Making the
TRANSITION
GCL makes the switch from construction
to sales, rental and repair
No one knows the ups and
downs of the Saskatchewan
economy be!er than Treverr
Poole. When the oil and gas industry was booming
and potash was thriving from 2008–13, his
company, Garry’s Construction Ltd. (GCL)
was thriving with 50 employees and upwards of
70 pieces of equipment. A"er oil and gas dried
up, potash took a downturn and then the pandemic
hit, his crews and equipment sat idle at
his facility in Edam.
#at’s when he made the crucial decision to
pivot into a new business. GCL now specializes
in heavy equipment sales and rentals and
he formed a complimentary company, Garry’s
Heavy Repair (GHR), which provides heavy
duty mechanics for truck and trailer sales.
“#ere was a time when we were making
good money and my crew were ge!ing well
paid, but it was very stressful. #en in 2014
the oil and gas industry crashed and big projects
were cancelled. It got really quiet for about
nine months and we didn’t have much income
coming in. It was pre!y scary. I’d been through
ups and downs before but I could tell that this
was di$erent and there wasn’t going to be a big
comeback like before,” said Poole.
By Pat Rediger
BACKGROUND: MAKSIM SAFANIUK / 123RF
36 Think BIG | Quarter 2 2021 | saskheavy.ca
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