CRC Wellhead Supply Co. Ltd. Celebrates 35 Years By Nerissa McNaughton
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akingg a risk aking akin risk and and opening ope peni ning ng a business bus usin ines esss ta take takes kess co cour courage. urag age. e. O Openpenpe n ing an oilfield-based business in 1980 when the industry was in the throes of the National Energy Program took the type of courage found in Don and Shirley Cox. The couple not only started CRC Wellhead, they ran it very successfully for 34 years. Sadly, Don passed away in 2009 and after running the company on her own for a few years, Shirley made the decision to sell. Daughter Nina remains at CRC Wellhead as the office manager and Drew Morris, who joined as president in January of this year, is committed to running the company in a way that would have made the original owners proud. “They felt there was a niche in the industry for what they could provide – a machine shop,” says Morris of the Cox’s decision to open CRC. “Don’s history was in valves and he was with a large supplier to the industry. He saw the need for a quality machine shop to provide secondary machining to the industry. The major suppliers of wellhead equipment, at that time, did not have the resources to sustain the volume of business they were doing. They needed contract machine shops, and that’s how it started. Don grew the company based on the needs of his customers.” Since that time, CRC Wellhead has been an industry-leading supplier of common A.P.I. wellhead parts, as well as other components for oil and gas companies across North America. Morris’ journey with the company has been an encouraging one so far. Joining just before the downturn has made for some interesting, and inspiring days. “A lot of companies are laying
CRC Wellhead has been an industryleading supplier of common A.P.I. wellhead parts, as well as other components for oil and gas companies across North America. people off. A lot are closing their doors,” says Morris. “It’s hit our industry hard. I told these guys when I first started that I would try to keep things status quo. I saw some deficiencies in what we had been doing and we were going to improve on that and improve our sales. This was in January when things were going well. In February we got hit hard by the downturn. By mid-March we decided to cut costs.” Morris’ way of cutting costs was not to compromise on quality or lay people off. He found a solution that benefited the company, clients and staff. “In early March, I brought up with the employees that we were going to apply to Service Canada for a Work-Sharing (WS) agreement. On Apr 12 it was initiated. This way all the employees can keep their jobs during the downturn and hopefully, by the end of the six-month period of the program, things will be back to normal.”
CRC Wellhead Supply Co. Ltd. • Celebrates 35 Years