Collins Steel: Core Values Make a Strong Company

Collins Steel:

Core Values Make a Strong Company

By Nerissa McNaughton

This year Collins Steel celebrates their 30th anniversary, and the company credits their core values for making them as strong as the steel they work with.

Congratulations to Collins Steel on your 30th Anniversary!

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Jason and Ryan Collins

C

ollins Steel is a structural and miscellaneous steel fabricator located on the south side of Edmonton. Today, president Jason Collins and vice president Ryan Collins (brothers) guide their 90+ team members while holding firmly to the core values that are at the root of every decision and action the company takes. These values are so integral to the organization that the sum of their beliefs is prominently displayed on the office wall. The biblical verse, “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you, Luke 6:31” is proudly displayed as a large wall decal in the lobby. From this come the values of integrity, teamwork, caring, continuous improvement and reliability. Jason and Ryan saw these values in action long before they transitioned into ownership. These values were mandated by Collins Steel founder, their father Paul.

“I come from an entrepreneurial background,” smiles the semi-retired Paul Collins. “I grew up in Newfoundland where my dad had a general store for 45 years. I also had two older brothers in Edmonton that started a steel business in 1958, and two more that started one in 1959. I was a welder by trade. I started Collins Welding in 1978. With the downturn in 1983 we went into financial insolvency, so I started Collins Steel in 1984. I didn’t blame the national energy program for my problems. I was inexperienced and had a partner that didn’t work out.

“It was always my goal to have two or three generations running Collins. We are in the second generation right now. My sons came in and made their careers. They have done a good job. Perhaps the toughest part of the family business is the father/son relationship while carrying on a business as well, but we’ve done well! We are all talking and getting along!”

They have done more than well. Even though he is no longer involved in the day-to-day operations, Paul enjoys going to the quarterly meetings and helping his sons with business development. He also attends Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC) functions and keeps active in the volunteer community.

“I love the industry,” he smiles. “The Alberta steel industry is unique in that we compete, but we collaborate as well.

When Collins has a big project to get out quickly, we work with our industry partners.”

Their competitors are also happy to work with them. It comes back to their guiding core values. Since Collins treats everyone, from staff to clients to suppliers, with the same respect and dignity they wanted to receive, anyone dealing with Collins Steel knows they are going to get an honest, fair deal.

Vice president Ryan started his career during his school summers and has seen the business grow in size and capability from a very young age. When he looks back over some of

Collins Steel | Page 3 | 30th Anniversary

Founder Paul Collins

the major projects completed over the past three decades, the southeast terminal expansion at the Edmonton International Airport is one that stands out.

“It was a very significant project for us,” says Ryan. “It was exciting to be involved in a high-profile steel project at that time in 1999. There was a lot of tonnage and a good amount of complexity. Looking back you could say it was one of those milestones where we took a step forward as an organization and were able to showcase our abilities. We were now to be considered as a significant player in the structural steel market in Edmonton” The EIA terminal wasn’t just a one off. Collins continued to attract large projects. “Weve enjoyed very successful partnerships on large scale projects like the Crossiron Mills mall with Ledcor,” says Ryan. “It was a wonderful steel project for us – around a million square footprint.”

CrossIron Mills changed the outer Calgary landscape and is a major shopping destination in Alberta. Collins Steel is helping to change the skyline here in Edmonton as well. “We are excited again to have the opportunity to partner with Ledcor to help build the new Royal Alberta Museum,” confirms Ryan.

“Its going to be a great looking building and am major part of our downtown revitilazation. One of the many great projects going forward that will really enhance our already great city.”

Collins Steel | Page 4 | 30th Anniversary

Collins manufacturing shop

Collins Steel has a front row seat as they help to make Edmonton that world class city, but their projects also take them all over Alberta. From time to time they venture into British Columbia, depending on the project, but for a wellestablished company it’s not always about the bottom line.

“The most important thing is who you are getting into business with,” Ryan says firmly, pointing out that they only take on projects that allow them to stay true to their core values.

His brother Jason agrees, with a caveat. “An important aspect of the business is the ability to work within a highly functioning

Congratulations Collins Steel!

We wish you many more years of continued success!

9114 34A Avenue • P: 780.430.0005 • F: 780.437.3998 www.fillmoreconstruction.com Collins Steel | Page 5 | 30th Anniversary

Steel ready for one of Collins’ many projects

team. This is the foundation of any business, not just our business. We make sure all of our people work together effectively and we all focus on what is most important to us within our identity as a company. We have a lot of amazing people working here that are truly reliable and care about their teammates and the quality of the work that we produce. We are blessed with the most dedicated, hardworking, young team in town. It’s 100 per cent our people that make the difference.”

