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| Cerpro Energy Services Inc.: Focus on People |
| By Kate Burrows | |||
| Thursday, 25 September 2008 | |||
Cerpro Energy Services Inc. strives to provide value to its clients by employing a talented and dedicated work force. By Kate Burrows After only four years in business, Cerpro is recognized by clients for its commitment to providing value in all its services.
Although Cerpro can easily recruit employees, finding the right people to grow the business has been a challenge. “We just can’t find enough good people,” Pleskie says. “We do what we can for our people, by paying quality wages, benefits, and being flexible with them. We’re all about the people, but you can only do so much work with the number of people we have. We’re always trying to find more.” After only four years in business, Cerpro is recognized by clients for its commitment to providing value in all its services. In addition to employing talented workers, it owns a modern fleet of more than 300 pieces of equipment, which includes everything from wheel and chain trenchers to excavators and highway tractor/trailer units to move the equipment, it says. Cerpro performs the majority of its work in Alberta and Saskatchewan for a variety of clients. Although the company was initially founded to serve clients in the oil and gas industry, it diversified into civil construction, and sees potential in civil infrastructure work in the future. Value-Added Services Cerpro strives to provide value for its customers, rather than make decisions based solely on its own bottom line. “If we provide good service and value for our customers, we will always have work,” Pleskie says. “The tendency for many companies is to capture every nickel they can, but when the market slows, they’re the first firms out of work, because their charges are high. But, we monitor the services we provide in value, instead of our bottom line. It may sound contradictory, but we’ve found that if we provide significant value, we are the contractor of choice, which is critical to maintaining our bottom line.” The company is working to expand into the oil sands fabrication market, but is also looking to serve clients in manufacturing, as well. To move its business to the next level, Cerpro is constructing 35,000 square feet of shop, stores and office space that sits on 40 acres of industrial land. “Once we set up this new facility, we will be able to branch out into any direction we want, since we have the property we need,” he says. “We can build more shop space, office space, and ultimately look for more work and expand our client base.” Training the Work Force Although the majority of its workers join the company at an entry-level position, it doesn’t take them long to move through the ranks. Cerpro offers a number of apprenticeship programs and internal mentorship opportunities, Pleskie states. “We try to work as a team in every way, by pairing entry-level people with our experienced workers,” Pleskie says. “Then, the more experienced people move up into supervisory roles. We try to keep our people by treating them well and giving them opportunities for success.” Cerpro stresses safety, and has earned a number of awards and recognitions, as a result. Cerpro has been awarded the Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry’s Work Safe Alberta 2006 Best Safety Performer award. Pleskie says employees are dedicated to helping the company continue its success in the future. “I’m proud of how well we all work together,” he declares. “We all have the same goals in mind, and that’s the key to success.” |
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