Engineering a century of success

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This article was published 21/08/2023 (847 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Pritchard Engineering Co. Ltd has never really been an attention-seeking company, but celebrating 100 years in business means president Mike Best is happy to oblige and talk about what has kept this local institution going for a century.

Founded in 1920 by Stanley Pritchard, the company has served thousands of clients across Canada. Since 1923, Pritchard Engineering has been providing solutions in the areas of machining, welding, metal fabrication, compressor and power systems, diesel engines and hydraulic systems. Clients have been turning to Pritchard Engineering for industrial solutions to machine and equipment challenges of all shapes, sizes and complexities.

The century-old company has seen a lot of growth and change over the years. It survived the Great Depression and the Second World War and even produced parts for aircraft. In 1941, with the men away in wartime, women were hired to cover the three different shifts, and they’ve continued playing a significant role in Pritchard Engineering ever since — some as technicians, many others as welders.

With rapidly changing technology, Pritchard Engineering has been part of contributing to and improving a number of iconic sites in the city of Winnipeg and beyond, including supplying a backup generator to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, undertaking the mechanical, hydraulic and electrical upgrades to the Manitoba floodway, helping to restore the Golden Boy, and providing essential emergency backup power for the largest wastewater facility in the city of Selkirk.

“When I had the opportunity to join Pritchard Engineering, it already had a wonderful history at that point,” said Best, whose beginnings with Pritchard in 2002 as a sales manager in manufacturing paved the way to becoming president of the company.

“It was quite the draw to join the team. Throughout my time here, the different projects and the different jobs that we work on, the technology, it keeps things exciting. There’s always something new.”

Pritchard Engineering currently has 141 employees, that number fluctuating between 80 and 200 according to jobs and projects throughout the facilities. The business has had various locations over the years, starting at the corner of Fort Street and Graham Avenue, where it remained until 1951.

To accommodate its growth, a new, larger facility on Bannister Road was built to house the hydraulics and engine business. That, in turn, expanded in 1973 to include all of the company’s operations. Continued expansion into the market of diesel engines resulted in such rapid growth that by 1974 additional space was leased across the road from the Bannister plant to facilitate ongoing advancement of the engine service and overhaul capabilities.

By the 1980s Pritchard Engineering was offering building diesel and natural gas powered generators as well as hydraulic systems. The business decided to create divisions that would allow each one to focus on building their experience and service offerings within their own areas of expertise. In 1989, the company acquired an existing building at 100 Otter Street to house the Dieseltech and Pritchard Industrial Divisions as well as Administration. Divisions of Pritchard Engineering today include: Pritchard Machine, Pritchard Industrial, Pritchard Dieseltech, Pritchard Hydra-motion and Pritchard Power Systems.

Pritchard currently comprises 135,000 square feet of manufacturing and distribution space, three facilities in Winnipeg and six divisions offering service to Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northern Ontario.

“The technology is changing daily as we move forward,” Best said. “You can imagine from 100 years ago Pritchard was one of the starting companies for a lot of new technology, machining, welding, grinding, new equipment. You look at the diesel engine side, how that’s evolved with emissions over the years. We see changes happening continuously. Emissions are being challenged, always something they’re looking at to better changes, from the way we cut and bend steel. Everything used to be automatic, now it’s all computer programmed, a wide spectrum of our business.

“What really stood out when I was doing research and looking at the history is the constant focus on quality. It’s been done in many reiterations. If it’s Pritchard built it’s precision built. Everything is based around whatever we need to make sure it satisfies the customer and it’s quality built. Through changing ownership and all employees that’s one thing that has stayed constant. Even with the lines that we carry, we use the lines that we feel confident in. We are not the cheapest industrial company.”

Next month, Pritchard will be celebrating the milestone anniversary and honouring 100 years in business with invited guests, including current and past employees, business partners and suppliers, and everyone who has helped out with their success. Best has been preparing for the informal event by studying the past and looking forward to the future.

“I look back at the comments; it was almost a Pritchard family at the start. It really comes down to people committed to the company and the company having the focus and fortitude to continue to provide a quality product. From the products and services and the people that we have, the partnerships with employees and customers — when you’re providing a quality product in place, and you’ve got the right people in place — that’s key for us, a huge component to the longevity part, and a recipe for success.”

Visit the company website here.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca