ESTEVAN — Turnbull Excavating has grown from humble beginnings to become one of Estevan’s most successful and respected businesses.
Company founder Ed Turnbull, who remains one of the company’s owners, recalled he was working at the Esso bulk location in 1983 when he started doing some small skid steer jobs on the weekends. He really enjoyed the work and in 1986, he incorporated the business, with just Ed and his brother Garry as employees.
The company will celebrate its 40th anniversary on April 10 with a customer appreciation event at its shop at from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., at its shop at 110 Frontier Street in the RM of Estevan. A beef on a bun lunch will be served, and there will also be a recognition of its longest-serving employee, Terry Schwartz, who has 40 years of accident-free service.
Glen Buettner has been there for 38 years without an accident, Ed said.
“We still have our first two employees here,” Ed Turnbull said in an email to SaskToday.
Business grew over 40 years
Turnbull Excavating has grown to have 30 trucks and 50 pieces of heavy equipment. It serves an area with an approximate 160-kilometre radius.
“Originally, we just did the groundwork and some hauling, which evolved into a backhoe and then an excavator to do the undergrounds,” said Ed. “We worked mostly in residential construction. Mobile concrete trucks were added in 1990.”
The Shand Power Station and Rafferty Dam construction projects came along as Turnbull’s grew into the bigger earthwork jobs.
“Safety was at the forefront on these jobs,” he said.
After that, he said Turnbull Excavating moved into a lot of commercial jobs and expanded into sewer and water main installation and repairs.
“We always just grow steadily and seen many ups and downs in construction activity,” he said.
In 2008, the company purchased a batch plant and started Turnbull Redi-Mix Concrete. In 2012, they moved to their present facility and the new batch plant was certified by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
Aggregate supply was an issue, he said. The company purchased its first crushing spread in 2015, and was able to procure CSA-certified aggregates.
During the economic downturn, slower growth was the key, he said.
No two days are alike
Ed said he enjoys the business because there is never a dull moment.
“Many jobs are challenging and there is never two days the same. Customers appreciate a good job and many of our employees will get requested for their next jobs. That is rewarding.”
Turnbull Excavating has also earned numerous awards. It was named the Business of the Year at the Estevan Chamber of Commerce’s Estevan Business Excellence Awards in 2013, and has also won for community involvement, and growth and expansion awards. In 2017, it was inducted into the Nick and Verna Morsky Business Hall of Fame. Ed pointed out the company also won an award for being the cleanest industry business.
Family and employees matter
Ed’s son Tyson has 20 years of experience, and joined the business right out of high school. He started running equipment, and went from there into management and now ownership.
“You always hope for your children to keep the business going, although at times through a couple of downturns when money got very tight, I wasn’t sure it was in their best interest,” Ed said.
Tyson noted the company’s success comes down to the people.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have such a strong, dedicated team,” said Tyson. “We have anywhere from 40-50 employees throughout the year. Their hard work is what allows our company to grow and evolve. It’s been especially rewarding to watch employees grow not only within the company – from labourers to heavy equipment operators – but also in their personal lives as they get married, build families, and reach new milestones.”
Tyson’s wife Katy said they appreciate the staff and their families.
“We know that they work long hours and miss out on things at home. This 40 year celebration is for all of them as well,” she said.
Tyson said he enjoys many aspects of the business, especially seeing how the industry has evolved over the past 20 years. That experience has helped him build a strong knowledge base.
“There’s always something new to learn. One of the most rewarding parts is when customers refer us to their family and friends. That kind of trust means a lot to us.”
Looking ahead
Tyson added he is really looking forward to the future of Turnbull Excavating. Bringing in a concrete pump truck will be a great addition to the operation.
“We’ve always hired this service out in the past, and it has worked well, but over time the demand has continued to grow. Much like Ed did over the years – adding services and equipment as the need arose – it reached a point where it made sense for us to invest in our own pump truck and expand what we can offer.”
Katy added that over the past 14 years they have been together, Tyson has always envisioned taking over the company when Ed was ready to retire. Now that they’ve gone through that transition, his hope is that one day one or both of their girls will want to continue the business.
“Keeping it in the family is something that means a lot to him. Lucy already talks about how she can’t wait to start working in the wash bay in a few years,” Katy said.
Being involved in the community is also “incredibly” important, Tyson said. The company makes a point to give back as much as possible to the community and the surrounding areas. Whether it’s supporting local minor sports teams, contributing to fundraisers for new facilities, helping dance organizations, or being part of events in Estevan, he believes it all matters.
“These are the communities that helped us get to where we are today, and we want to continue showing our appreciation in any way we can. That is why when we realized it was our 40th year in business, we decided we needed to celebrate.
“We’re excited for what’s ahead and hope for another 40-plus years; by then, Lucy might be running the company and telling us how it’s really done.”
