When two former competitors joined together for a 1999 project, the groundwork was laid for a company that would evolve into a major provider of nuclear plant refurbishment
Written by Kevin Doyle
It’s not often one-time competitors align to form a stronger union. Yet that is precisely how Crossby Dewar Inc. came to be, merging Crossby Environmental and Dewar Insulation after the two companies worked together on a project for Ontario Power Generation a decade ago.
“It was a joint venture that turned into one company,” explains Vice President of Operations Ian Morton, who joined Crossby Dewar in 2002. “When the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station re-start project began in 1999, it was determined that one company couldn’t handle the scope of the work. So, the companies formed an alliance known as Crossby Dewar Projects, Inc.”
They continued to work together, expanding across sectors into multiple areas of refurbishment, and eventually made the relationship permanent in 2003, re-branding as Crossby Dewar, Inc. The Pickering, ONT company continues to offer services across a range of sectors – including a manufacturing division that produces top of the line removable and reusable insulated blanket systems for turbines – but approximately 80 percent of its work is nuclear-generated.
“Nuclear is absolutely our key industry and we’re well-positioned within that industry. As members of the OCI (Organization of CANDU Industries) we support Canadian Technology and its continued use in Ontario. We carry many high level certifications that are all required within the industry. There are many checks and stops in place to make sure we’re performing the work correctly,” Morton says.
The company employs approximately 650 and has maintained a 26 percent compounded annual growth rate for several years. Morton says the company suffered only a fractional slowdown during the recession and is “well positioned to carry through, to grow and develop, and to move our knowledge into other areas such as petro-chemical.”
ONGOING OPERATIONS
Crossby Dewar is engaged in ongoing refurbishment at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station – OPG’s newest Canadian Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) plant – and Bruce Power, Canada’s first private nuclear generating company that is the source for more than 20 percent of Ontario’s electricity.
Ontario’s nuclear plants are unique in that they all house multiple units. The Pickering and Bruce facilities have eight units each while Darlington contains four. With plants approaching the end of their initial life cycle of 25 years, Morton says opportunities for refurbishment work abound.
“There is no question we will continue to grow and remain strong in nuclear refurbishment. There is a tremendous amount of opportunity over the long term when you consider that it takes roughly two years to refurbish a single unit,” explains Morton.
Crossby Dewar works with key partner, Black and MacDonald, to deliver service at the Pickering and Darlington sites. Black and MacDonald specializes in electrical and mechanical services and complements Crossby Dewar to essentially provide a turnkey operation. In fact, Morton explains, the two companies have integrated their organizations to the point that “some of their people work in our office and some of our people work in their office. It all makes for a better product for OPG.”
Crossby Dewar also maintains excellent working relationships with AECL, SNC Lavalin, E.S Fox, Babcock Wilcox, Comstock, Siemens and AECON at the Bruce site. “Bruce Power has told us they regard us as the best contractor on site. And, it’s been said before, that we are like the right arm of certain organizations within OPG for the work we do for them,” Morton notes.
Morton says Crossby Dewar self-performs approximately 90 percent of all work, the exceptions being roofing, excavation and such. The company both owns and leases equipment and recently invested CAN$350,000 to purchase a vacuum truck used for specialized non-intrusive excavation work to avoid damaging buried cables or piping.
Field labor is secured as needed through the union halls. In regards to professional staff, Morton says “If we’ve lost three people in the seven years I’ve been here, I’d be surprised. We treat our people well. They’re the key to the business and they’re rewarded based on their good performance.”
SAFETY MEASURES
Crossby Dewar’s attention to safety is unwavering. The company recently surpassed 2.3 million man-hours without lost time due to injury at the Bruce plant.
“We just went through our quality re-certification audit for OHSAS 18001, which extends our certification for an additional three years,” says Morton. “Because we work in the nuclear field, our programs are very detailed and very process-driven. Every step is planned and thought out. We want everyone to go home exactly the same way they came to work.”
Each worker is required to read and sign off on a daily Job Safety Analysis and are encouraged to back out of a work area if they sense a potential hazard. “We reward our people for saying ‘No, I don’t think that’s right and let’s take a look at it.’ Self-reporting is a primary part of our program. Safety is absolutely the number one priority at our executive board meetings with the ownership of this company,” Morton says. The company also carries ISO 9001:2008, CAN3-Z299.2-85 and W47.1-03 certifications.
ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES
With its environmentally friendly processes, the nuclear industry is now viewed as the primary player among all renewable energy forms. “We are definitely major supporters of nuclear. Ontario is actually getting rid of all their fossil fuel plants. Those that remain are only used for peak periods but eventually will be decommissioned and torn down. The base load for the major output, I believe, will come from nuclear,” Morton assesses.
OPG is owned by the Ontario provincial government, which halted a multi-unit new build project at Darlington on June 29 due to escalating costs. As a result, Morton says, “they’re on the hot seat to come up with a plan that will continue the supply of power to the public.”
Crossby Dewar is also well-regarded for its expertise in asbestos, mold and hazardous waste removal and abatement. “We have specific training for asbestos removal in Ontario and all of our people are certified for that process. Like anything we do, each aspect is planned in great detail and we’re regarded as one of the leaders in that field,” Morton notes.
However, nuclear plant work is the vehicle driving a successful future. “Honestly, in five years with the amount of work coming through because of the refurbishment of all those units, I can see us doubling our revenue,” Morton concludes.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
COMPANY NAME: Crossby Dewar Inc.
CO-PRESIDENTS: John Crossby and Scott Dewar
OPERATIONS: Civil contractor with a specialty in nuclear power plant refurbishment.
ESTABLISHED: 2000
EMPLOYEES: 600 to 650
HEADQUARTERS: Pickering, ON
www.crossbydewar.com
View Digital Corporate Profile of CrossbyDewar in Construction Digital October 2009