MONEY MATTERS

MONEY MATTERS Unveiling Our New Brand Identity

Our brand goes far beyond a logo and colour scheme—it represents who we are, what we stand for and who we work for.

With the amalgamation of Access Credit Union and Crosstown Civic Credit Union, and the preservation of the “Access” name, we needed a focused and inspiring brand that captures our essence and embodies what the new Access Credit Union stands for. To do so, the two credit unions embarked on a brand journey together to help develop our vision to be a credit union that knows and understands every member’s story, and where every member feels connected to, and taken care of by us.

TWO PATHS CONVERGING: DEFINING OUR BRAND IDENTITY Our shared values and approach to member experience is part of what made this merger such a good fi t. Going forward, the new Access Credit Union will continue to keep our members at the centre of everything we do by communicating, building relationships, and being there when you want, how you want. To translate these values into a brand, we needed a unique, recognizable identity that balances both traditional and modern elements. We needed a brand that evokes positive, aspirational emotion and represents the coming together of our two paths.

AN INSPIRED EMBLEM: CREATING A LOGO TO UNIFY The new Access Credit Union brand is visually expressed in our “Triple Cheque Mark” logo. In expressed in our “Triple Cheque Mark” logo. In this logo, Crosstown Civic is represented by this logo, Crosstown Civic is represented by the blue check mark, Access by green and the blue check mark, Access by green and together, we represent the teal triangle that also refl ects a capital “A”. This logo is inspired by arrows to represent forward and upward motion and transitional change, a check mark to represent solutions change, a check mark to represent solutions and making the right choice, a knot to tie and making the right choice, a knot to tie together two histories into togetherness, and an together two histories into togetherness, and an “A” to represent accessibility. Visually, the brand is uniquely identifi able and clearly unites the legacy brands in positive, aspirational “togetherness”.

FORWARD + UPWARD TRANSITION/CHANGE ACCESSIBILITY SOLUTIONS + RIGHTCHOICE TOGETHER + HISTORY

ACCESS

CREDIT UNION

Where you need us to be.

OUR PROMISE TO YOU: WRITING A TAGLINE WITH MEANING Our new tagline, “Where you need us to be,” makes Our new tagline, a pleasant nod to the geographical range of the a pleasant nod to the geographical range of the new credit union, as well as the new digital new credit union, as well as the new digital frontiers for banking and communicating. Online, o ine, any milestone in your life, we are where you need us to be. Experience banking that is there for you every step of the way, helping you get where you want, the way, helping you get where you want, how you want. Whether you’re on the go how you want. Whether you’re on the go and need digital services that are cutting edge or and need digital services that are cutting edge or prefer face-to-face service from friendly sta , we are here for you.

Where you need us to be.

A POSITIVE FUTURE: CONTINUING THE JOURNEY WITH OUR MEMBERS Our new brand refl ects both credit unions in a celebration of who we are. It demonstrates the beginning of a new organization while respecting the legacies of our pasts. The future is prosperous for our members, communities, and employees, who will enjoy a strong, sustainable credit union committed to the fi nancial wellbeing of individuals. A credit union that is rooted in cooperative principles and passionate about supporting the communities in which we all live, work, and play. From banking online wherever you happen to be, to receiving a warm welcome when you walk in our branches, our brand will be refl ected in exceptional service and convenience to members. Our new brand is innovative, bold, and modern. It’s friendly, sincere, and approachable. It’s professional and competent, yet youthful. But most of all, our new brand is unique—just like each member we represent!

You’ll start to see the new branding on our website, social media and in our branch locations beginning in January 2021. We’ll be sharing new information on our shared website as soon as it’s available (www.cusuccess.ca). We look forward to a successful 2021 and beyond - with all of you.

WORD

REBECCA DYCK editor

Happy small business month! We are so excited to dedicate this issue of our publication to celebrate the businesses in our area and to recognize their accomplishments. The Pembina Valley is booming with industry and businesses big and small. We would not be the community we are without them and their many contributions to our towns and cities. So here is a message to all you business owners and entrepreneurs: THANK YOU, WE APPRICIATE YOU!

Thank you for serving us through this crazy time we are in. Thank you for donating to our non-profit organizations, our kid’s sports teams and our fundraisers. Thank you for employing our citizens. Thank you for contributing to the culture that is Southern Manitoba.

In this issue, we are focusing on milestones. Milestones are important in life; they allow us to reflect on the time that has gone by and serve as a reminder of all that has been accomplished. A range of business anniversaries are being showcased leading up to a company celebrating 60 years! I bet if you would ask each and every one of these business owners if they had ever thought about quitting, the answer would be YES. But they didn’t quit, they continued to maneuver around each obstacle in their way and have made it to where they are today.

Everyone loves a good success story. To know that with a lot of hard work and commitment, you can create something out of nothing. That is what the entrepreneurial spirt is all about, having a dream and bringing it to life. With every new generation rising up we see new ideas, new innovation, and new ways to succeed in a world that is constantly changing. With that, let us never forget who came before us and the people who blazed a trail, making a way for all who venture out after them.

We hope you enjoy these profile stories and celebrate with us. If you know the faces within these pages, reach out to congratulate them on a job well done! Alejandro Penner

design lead photography

Ryan Wall

writer

Tony Wall

graphic design

Kevin Friesen

sales

LIFE IN THE VALLEY

IS PUBLISHED BY SERIOUS MARKETING

admin@seriousmarketing.ca

204.325.0283

Carpentry

244 Cochlan Dr., Morden • 204.822.1234

BUILDING FOR 10 YEARS

“If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you’re not sure if you can do it, say yes -then learn how to do it later”. This well-known Richard Branson quote could be the perfect summary of the first ten years of Ironmen Industries; a company always looking to take risks, innovate, and meet the needs of the world around them. Through their diverse skill sets, this family business has positioned themselves to build anything that they can fit into their shop and thrives on designing new products while improving the old ones.

If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you’re not sure if you can do it, say yes -then learn how to do it later. If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you’re not sure if you can do it, say yes -then learn how to do it later.

Beyond growing up under the same roof, David and Johnny Krahn also worked together doing home renovations for a season and knew they made a good team. David also had the experience that came from managing a fabrication plant, while Johnny had his structural steel certification and years of experience in the field. Their father John was an expert in maintaining potato equipment from his thirty plus years in the industry and brought a level of quality assurance that companies in the area had come to trust.

Like many families, they had entertained the idea of going into business together; bringing all their abilities under one roof. It felt like they had all the pieces of the puzzle to build something great. It was now a question of what that something would be. Their first idea was to build equipment for potato farming. “We decided we were all going to take some time and pray about if this was the right thing to do and whether we should move forward with our idea” said David. During that year, John received a call from Southern Potato, asking about having all of their equipment rebuilt in one of their facilities. The timing was perfect. The aspiring family business saw this as an answer to prayer, and their opportunity to start building something together.

The job took six months to complete, enough time to make the big decision to have their own shop built for future projects. The family business decided on the name Ironmen and after moving into their new building, was ready to take on an array of projects involving metal manufacturing.

After a couple months, Ironmen realized their modest sized shop was not going to have capacity for the projects being asked of them. It was Novid Industries that first contacted Ironmen about building a custom trailer. While they didn’t know how they were going to build a trailer that couldn’t even fit in their shop, they took the job anyways believing they could figure that part out later. “That week we got a call from a local company who was looking to sell their manufacturing equipment” said David. “When we told them we didn’t have enough room for it, they offered we move into their building which they were willing to lease”. Just like that the new business had a building which was twice their original size, more than enough space to complete the trailer. The risk paid off while also opening the door to other clients coming with their own custom trailer needs. This is something they have become known for over the last ten years.

Word of mouth spread regarding the start up, bringing in much more work than they had anticipated. “We had a bigger customer base than we initially thought” said David, as he explained how each of them had built a network of potential clients within their previous places of employment.

While the work was increasing, the company was still fairly new and any financial hit could be felt. Like any small business starting up, challenges are always going to happen along the way. “We were in our second year of business when we took an $8000 hit after one of our customers went bankrupt” explained David. “To us, this was huge.” At the same time, they were just finishing a trailer order for a client and noticed that the paint supplier they had used made the mistake of charging the client, instead of the business for the paint. The amount was exactly $8000. “When we approached the customer to fix the mistake, he told us to keep it, that it could be a bonus for a job well done.” The timing, the specific amount, and the improbability of this generous gesture could not be taken as a coincidence. The event further cemented their trust in God as their ultimate provider, in the good times and the tough times.

Business continued to grow as contracts for custom projects kept them busy. These innovative projects included Tundra Crawlers used for Polar Bear sightseeing in Churchill, and trailers needing unique axle systems for carrying oversized loads.

It was in the third year of their lease that they knew they needed more space. The time had come to build their own shop. In 2015 they bought a lot at 735 Roblin Boulevard East and joined the new development of the expanding industrial park in Winkler. They were determined to build the right shop to meet their future needs, deciding on doubling their space again with a 16000 square foot shop, fully equipped with overhead cranes and the latest production equipment. While the excitement of moving into their new shop had just started, the mood quickly changed as they were told that their largest and most consistent customer no longer needed their services. After ramping up production abilities with their brand new shop, they now had a gaping hole that needed to be filled. What seemed to be a recurring theme with this business, the uncertainty was met with their biggest opportunity yet. “Within the month we received a call from FB Industries, they were looking for a partnership to take on the huge amount of work coming up in the oil industry”. While they initially wanted to buy

a manufacturing plant, Ironmen had the idea to sell a minority share of their company; which still ensured the partnership. The amount of work they received would skyrocket from this agreement, and within two years, Ironmen would go on to double their annual sales. The amount of employees also doubled, and the need to expand came up again. In 2017 they built a welding shop, and started to rent another large shop close by which was used for assembly. A whole new world had opened up for the team at Ironmen, as they were able to use leading technology in developing innovative designs and products for the unique demands of the market. Much of this technology revolved around advanced hydraulic systems and computer controlled operations integrated into the products. These demands pushed the team to figure out new ways to solve problems and stretched them to assemble complex designs they had never seen before. The main product they were building at this time was equipment used in moving many tonnes of frac sand, a specialty sand used in the process of extracting oil from the ground. The advancements made on these products further equipped the team to take on new projects and solve more complex problems with their increased capabilities.

In January of 2019 there was talk of business in the oil market ramping up again, prompting the team to build on to their main shop in preparation. Another 28 000 square feet of production space was added, allowing them to cancel their lease on the rental building, bringing most of their production under one roof. While the oil market did not pick up like they were hoping, at this time they had some great opportunities to work on various industrial sites including the Duff Roblin Provincial Parkway and other Winnipeg structures. Ironmen also focused on installing products they had built which naturally led into research and design of more intricate products. Now they were in the position to start developing their own products, which was another risk they were willing to take; trying to correctly judge the market and the current needs.

The product they saw potential in was JobJon, Portable Solutions – a series of portable sanitary facilities used to make sanitation easier, cleaner, and much more efficient. In addition to portable washrooms, JobJon introduced The Hot Hand Wash mobile sanitation unit to the market. This hot water hand washing station is designed for use at events, public gatherings or worksites. This product alone has solved many issues regarding sanitation in this past year and is another

“We have a great team here at Ironmen” says David, “And we believe that this teamwork ventures out far beyond our own walls” Ironmen continues to build partnerships with businesses throughout the community. With a level of trust built to do a project together, the team says they are able to expand what is possible by relying on the strength of companies around them to help complete the unique projects they continue to design.

While the team has always found a way to quickly bounce back when encountering obstacles over their last ten years, 2020 has been their biggest challenge yet. “This is the most I have ever been concerned about the economy” said David, who has seen the ups and downs over the years but nothing to this degree. “We can’t keep spreading fear and expect the economy to rebound” he said in an appeal to politicians and news reporters causing unnecessary fear in an already fear saturated society. He also points out that the need for a healthy economy is not only for those running a business but for everyone who benefits from public services such as healthcare, schools, and other emergency responders. While not everyone can appreciate the struggle of local business owners at this time, many like David are hoping that a balanced approach in responding to this virus will be employed and that the solution will not cause more harm than the problem itself.

Though some companies have unfortunately needed to throw in the towel, Ironmen has been able to weather the storm by holding fast to their values and principles that have gotten them to this point. “A consequence of our growth is having to fight to keep a family culture within the business and personal relationships with our employees” said David. The work done in this area has continued to pay off as the family has continued to get closer over the years of working together. “Our work ethic, values, and mindset are all the same in running the business, which along with the support of our incredible wives has made all the difference.

“We have had so many confirmations along the way that have helped us know we are on the right track” said David “and we can move forward with confidence, faith, and peace of mind during this difficult season.”