Opportunity didn’t knock on Dennis Duncan’s door, but it did pass by his house.
The steady flow of trailered boats heading to and from Sylvan Lake on Rainy Creek Road in front of Duncan’s farm provided the inspiration for a boat maintenance service. And that spawned a shrink-wrap business that now stretches across the province.
Alberta Shrink Wrap, which Duncan operates with his wife Laurie and their daughter and son-in-law Darci and Matt Cole, has sealed up a helicopter, a combine and modular buildings. It’s wrapped up an escalator to protect it during building renovations, enclosed scaffolding to shield workers from the elements and even been asked about storing the train from AMC’s TV series Hell on Wheels inside plastic.
But a big part of its business started with and remains with boats.
Duncan described how his family started Rainy Creek Marine about three years ago, performing winterizing and related services for boat owners. When customers asked about shrink-wrapping their vessels, the business obtained the materials and equipment to oblige.
Soon, it was suggested that oilfield companies might be interested in having equipment shrink-wrapped for transportation and storage. A few online ads prompted a flood of calls.
“So we started shrink-wrapping industrial,” said Duncan. “We were going to Calgary and doing huge modules, mobile home modules, office modules and stuff like that.”
Mustang Helicopters of Blackfalds even hired Rainy Creek Marine to secure an aircraft for shipping.
“It got so busy we established kind of an off-shoot of Rainy Creek Marine with Alberta Shrink Wrap.”
The mobile service uses plastic sheets that come in 50-foot by 100-foot (15-metre by 30-metre) rolls. Once an object is wrapped, a blast of heat from a propane-powered flame gun shrinks the plastic so that it adheres to its contents.
“It just tightens right up,” said Darci Cole, adding that pads are placed over protruding pieces prior to the process to prevent puncturing of the plastic.
Air vents are often added to projects like boats, and zipper access doors can be installed as well. A fire-retardant plastic is also among the options, said Cole.
Shrink-wrapping is difficult to do in extreme cold, because the plastic becomes brittle and doesn’t contract properly, said Duncan. It’s also best to avoid windy days.
“You can turn into a kite.”
The benefits of shrink-wrapping include protection from moisture, dust and dirt.
Alberta Shrink Wrap routinely wraps equipment like oilfield compressors that are destined for Fort McMurray.
Once, it even sealed the open roof of a building in the northern city.
Cost is based on the time needed to travel to and complete the project. The range for an average-sized boat is about $350 to $500, said Duncan.
Expansion is a possibility, he said adding that having offices in other locations would reduce travelling time.
Currently, Alberta Shrink Wrap is in the process of obtaining a Small Employer Certificate of Recognition (SECOR). This involves the development of a health and safety management system, which Darci said should open the door for work from bigger companies.
Duncan thinks the opportunities for Alberta Shrink Wrap are almost limitless, with countless applications for its services.
“That’s kind of our motto: we can shrink-wrap anything.”
Additional information about Alberta Shrink Wrap can be found on the business’s website at www.albertashrinkwrap.com.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com
Alberta Shrink Wrap, which Duncan operates with his wife Laurie and their daughter and son-in-law Darci and Matt Cole, has sealed up a helicopter, a combine and modular buildings. It’s wrapped up an escalator to protect it during building renovations, enclosed scaffolding to shield workers from the elements and even been asked about storing the train from AMC’s TV series Hell on Wheels inside plastic.
But a big part of its business started with and remains with boats.
Duncan described how his family started Rainy Creek Marine about three years ago, performing winterizing and related services for boat owners. When customers asked about shrink-wrapping their vessels, the business obtained the materials and equipment to oblige.
Soon, it was suggested that oilfield companies might be interested in having equipment shrink-wrapped for transportation and storage. A few online ads prompted a flood of calls.
“So we started shrink-wrapping industrial,” said Duncan. “We were going to Calgary and doing huge modules, mobile home modules, office modules and stuff like that.”
Mustang Helicopters of Blackfalds even hired Rainy Creek Marine to secure an aircraft for shipping.
“It got so busy we established kind of an off-shoot of Rainy Creek Marine with Alberta Shrink Wrap.”
The mobile service uses plastic sheets that come in 50-foot by 100-foot (15-metre by 30-metre) rolls. Once an object is wrapped, a blast of heat from a propane-powered flame gun shrinks the plastic so that it adheres to its contents.
“It just tightens right up,” said Darci Cole, adding that pads are placed over protruding pieces prior to the process to prevent puncturing of the plastic.
Air vents are often added to projects like boats, and zipper access doors can be installed as well. A fire-retardant plastic is also among the options, said Cole.
Shrink-wrapping is difficult to do in extreme cold, because the plastic becomes brittle and doesn’t contract properly, said Duncan. It’s also best to avoid windy days.
“You can turn into a kite.”
The benefits of shrink-wrapping include protection from moisture, dust and dirt.
Alberta Shrink Wrap routinely wraps equipment like oilfield compressors that are destined for Fort McMurray.
Once, it even sealed the open roof of a building in the northern city.
Cost is based on the time needed to travel to and complete the project. The range for an average-sized boat is about $350 to $500, said Duncan.
Expansion is a possibility, he said adding that having offices in other locations would reduce travelling time.
Currently, Alberta Shrink Wrap is in the process of obtaining a Small Employer Certificate of Recognition (SECOR). This involves the development of a health and safety management system, which Darci said should open the door for work from bigger companies.
Duncan thinks the opportunities for Alberta Shrink Wrap are almost limitless, with countless applications for its services.
“That’s kind of our motto: we can shrink-wrap anything.”
Additional information about Alberta Shrink Wrap can be found on the business’s website at www.albertashrinkwrap.com.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com