ESTEVAN — TS&M Supply has a lot of long-time employees who have accomplished a lot over the years.
Few have been there longer than Ellen Phillips and Karl McKenzie.
Phillips, who works as the controller, has been with the company for 28 years, while McKenzie has just over 25 years of experience. He serves as the director of operations.
"It's a great company to work for," said Phillips. "They're very conscientious to ensure that you're allowed to have time with your family, and have a nice work, home and life balance," said Phillips.
"It's been a great company to work for," added McKenzie. "They gave me my start back when I was 17 years old."
He recalls he started working for TS&M as a summer student in 1989. He went to university and the company brought him back to open a branch in Moosomin.
TS&M has not only been very good to them, the company has been very good to all of its employees.
McKenzie and Phillips noted TS&M has been bought and sold three times during their respective tenures. Each time they were acquired, the company that purchased TS&M allowed it to carry on with its name and people. In two instances, they noted TS&M wound up absorbing the other company.
"We were purchased … in 1997. We were bought by National Oilwell. And both times, we absorbed them. And we bought CE Franklin as well," said McKenzie.
The company has been pretty steady with its offerings over the years, he said. The fiberglass pipe is one of the biggest product lines and that's been a big unit for TS&M.
"I think our strongest point is our people," said McKenzie. "We've maintained a head office in Estevan for all of the years, every year. For 50 years, the head office has been in Estevan. We've always been a local company, and we try to contribute back to the community in all of the communities we've been in."
Phillips said the company has been able to maintain the values that were instilled in them by the original owners, and that drives them to continue to succeed.
A new corporate head office was built along Kensington Avenue in 2015, giving them considerably more space to work with.
"You had to live through those years when we didn't have power, and every time it rained, the building flooded," said McKenzie. "This building was a godsend when we built it. It was amazing. It was good for the community and it was good for everybody that worked here."
It was proof that TS&M wasn't going anywhere.
They are confident that TS&M is going to be around for at least another 50 years, creating opportunities and employment long after they have retired.
Nobody has been with the company longer than Harry Dorcas. He's been employed for 45 years, and still repairs valves, chemical injectors, gages and so many other materials for the oilpatch.
Dorcas has also worked in sandblasting and fiberglass for the company.
"The people are good," said Dorcas, who says the company has also been good to him throughout the years, and he has never had any problems.
He'd recommend working at TS&M to other people.
McKenzie adds that he hopes everyone in southeast Saskatchewan will come down and see the building, meet the people and enjoy a barbecue lunch, as they will be celebrating their anniversary and the impact on the community.
