue to grow with the purchase of Landscape Depot in the BC Lower Mainland
2011 BURNCO proceeds with Project Enable, a complete
replacement of its ERP and front end systems to provide for growth into its second century of operations.
2012
BURNCO expands Calgary Ready Mix business with the acquisition of the assets of Four Star Concrete and Construction.
and Medicine Hat with initial work done to facilitate expansion to Cochrane and Lethbridge.
Concrete Mix Ltd.
1969 In September five companies were amalgamated into one
1994 Scott Burns, enters into a purchase arrangement over
BURNCO’s asphalt paving operations begin to be wound down, selling the rolling stock but keeping the asphalt plants to supply asphalt to independent contactors.
20 years to acquire BURNCO Rock Products Ltd and becomes President of the Company.
1995
BURNCO purchases Key Concrete Ltd a then 23 year old family business to enter the precast concrete business.
1937 Jim II inquires about
a mining permit to excavate gravel from the Bow River like others were doing. He was granted a permit and this was the beginning of J. F. Burns Sand & Gravel.
1998 A sister firm, Tricycle Lane Ranches is created where
1977 A new subsidiary company is created under the name
1967 On May 15, the Jim II in Truck
McNab Creek in Howe Sound
Paving 14th Street Calgary
Penticton
2007 Scott Burns completes the purchase of BURNCO.
2012
BURNCO celebrates it’s 100th Anniversary on June 21, 2012!