A well-known Lampman oilfield company has local ownership for the first time in more than six years, and the new owners couldn鈥檛 be happier.
Grimes Sales & Service Co. (2020) Ltd. has been bought back from Schlumberger by Stacey Wempe, whose family started and owned the company, and by Kent聽Lees, who has been with the business for 25 years and has long been the manager.
Schlumberger purchased the company in March 2014, just before the price of oil plunged, but the business always kept the Grimes name due to the value it had in the oilpatch.
Wempe said it鈥檚 been great to be part of the company. She recalls fondly how much it meant to her parents, Mel and Margaret, and her late brother Clinton.
鈥淢om and Dad worked so hard for what they accomplished, and it鈥檚 nice to have it back,鈥� Wempe said in an interview with the Mercury. 鈥淚t was a good feeling 鈥� because Kent and everybody else worked very hard, too.鈥�
Lees聽said the business has been doing great. It鈥檚 been different, but the work they put in was worth it.
鈥淏ig companies come and go,鈥� said聽Lees. 鈥淥n the good times they鈥檒l show up, and they鈥檒l gobble everybody up, and as soon as it starts slowing down, they either dismantle the company or move on.鈥�
They had seen it happen elsewhere in the community, and didn鈥檛 want to see a company like Grimes, with its rich history, shut down.
鈥淲e stepped up and inquired if they鈥檇 be interested in selling our division back to us,鈥� said聽Lees.
After nothing happened for several months, Schlumberger approached Lees and Wempe earlier this year whether they were still interested in taking back the company.
Wempe said the talks to reacquire Grimes Sales and Service started before COVID-19 hit, and then Schlumberger made their offer. After back and forth negotiations, the sale was completed in July.
When the Grimes family sold the business in 2014, Mel Grimes noted that if something happened and they could purchase the company back, he would.
Customers have responded well to the sale. It鈥檚 been slow getting the word out there about the聽聽change back to local ownership, but those they have talked to are happy.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have to ask for permission to move a product or move a part,鈥� said聽Lees. 鈥淚f somebody needs something, we can do it and worry about it on our terms.鈥�
Wempe added it鈥檚 now operated the way her parents did it.
Grimes Sales and Service continues to have the HG pump jacks, which the company has long been known for. Those pump jacks became a fixture in the Saskatchewan oilpatch. They also have all the parts that go along with them.
Treaters, vessels and fiberglass tanks, rental tanks and trucking services are part of the company. They have nine boom trucks that range anywhere from 30-50 tonnes.
鈥淲e have winch trucks, highway trucks, forklifts and skid steers that we need around the yard. And lots of experience.鈥�
Most of their 14 employees have experience that ranges from several years to 20 years. They plan to hire one or two more staff members right away.
鈥淜ent is an awesome manager and partner,鈥� said Wempe.
The business has also remained viable.
鈥淒ad was all about service. We鈥檙e honouring everybody and everything. The only thing that鈥檚 changed is the name. It鈥檚 Grimes Sales and Service (2020),鈥� said Wempe.
The company is also looking forward to being a big part of the community.聽Lees聽noted you didn鈥檛 always see the Grimes company name on projects they supported, because Mel Grimes didn鈥檛 like the attention it brought. But they were always community minded.
鈥淲e definitely want to keep that going,鈥� said聽Lees.
Wempe added that without the support of the community and the employees, Grimes Sales and Service would have never been a viable business.
鈥淚t brings this business back to the community. It鈥檚 really about the community, and they made the business about the community. The community has been so good to us, it鈥檚 like having a family back. The business was kind of like an extension of my mom and dad, so it鈥檚 like having that back.鈥�
