COVER FEATURE
For 33 years, Almita Piling
has been a North American
leader in helical pile foundation
solutions. Surviving and
finding success in the recent
downturn of Alberta’s economy,
Almita is once again looking
to the future and expanding
its reach into new markets.
By Paul Adair
Named after the Blackfoot word for “elk,” Ponoka is a
central Alberta town that is the birthplace of Almita
Piling, a 33-year-old company that has proudly
served its clients as a North American leader in helical
pile foundation solutions.
Now privately owned by the Lloyd family, the roots of
Almita Piling can be traced back to Adrien Trudeau, a
Ponoka public school teacher who taught welding and, in 1986,
purchased Mr. Steel, a local fabrication shop and welding
supply store. Five years later, the company (now called Almita
Piling) began fabricating helical anchors used for securing oil
service rigs.
Today, Almita’s primary customers are the larger engineering,
procurement and construction firms, and general contractors
engaged in the oil and natural gas, transmission and distribution,
mining, rail, heavy industrial, commercial and renewable
construction sectors. The company will also work directly for
project owners on transmission projects and oil sands projects.
Almita also serves an important client segment referred
to as its “Installer Network.” These are smaller installers who
buy piles and accessories from Almita and then install the
piles themselves within their local markets.
“Almita offers complete design through to installation of
helical pile foundations and our designs are fully customized
to specific soil conditions, loads, customer requirements,
and site conditions,” said Bill Baillie, senior vice president
and leadership team member at Almita Piling. “We also offer
other complimentary services such as survey, civil works,
welding, structural steel supply and erection. We are ISO certified
to ensure the quality of our products and services, and
our fabrication shops and welders are Canadian Welding
Bureau certified in order to meet the standards required for
structural fabrication.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALMITA PILING
PILING CANADA 33