Strong economy entices Atco back to province

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This article was published 06/05/2009 (6298 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Atco Structures is opening a Winnipeg sales and distribution operation after having exited the market 14 years ago, drawn by Manitoba’s robust construction market.

Company officials said business has slowed in Alberta and Harry Wilmot, the company’s president and chief operating officer, said, “it is an opportunity to redeploy assets.”

Atco Structures, the trailer division of the Calgary industrial conglomerate, now has a presence in every province from Quebec to B.C. It opened a Saskatoon office about a year ago and has done well.

The Saskatchewan experience opened company officials’ eyes to the prospects in Manitoba as well and its decision to set up shop on a four-acre property on Lucas Avenue between Inkster Boulevard and the Oak Point highway in northwest Winnipeg has more to do with Atco’s acknowledgement that the buoyant provincial construction activity is not likely to subside.

“We are quite encouraged with the city’s relatively steady growth… not like Alberta,” Wilmot said. “We know there are some large projects going on.”

Some might say the company should have been here a couple of years ago. While it may be true that floodway work is all but complete, Wilmot noted airport construction is ongoing, Canadian Museum for Human Rights construction has begun and development of the IKEA store and surrounding development will also generate activity.

Ron Hambley, executive director of the Winnipeg Construction Association, said Atco is a recognized brand name and even though there is competition in this market, it should have some good prospects.

“These are fairly sophisticated trailers and I think Atco will find some good prospects,” he said. “PCL just set up a large trailer on the museum site where they are going to be for awhile.”

Hambley said the proposal to build a road up the east side of Lake Winnipeg, ongoing pipeline construction as well as Manitoba Hydro work in northern Manitoba, would all present opportunities for Atco.

The company provides a wide range of modular building solutions — from eight-foot-by-16 foot wheeled site offices to 12-foot-by-40 foot skidded offices and all sorts of sizes and shapes in between — for industrial and construction customers as well as modular classrooms, site offices and lavatories.

The Winnipeg operation will eventually have about 60 units at its disposal and Wilmot said if demand warrants, there are local manufacturers who will produce more units.

Charles Latschislaw, a former Winnipegger, is returning to run Atco’s local operation after four years in Alberta.

“I’m really happy to be coming back,” Latschislaw said, pointing out that Atco probably could have been here sooner with the volume of construction work in Manitoba over the last couple of years.

Atco sold its space rental business to GE 14 years ago, but subsequently got back into the business. Its parent company has sizable assets in the power transmission and generation business as well as energy distribution.

Bill Morrissey, Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce vice-president responsible for its Selling Winnipeg to the World campaign, said Atco’s decision to re-enter the Winnipeg market bolsters the contention that the city is on the right track.

“It’s great news that Atco sees a bright future ahead for Manitoba and that it wants to be here and be a part of it,” Morrissey said.

“There is a high degree of optimism we are sensing and feeling in the Winnipeg business community.”

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca