Can West Legacy - A New Leader Emerges

L-R: Sean Burnand, Blaine Froese, Jason Laird, Elmer Ventura Photo by Mary Savage.

Can West Legacy…

A New Leader Emerges

By Mary Savage

W

hen Sean Burnand and Jason Laird decided to merge their businesses, it was over a decade in the making – working as ‘friendly competitors’. They manufacture industrial labelling – everything from ID tags to large format printing and they understand their market extremely well. They provide permanent industrial marking solutions: an essential service to the industrial and commer-

cial sectors. And they are passionate - just ask them about their newly formed enterprise: Can West Legacy Inc. Prior to the merger and as independent business owners, the respective companies produced labels for the oil and gas industry, equipment manufacturers, the construction sector, military and aerospace, the automotive industry, high-voltage signage and like applications.

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Burnand and Laird’s paths crossed many times: they ordered products from each other, they came up with new ideas to better service their niche market and they shared many of the same customers.

After 12 years, the wheels of a merger were finally set in motion. The decision to blend Can West Label Inc. and Legacy Marking introduced a powerful team in the industrial label marketplace and as Can West Legacy emerged, it did so with an unmistakable drive for excellence.

“The merger has broadened our scope of work while maintaining a very high standard. We share the same vision and that was key to our merger - we are very specific when meeting our customers’ needs,” says Sean Burnand, general manager.

They also share a common work ethic: to find the best solution for their clients in order to produce a perfect order each and every time. In their corner of the manufacturing world and unlike many operations, they don’t mass-produce anything.

Today, Can West Legacy is an industry front-runner that provides an extensive selection of specialty products and services not found anywhere else in Western Canada. They are only one of two companies in Calgary that carry CSA and UL approvals. They have clients throughout North America

and Mexico, and they have recently moved to a larger facility that includes a manufacturing area of about 8,000 sq. ft.

In addition to Burnand and Laird, the business also has two more partners: Blaine Froese and Elmer Ventura who were part of Legacy Marking Inc. During the merger, they retained all their employees and they have recently hired a few more people in order to keep pace with their evergrowing business.

“Passion starts at the top and flows downward and our employees share our passion – they know what we are trying to achieve and they are just as committed about building the business as we are,” asserts Jason Laird, president.

“We have a renewed excitement and we are learning again!” notes Burnand. “Every day brings a new challenge and we carry so many different products, why not find the best one for our customers’ application? We truly enjoy helping our clients find the best solution - that is what drives us forward.”

From Press to Plate…

Can West Legacy is integral to the mechanics of any commercial or industrial operation and it is multilayered -

Products & Services

• Product safety warning labels

Imprinting Methods

• CSA & UL approved labels

• Calibration labels

• Screen Printing

• Acid Etched & colour-filled Stainless Steel plates

• Laser engraving

• Laser Engraving

• Plastic engraving

• Rotary & Diamond Drag Engraving

• Control panels

• Serial number plates / Labels

• Acid Etching & Colour fill

• Industrial labelling

• Graphic overlays

• Metal photo ®

• Lamacoids

• Safety labels

• Anodizing

• Valve tags / Cable tags

• Vinyl graphics

• Danger ID tags

• Sandblasting

• Safety signage

• Anodized plates

• Large format printing

• Asset tracking labels

• Indoor & outdoor banners

• Stainless Steel / Aluminum data plates

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from the people who build the equipment to the installers.

Nearly every step of the process requires some form of permanent identification, so when the Can West Legacy team meets with a client, they ask two standard questions every time: how long do you want the product to last (months or decades) and what is the application and the environment?

“We have product on military warships that has to last 75 years and we have an adhesive that’s specifically designed to meet those requirements,” says Burnand. “When engraved panels are installed on oil rigs and pump trucks, those panels need to withstand the elements for decades. If the emergency switch label starts to wear off, now you’re dealing with people’s lives and that speaks to the quality we need to produce and maintain.”

As an example, Can West Legacy offers 15 different types of adhesives and they utilize 3M products 90 per cent of the time. “We have tested every type of adhesive on the market and 3M is the best,” comments Burnand. “When you have an adhesive label, typically you need a clean, dry surface for application, but we have an adhesive for the oilfield that activates on a greasy surface.”

Likewise, when you walk into a building and look around, labels are everywhere – some are visible while others are part

of the mechanics of the building. “From the elevator panel and the directional board in the lobby to the cable tags, exhaust fans and wiring diagrams, they all have a serial number with a special tag and specifications,” adds Laird.

“Is it for an indoor or outdoor application? Is it attached to a cable buried underground or affixed to a sour gas well site? All of these applications change the type of product and by asking very specific questions, we can determine exactly what the client needs,” explains Laird. “When that product goes out the door, we know it’s the right product for the customer’s requirements.”

As the owners have observed, Can West Legacy operates much like an emergency room: customers don’t think about ordering the ID tags or engraved labels until their equipment is sitting in their yard and ready to ship.

“We are very responsive to our customers’ needs and timelines, and we have adjusted our operating capacity to accommodate those needs,” notes Burnand. “Before we initiate a night shift, we won’t allow our plant capacity to exceed about 85 per cent so we can take on more work to service those customers that need it. Not all of our customers need the quick turnaround, but it’s the nature of our work.”

Applications & Industries

Materials • 3M adhesives

• Brass / Magnesium Alloy

• Industrial Identification

• CSA & UL approved protective overlaminates

• Coroplast

• Equipment Manufacturers • Electronics

• 3M polyesters (labelling material)

• Oil & Gas Industry

• GE Lexans

• Construction

• Aluminum foils

• Electrical

• Lamacoid plastics

• Military • Medical / Health Care • Aerospace • Architectural Companies • Property Management

• Stainless Steel / Aluminum • Acrylic • 3M Tamper Evident vinyls • Coloured 3M Vinyl

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• Wood

Three Generations & Three Mergers

The history behind Can West Label reaches back to 1969 when Sean’s grandfather, Bernie, established the business. It was one of the first companies in western Canada to manufacture CSA and UL aluminum labels with a highly durable adhesive that was specifically designed for industrial and oil field applications.

“Instead of manufacturing something that’s going to last for six months to a year, let’s make something that’s going to last for 20 to 75 years outside – that was Bernie’s vision and that was how the business started,” recalls Burnand.

In 1982 Bernie’s son, Peter, purchased the company and by the mid 1990s, Sean was hired. “My first day on the job found me sweeping floors: I learned the business from the ground up,” says Burnand. In 2012 Sean purchased the business from Peter. Today, both Peter and Bernie are a vital part of the operation.

During the mid 1990s and across town, Laird was selling the engraving equipment to manufacture metal and plastic labels. A few years later, his employer announced he was going to liquidate their equipment and sell the business, and Jason welcomed the opportunity for a new venture.

In 1999, Laird formed his first engraving business. In 2003, he was joined by Froese and Ventura, and together they acquired three more companies to enhance Legacy’s existing product and service offerings.

In January of 2013, Can West Label and Legacy Marking formed one entity and in recent months, their growth remains unabated with the new acquisition of Express Signs – once again expanding their capabilities by adding the large format signage.

The future looks bright as Can West Legacy continually raises the bar in delivering high quality products and services. They are the leaders in establishing standards of excellence throughout their industry and they are constantly in pursuit of new markets and opportunities for advancement.

Back: Elmer Ventura, Blaine Froese, Sean Burnand. Front: Jason Laird Photo by Mary Savage.

“When you surround yourself with the right people, great things start to happen. Our employees are selfstarters, innovative thinkers and very capable. They understand our vision, what we are trying to build and they make it happen.” ~ Jason Laird On any given day, their manufacturing facility has about 350 jobs underway with the capacity to add more. Depending on the order, Can West can complete a job within a couple of business days and that reflects their operating model – from their quality control systems to the employees on the manufacturing floor.

“When you surround yourself with the right people, great things start to happen,” observes Laird. “Our employees are self-starters, innovative thinkers and very capable,” he adds. “They understand our vision, what we are trying to build and they make it happen.”

Can West Legacy has a seven-stage quality control system set up for every order. “When you consider a label, it’s not a case of simply pushing a button. Every product goes through several production stages and we must maintain the high standard. Nothing goes out the door until it’s perfect,” says Laird. •

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