Chris is a heavy duty mechanic by trade, and a former Syncrude employee, but starting his own business was always his true ambition.
For years, he let others talk him out of pursuing his dreams. But thanks to an unignorable gut instinct – and the encouragement of Syncrude – Chris took the leap.
“Syncrude fully supported my entrepreneurial ambitions. They told me to take a chance and if things didn’t work out, they’d find a different way forward for me,” recalls Chris.
In 2005, Chris incorporated Birch Mountain Enterprises (BME). He started with one truck and a plan. As a former employee, Chris was well aware of what Syncrude was looking for in a potential contractor. He made safety, reliability and cost competiveness his focus. After a long selection process, BME was added to Syncrude’s supplier list—and the rest is history.
Securing that first contract with Syncrude was huge. It gave us the confidence and credentials to approach other companies. Now we work with several local operators. Syncrude was a stepping stone that helped us grow to where we are today
– chris
Today, Birch Mountain Enterprises employs over 330 local residents, runs over 250 units, and is still Syncrude’s contractor for industrial cleaning, plus several additional services including waste disposal and fluids management.
As happy as we are to see all Chris has accomplished with his company, what really warms our hearts is seeing all he has done for his community of Fort McKay and the Wood Buffalo region. His enthusiastic support of countless organizations in the areas of sports, education, health and wellness makes us proud to count him among our valued suppliers.
