struggling, going bankrupt or laying off staff, we were able
to acquire high-quality people and get the work done efficiently,”
said Dirks.
That year, Kichton almost doubled in size.
“Now, the company aims for annual growth of no more
than 10 per cent,” he said, observing that businesses can go
bankrupt even in good times if they grow so fast they lose
control or get too much work and can’t finish jobs sufficiently
to collect the last money. “The last bit of money – that’s your
profit.”
The opportunity arose to start a piling and shoring division
in 2015, according to Dirks.
Brad DePagie, Rob Walker and Daisy Potvin, who had all
been managers at other drilling companies, became minority
shareholders. Then Bernie Coderre, who for 35 years had
been with a major Western Canadian foundation engineering
and construction company, joined the team.
“Bernie came into our office one day and told us he
wanted to unload his knowledge to our younger group for
free,” said Dirks. “We pay him now, though.”
The piling and shoring division, managed by Daisy Potvin
and Kevin King, is also supported by the project managers,
superintendents and in-house engineers of Kichton’s earthworks
and underground divisions.
Aiming for steady, controlled growth
“The majority of our work has been tangent walls and containment
walls – holding something in place,” said Dirks,
noting that these projects are often in northern Alberta.
The company recently installed a tangent wall and
150-foot-deep anchors along the banks of the Peace River
to stabilize the main highway into the town of Peace River.
“The majority of our
work has been tangent
walls and containment
walls – holding
something in place.”
– Chris Dirks, Kichton Contracting Ltd.
COVER STORY
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
Kichton Contracting’s main office and
yard in Acheson, Alta., just west of
Edmonton on the Yellowhead Highway
The Edmonton Mechanized River Valley Experience project
on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River
22 Q3 2017 www.pilingcanada.ca
/www.pilingcanada.ca
/www.pilingcanada.ca
/www.pilingcanada.ca
