From start to finish
From a start-up marine construction and pile driving business
operating with a couple of small scows and A-frame
equipment, Island Marine now boasts a range of machinery
to get the job done well.
“We’ve got an American 4210 crane, 10-inch down-thehole
hammer rock drill, a variety of pile driving leads, an ICE
216 vibro, a 26x90 spud barge, a 36-foot tow boat, small scows
and crew boats,” said Johnson.
While Island Marine does do some commercial work,
including marinas, its main focus is residential jobs.
Geographically, the company covers B.C.’s Gulf Islands,
southern Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.
Johnson said the business is not targeting aggressive
expansion. Over the next five years, the goal is to continue
to provide high-level service, but also to prepare for a trend
that expects dock maintenance to become more of a focus as
regulations change and evolve.
To that end, the company is breaking off some of its staff
and grooming them to become a specialty maintenance
division.
While they are just getting started now, “With the aging
infrastructure out there, maintenance will need more attention
in the future,” said Johnson.
He adds that no matter what the job, all of Island Marine’s
projects present their own unique challenges. That’s why the
company is staffed by creative thinkers.
“You need to devise solutions for problems you didn’t
see ahead of time,” said Johnson. “Everything is logistically
challenging, from getting permits to getting materials, and
completing the jobs on site with weather and changing conditions.
Every location is different, from a rocky beach to
building up a cliff.
“It’s an ongoing challenge.”
COMPANY PROFILE
“We focus on
environmentally friendly
products and maintenancefree
materials.”
– Corey Johnson, Island Marine
Construction Services Ltd.
A piling job for a replacement
marina on Vancouver Island
PILING CANADA 67