Like his brother, going into the family business was always part of the plan. Jason, however, took a little detour first to play semi-professional hockey and came very close to joining the Canadian National Team, but decided to get into business instead.

“Working during the summers gave me good exposure to all aspects of the business,” says Jason. “That is really important because now I understand the struggles and perspectives of the people we employ. I’m not an expert to their level, but I can better understand and help them work through their challenges.”

The focus on the team is evident in the low turnover – something that can be high in the manufacturing industry. It certainly helps that management is always ready and willing to listen to the concerns of the team. For example, about 10 years ago their installers expressed interest in working on a contract basis. “They started their own companies and we Collins Steel | Page 6 | 30th Anniversary

Collins Steel workspace

subcontract to them. It’s worked out very well,” Jason smiles.

Turnover is so low and employee loyalty so high that longterm members are the norm, not the exception. Nowhere is this more apt than in the case of Kim Luong.

Luong started his career when he was hired by Paul as a

welder for Collins Welding. Ryan explains, “He started out welding and became a very skilled fabricator. He could do anything out there, but what he focuses on now is producing parts in our detail department. He overlooks the production of several small parts that get welded onto the main com-

Congratulations Collins Steel on 30 great years.

We are proud to have been a part of your success right from the start!

1-300 King St, Spruce Grove, AB T7X 2C6 780-962-0700 Collins Steel | Page 7 | 30th Anniversary

Work in progess.

ponents. He’s an amazingly skilled, loyal and hardworking guy. He’s approaching retirement soon. We’ve been blessed to have him for 30 years.”

The brothers have witnessed not only the evolution of the scale of projects they could accept, but the very tools they use to do them. When Paul started the company, drafting was completed with paper and pencil. Now drafting is done in 3D. Building information modeling (BIM) allows for all the trades working on a project to collaborate.

“The ability to put it all together in that model to work out any kinks before you build it is a real time saver and has advantages such as clash detection. You can’t put this brace here because there is a window or door here, for example.

You realize that early on and can fix it easily and affordably, whereas on site it’s more costly, time consuming and you don’t look too good either,” Ryan points out.

BIM software is just one of the technologically-forward tools used by Collins Steel. The state-of-the-art equipment in the shop is fed information electronically by the drafting department. “Does it make it easier?” laughs Ryan. “It does, but you have to be careful when you are investing in that technology. It looks good and it’s the sexy way of doing things, but we have to prioritize and ensure that we are focusing on keeping a good flow of production, opposed to overproducing in certain areas and creating inefficient bottlenecks.”

The torch of ownership has passed, as planned, from the first generation to the next, but those last 30 years are just the foundation for the company’s far-reaching future.

“We are growing as a team,” says Ryan. We acquired a machine shop and a shear and form company that supports what we do here. It’s exciting and it makes sense because we have a lot of talent at Collins that can be involved in those businesses.”

No matter where the future takes them or how they’ve grown and changed in the past, one thing will always remain the same. Those core values.

“I think the verse on the wall keeps our perspective on people,” Jason points out. Many people manage the business by the numbers, but that is not what matters. The people matter because they are producing the numbers. You need to observe how people feel within your environment and your culture. The wall decal is a constant reminder that it’s the most important thing.”

The brothers thank their parents for the hard work and sacrifices they made into growing the business and establishing a good reputation for them to carry on. They also thank their team, families, suppliers and clients, all of whom contribute daily to the company’s success.

Collins Steel | Page 8 | 30th Anniversary

3740 73 Ave NW Edmonton, AB T6B 2Z2 (780) 440-1414 www.collins-industries-ltd.com

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Congratulations on 30 years of success!

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Congratulations to Collins Steel on 30 years!

Phone (780) 352-6500 • 1-888-313-2639 Fax (780) 352-0232 • www.hcibrokers.com

Congratulations to Collins Steel on celebrating your 30th anniversary!

Congratulations!

MNP proudly congratulates our client, Collins Steel on 30 years of success.

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Contact Ian Meier, CA at 780.453.5355 or ian.meier@mnp.ca

Congratulations Collins Steel on your 30th Anniversary!

We are proud to be a part of your success!

Best wishes for continued growth and success in the years ahead.

Congratulations to the Collins Industries team to the Collins Steel team on anniversary. on this this landmark landmark anniversary.

4436 – 90 Avenue SE Phone: 403-279-6060 • Fax: 403-279-2054 www.tsesteel.com

Collins Steel | Page 9 | 30th Anniversary

Congratulations to Collins Steel for 30 successful years in business!

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