ADVERTORIAL
On track for a big future Listening more, talking less, CRCR is set to exceed all expectations for train repair. Jobs come into CRCR by the train load. On tracks leading into their spray booth, in fact, with separate trains cars loaded on their beds. Canadian Rail Collision and Refurbish Inc (CRCR) provide collision, refurbishing and non-mechanical warranty service for train cars. And they do it efficiently and quick—their turnaround times on jobs are typically under 24 hours, which is no small feat when you consider the huge scale of the cars they’re working on. Life-long entrepreneur Winston Watson came to found the company by following his mantra: “Listen more, talk less.” Watson cut his teeth in the collision industry working with Linwood Collision, Supreme Collision and Steve’s Auto Collision. Listening to his colleagues he heard the Go trains were having problems with the rivets on their side panels. There was no one in Canada who could service them quickly or with much finesse. Watson saw a business opportunity. Early on he partnered with industry veteran George Warda of United Spray Booths. Warda’s extensive knowledge of spray booths helped CRCR considerably when it took on the challenge constructing facilities large enough to quickly process trains. The spray booths at CRCR, built be United, aren’t so unusual. They’re just bigger than most. At 112 feet long and 50 feet wide, their booths—they have
two—are big enough to fit a train car. Two train cars, actually, as jobs usually come in to the Mississauga facility either by rail or flatbed. The booths use DuPont’s Imron Elite waterborne paint, which makes for quick dry times and long-lasting finishes while still being friendly to the environment. The booths’ tracks run in one end and out the other, which is an important feature. It saves time by allowing the trains to exit without needing to reverse. It’s just one of the ways CRCR has streamlined production to keep cycle times down. “We have a staff of about 35 people and we have a very systematic way of doing things,” Watson said. “Very highly technical.” Still a young company, CRCR’s found remarkable success by offering lightning-fast turnaround times and a quality experience. Just six months in they already count among their customers Go, Bombardier and VIA. They’ve also done quite a bit of work for the new SkyTrain line in Vancouver, which the city opened in preparation for the Olympics. CRCR has a number of other units from SkyTrain to work on in the near future. The company is still on track to expand, and Watson is still listening to customers for ways to improve the services they offer. “My forte is providing customers good service, whatever that may be in,” Watson said. “Listen more, talk less: it’s the backbone of what CRCR is, and who we are, and what we try to become.”
CANADIAN RAIL COLLISION & REFURBISH INC Main Office
1435 Bonhill Rd, Unit 34 Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1V2 Toll free / 1-888-450-1527 Toronto local / 416-309-4475
www.crcr.ca Facility
50 Drummond Street, Building C Mississauga Ontario M8V 4B5