TOMCO Group of Companies, a family-owned organization headquartered in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, is celebrating 25 years. A trusted Leader in the Industry, TOMCO has strategic locations in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Ontario. TOMCO’s journey has been built on innovation, vision and most of all – integrity. TOMCO provides field services, sales, rentals, repairs and inspections for partners across industries like energy, renewables, mining and more. With Canada’s largest fleet of specialized tools and equipment, the company offers clients precision and reliability in high-stake sectors.
For 25 years they’ve done just that, earning a reputation for their exceptional customer service and groundbreaking approach to field service applications. Today, TOMCO’s range of capabilities includes portable machining, pipe cutting and beveling, pre-heat, post-weld heat treatment, stress relieving, controlled bolting, hydro testing and coordinate measuring machine inspections.
The company has collaborated with some of the most respected names in equipment manufacturing, including Climax, H&S, Calder, Bortech, SFE Group Brands, Enerpac, Atlas Copco, USAI, Copperstate Nut & Bolt, FL Smitdth, Meridian Equipment, Hotfoil-EHS and USA Industries. To further streamline operations for large-scale projects, TOMCO maintains an extensive fleet of equipment that includes PWHT, controlled bolting, hydro testing, pipe cutting and end prep, as well as portable machine tools. TOMCO can create fully stocked on-site warehouses, complete with inventory and dedicated personnel to help clients meet tight deadlines and production goals.
Founded
to
solve
problems
From the start, TOMCO was founded on the principle of doing more than building a business – it was founded on solving critical problems for industries that couldn’t afford to slow down. Founder and CEO, Rod Tomyn looks back on the early days, “I had a smaller business that was similar in 1995,” he says. “I spent five years with the new ownership group. However, I really felt that my job wasn’t done. There was more that I wanted to achieve in my career.”
Throughout his pre-TOMCO career, Rod had successfully accrued years of oilfield experience and considered moving into inspecting or even consulting. However, another – bigger – idea was percolating in his mind.
“I felt that the new technology had a bright future in the energy industry but it wasn’t being utilized properly to drive the energy sector forward. At the time my son, Wes, was completing his fourth year of machining at NAIT. So, I reached out to him and said, ‘I’m going to start a new business – are you in?’ He said, ‘Are you sure?’ and I’m pretty sure he meant, ‘Are you nuts?’ I was 50 at the time and not even thinking about retiring!” Rod and Wes took the leap. In the first years they employed 15 people. Now they have over 200 trusted workers serving as the company’s reliable backbone and can even ramp up to over 250 as projects demand.
However, the early days were different. “The biggest challenge back then was getting the industry to trust the new technology,” Rod explains. “The prevailing thought was, ‘We’ve done things like this for 25 years, why would we change it?’ However, over time and by showcasing the products, services and their efficiencies, things evened out. We went from chasing work to people coming to us for our products and services.”
A
family
business
TOMCO has thrived while remaining true to its core values. As a family-owned business, the culture is robust, with many employees having served for over 15 to 20 years. Reflecting on the journeys of the employees, Rod expresses gratitude for being surrounded by great individuals. He mentions his son-in-law, Jesse McLellan, who joined the family business two decades ago. Today, Jesse serves as the vice president of field services and is an essential member of both the family and the organization.
“The corporate culture is a combination of things,” says Rod, “but I have always been very service oriented in my leadership. Throughout my career I have always believed that if you provide a quality service and stood behind your work, your customers would recognize that. We still deal with the people we dealt with 25 years ago. To me, that is very rewarding.” Rod’s son, Wes, has first-hand experience of the corporate culture – he worked his way through TOMCO from the field to the office, and now as the company’s president he is poised to continue the legacy.
“It feels good!” Wes says of the succession plan in motion. “My father was 50 when he started this company, and I’m 46 as we enter succession. I’ve enjoyed the journey so far and as we continue through the transition, we know we are surrounded by good people. With this team, we have each other’s backs.” He’s quick to admit, “It is because we are family-owned and operated that we can be agile and responsive to industry and customer needs. Our corporate culture gives TOMCO a big advantage. We are all focused on our goals as a team.”
While Rod speaks to the changes Wes is implementing based on his fresh ideas, industry experience and time at TOMCO, Wes is just as quick to point out that the ‘Big Guy’ – Rod’s nickname at the office – set the tone and foundation.
“Our evolution is firmly based on how the Big Guy led. He mentored me and he mentored the team. He made a lot of strategic decisions and took risks, such as the moves into the Bonnyville, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Ft. St. John, Kamloops and Lloydminster markets, which turned out to be natural fits. He was pivotal in the acquisition of CMMinspect Inc., then guided the move into the eastern Canadian market by opening a branch in London, Ontario, which has expanded into Quebec and the Maritimes.”
Rod and Wes also look to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. “I started TOMCO in my garage,” says Rod, “A bedroom was my office. To start a business, you need to be committed and be prepared to sacrifice a lot of things, like family time. If you are doing things right, you are the last person to get a paycheck. Be prepared for some lean months. There is no way around that at the start. You learn not to take a single thing for granted – not the loyal customers, the employees or your family. Seek balance and learn how to juggle it all. Remember that your employees support you and the customers support your employees. The better we treat people, the better they treat us. It’s a community.”
Wes adds, “If you are entering a family business, know that from the outside looking in, it looks easy. It’s not. There are highs and lows, as with every business. Be firmly committed to the journey. Enjoy the good times and ride out the low times – and most importantly, enjoy the ride!”
The
next
25
years
Wes notes that his leadership style is to build on the foundation while also ensuring work/life balance as TOMCO continues to grow rapidly. For Wes, a happy and healthy team is as important as customer service.
A important step to scale the business, Wes formed the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) in March 2020. This group of highly motivated people consists of Jesse McLellan, Cam Allary, Jason Appleyard, James Brown and Gordon Kabatoff. The ELT is the engine that drives the company forward.
As TOMCO continues to expand across Canada, they see obstacles as challenges that help the company grow. From the expansion into Ontario to being mindful and respectful of the language requirements in Quebec, wherever TOMCO goes, their commitment to being part of the community is always well-received.
Wes smiles, “We are just taking things year by year, although growth is always a big part of our agenda. The focus is to grow sustainably, as uncontrolled growth will always catch up with you. At every step of our journey the focus is to develop good people along the way.
Empowering our team is always top of mind.” Rod concludes “I feel like TOMCO has always been an industry Leader. Our future includes our unique identity. We have one of the largest inventories of specialty equipment in our warehouses, ensuring we can continue to meet client needs. TOMCO is ideally situated with our equipment, people, trades and skills. The future for us goes in one direction – forward.”
With the largest fleet of specialized tools in Canada and a reputation built on trust, reliability and expertise, TOMCO delivers results that speak for themselves. They’re poised for ongoing success and continual innovation, exceeding today’s standards and building tomorrow’s solutions. Visit the company website at tomco.ca to learn more, or join in the conversation by engaging on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
P.O. Box 1168, 4227 46 Ave
Rocky Mountain House, AB Canada
T4T 1A8
403.844.2141 • info@tomco.ca
tomco.ca
