40 years later, MAKLOC still building the Team
by Dominique Vrolyk
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Picture: A dynamic team of sales executives bring new projects to the Makloc drafting tables all year round.
In 2011, the job search methodology offers many tactics: ‘googling’ an industry or a particular job title (internet search), newspaper want ads, driving around in a particular area jotting down names or addresses of companies displaying a sign announcing the vacancies, calling friends and relatives to get a lead, and social media! This ‘modern-day’ option would include Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Kijiji. A Google search that lands the job seeker in Job Match Today is faced with an astounding reply, “We found 6,158 jobs in the Nisku area.” This number boggles the mind and could create some frustration and despair to one who is seeking an easy solution to their eager job search. Another page states that there are 428 jobs posted for the Leduc region. These numbers can’t be confirmed, but they give a hint as to many companies seeking team members.
More internet and newspaper classifieds searching lead you to ads and signs that include these words: laborer, project coordinator, helper, estimator, flagman, admin, shop and field. There definitely is some renewed life in this industry and according to sources in industrial world, activity is approaching pre-recession levels.
Human Resources are busy departments in most companies, whether they are small, medium-sized or large corporations. Planning for the welfare and safety of the entire team, recruiting valuable members, training them and building on their trust and loyalty is a daily job that is endless, and requires wisdom, organization and heart. Safety records come into play here, as they attest to a company’s success in implementing safety measures, and they are on public record, like it or not. Some companies work hard at improving their safety records, while others claim the bragging rights of always having had a strong health, safety and environmental protection history.
One of the companies actively recruiting in Nisku is Makloc Buildings. Privately owned, this medium-sized company has enlisted the loyalty of several members of its team for more than three decades. Since its beginnings in the early 70s, Makloc has weathered several economy fluctuations and physical expansions to become a leader in the field of steel buildings, as well as design, engineering, fabrication, project management, welding, painting, even transportation. Quoting its website, Makloc “does not like to dwell on past successes, but prefers to focus on the future and the challenges it presents.”
Now employing more than 125 people, Makloc celebrated its 40th Anniversary on May 27. The entire staff was in attendance, offering tours of its newly expanded facility and state-of-the-art two-story administration building and generally being enthusiastic hosts to a large number of guests. The golf carts rented for this occasion were useful as the entire facility encompasses 13 acres and numerous large shops.
The welding shop for example, has recently been expanded to approximately twice its size. Following the saying “build it and they will come” and supported by Makloc’s sales executives’ dynamic efforts is operating with a day and night shift. One building that drew a lot of keen interest was a modular ‘office building’ that includes an office area, and a two-story area for more desks and a mezzanine storage area. This building is fully wired for utilities such as power, water and fiber optics. All that is required to make it serviceable is to transport it to its permanent location, and hook it up!
In the 60s, self-framing buildings were new to the industrial world. They quickly became popular with the Oil & Gas industry, replacing wood structures. In the boom years of the early 70s, Makloc purchased land in the Nisku Industrial Park. The company began in Ponoka, then developed a piece of land in Nisku, outgrew it and moved the business to the current property. In 1999, a dedicated employee and general manager at the time for the company and his brother bought the controlling shares: one year later, Enio and Jim Zanello became full owners of Makloc Buildings. Jim, who has a proven track record in owning and leading a successful company, brought a strong financial component to the table. Enio, with his strong leadership, design skills and salesmanship, was the ideal man to lead the company into new areas, taking diversification to a new level.
Makloc calls itself an “employeeowned” company, as nearly all of the Department Managers are shareholders as well. Its focus on safety, training and in-house promotions fosters deep loyalty, as employee stats attest to. A senior draftsman and the purchasing manager for example, have been with the company for over thirty years! A valuable member of the leadership team is Ken Ross, VP and General Manager, whose 35 years of computer technology and construction industry experience are serving Makloc Buildings very well.
Makloc management is confident that the future looks bright. Their product portfolio includes self-framing and Chemloc buildings (for safe storage of chemical products), rigid frames, skid-mounts and modular units. These products are relevant to the oil and gas, agriculture, residential and industrial industries. Their products are distributed all over the world, such as in Cuba, Russia, Chile and many other faraway countries.
Mr. Ross points out that although their teams are full at the moment, the search for skilled personnel never ends at Makloc. Yasser Ahmad, an HR executive with the company, shares that “at Makloc, we believe that our employees are our best investment, so we like to help them achieve their dreams, and will accept their referral of a friend or relative. We like to promote from within, and constantly strive to secure and implement safety measures.” According to corporate mission statement, Makloc believes that a safe and healthy environment is every worker’s right!
Forty years later, Makloc still has room to add to their team. With an open mind, projects abounding thanks to a strong sales force dynamically tuned in to various industries and a desire to innovate, the future is bright indeed.
Article Found at http://www.pipestoneflyer.ca/Article.asp?id=890
40th Anniversary