hammer tool (another APE innovation used to break up subterranean
obstructions) were definitely up to the task.
“We were drilling holes in about 18 minutes, which is phenomenal,”
said Grindle, adding that driving each pile after
pre-drilling only took 25 minutes on average.
More recently, the HD Driver system was used to install
piles for the Keewatinohk Converter Station, which is part of
the Bipole III transmission line project under construction in
northern Manitoba.
APE’s HD Driver system is among the broad range of products
offered by the company. APE rents and sells an extensive lineup
of vibratory pile drivers/extractors, diesel hammers, hydraulic
impact hammers, wick drivers, drills and other equipment.
“APE offers a wide scope of equipment to install every type
of deep foundation including the largest piles ever driven,”
said the company’s president, Dan Collins.
Long presence in Canada
As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of piling equipment,
APE has long had a presence in Canada. The company’s
branch office in New Jersey handles business for Eastern
Canadian customers, and APE opened a branch office in
Edmonton, Alta. four years ago to service the western provinces
along with the Yukon and Northwest Territories.
To accommodate growing business in this country,
APE moved its Western Canadian branch office this past
summer to Nisku, an industrial hub located near Edmonton
International Airport.
“It’s the industrial heartland of the Edmonton region.
Nisku has a lot of oil and gas and big industry players, and
the presence we have here is phenomenal,” said Grindle. “It
was the right move at the right time. We grew out of what we
were in and needed a bigger yard space and more shop and
office space.”
A privately owned firm, APE is based in Kent, Wash. The
company designs and manufactures its own products, and
then loads and ships them directly to the contractor client.
Once the equipment is on the job site, APE professionals will
help set it up.
APE has offices throughout North America and China
in order to service customers directly. In other parts of the
world, distributors bring the product to the customer along
with U.S. based APE support and service. It’s a business model
that serves customers exceptionally well.
“APE’s wholly owned branches are an extension of our factory
that puts the contractor in direct contact with us, the
manufacturer,” said Collins. “We are on thousands of projects
each year where we are always learning from our customers.
That knowledge flows directly to the factory and right back
to the next job.”
Conversations between APE and its customers are the cornerstone
of the company’s success, as the relationships built
move the industry forward.
“Contractors depend on the close relationships with our
branches, their representatives and their service team to be
ready with answers, to be ready with a quick response to keep
their equipment moving and to keep their project moving
forward,” said Collins.
He says this responsive model not only results in better
communications of contractor clients’ needs but also makes
for better designs in the field.
“It’s what leads to the innovation APE is known for,”
he said.
The HD Driver system is good example. It’s designed to
align APE products with customers looking for versatile,
multi-functional piling equipment that can be easily attached
to machines like skid steers and excavators and operated by
light crews to provide cost savings – a growing need within
the foundations industry, says Collins.
Since installation is extremely efficient, with the HD
system, the contractor can deliver the highest load capacities
per dollar of any deep foundation, says Collins, adding that
difficult and unforeseen job conditions only make the system
shine even brighter.
“Many projects will benefit from innovations like this that
move fast and hit hard, are dependable and testable and provide
the load criteria for the structure,” he said. “The industry
is going to reap great benefits from it.”
COMPANY PROFILE
50 Q3 2016 www.pilingcanada.ca
/www.pilingcanada.ca
/www.pilingcanada.ca
