Geosynthetics industry leader in Canada’s east

It’s been 15 years since Brett Burkard and several of his colleagues launched Titan Environmental Containment from a residential garage in Winnipeg. Now, what started with four friends and a truck has become a Canada-wide builder and installer of high-quality geosynthetics, containment systems, and specialty civil engineering products for clients of every stripe.

And the journey is far from over. This year, the Titan team is making its presence in the province official with its new corporate location in Burlington.

“This is certainly an exciting step for Titan,” says Burkard, Titan’s CEO, and co-founder. “The decision to shift from a satellite office in Ontario to a boots-on-the-ground, full-service location was made to strengthen our relationships in the region, and better serve our existing clients in Ontario and Eastern Canada as a whole.”

Moving into Ontario was a natural next step for Titan. In recent years, the firm has built a sizable client base throughout the region in both its Supply Division and Construction division. The team has also made its mark supplying and installing geomembranes for a broad range of Ontario projects (e.g., sewer tunnels, landfills, parking lots, water and waste treatment facilities, etc.), while also providing geogrids for large-scale initiatives (e.g., golf courses, mine haul roads), and contributing services and products for a broad range of initiatives.

“We’ve had our sights set on Ontario for a while, but even before we decided to move in we were getting jobs and inquiries from clients in the area and our phone kept ringing,” Burkard explains.

Moving forward, that phone will be answered from Titan’s new site at 4390 Corporate Drive in Burlington, which features a 28,000 sq. ft. facility complete with offices and stockyards.

Finding the right location was critical for Titan’s Ontario expansion. More important, however, was embedding the best team. Fortunately, the firm secured the talents of Wes Anderson and Fraser Robinson, two local industry leaders who will lead the new location as its Regional Managers. Together, they bring over 40 years of combined experience to the existing Ontario team, including industry veterans John Mooney, Sam Bhat, Manoj Amuzuri, and Janelle Hébert.

“Titan’s positive and ambitious company culture was clear to us right away, “ notes Robinson. “Everyone has been incredibly friendly, helpful, welcoming, and knowledgeable, which speaks volumes about the company’s direction. We hope our client-first attitude, our strong work ethic, and our understanding of the local market compliments Titan’s already proven track record.”

“We have product stock that is consistent with other Titan locations,” adds Anderson,  in addition to some drainage products more common to the Eastern market to meet local needs.”

“We’re open for business and ready to serve!” he adds.

Building on a legacy

The Titan team has come a long way since opening a garage on the outskirts of Winnipeg. In the beginning, Burkard and his modest crew built their reputation by delivering geomembrane liner installations for hog lagoons.

“Back when we started, we were all prairie boys with the same philosophies when it came to customer service,” Burkard recalls. “We believed that when we said we’ll do something, we honor that. We don’t cut corners or charge for extras to get the job done. The place we were all working at the time didn’t exactly have that same philosophy, so we decided to branch out on our own.”

In 2009, the crew outgrew its humble headquarters and moved into a four-acre commercial lot with an 8,000-square-foot building. From here, the company expanded its team, products, and services to serve other markets such as civil construction, oil and gas, mining, water and wastewater, and hydroelectric.

Titan’s momentum continued to build. Over the following decade, the company opened its doors to Saskatchewan clients after setting up shop in the Great Plains Industrial Park, just outside Regina. It also established a presence in Alberta and British Columbia, and became the exclusive distributor for the Concrete Canvas® geosynthetic cementitious composite mat (GCCM), a UK-based product that was a first in Canada.

There has been no shortage of memorable projects along the way. The Titan team has undertaken numerous high-profile jobs, such as installing portable water storage tanks for the US military, lining a 435,000 sq. ft. slime pond at Saskatchewan’s Cigar Lake, and supplying materials to high-profile projects like the Regina Bypass.

“It’s hard to pick any one project that makes us proudest, but I would say one of the biggest projects we ever did was the Farley nickel mine rehabilitation site in Lynn Lake, Manitoba,” Burkard says. “That was a massive project worth a lot of money that took place over multiple years in Manitoba’s pristine north.”

“It was a game-changer for us,” he adds.

Titan’s project portfolio is a source of pride, but it’s the team that truly defines its success. Today, the company is home to over 100 professionals spread throughout its Canadian and US offices, all of which who bring the “Titan Advantage” [link to  https://www.titanenviro.com/about-us/] to their respective markets.

“We started with a specific customer-service philosophy and we’ve been lucky to grow a team of people who are all like-minded,” says Burkard. “It doesn’t matter if they’re in Saskatchewan or Manitoba, or whether they’re in the field or back-office, everyone in the company has a positive, ‘get ‘er done’ attitude that helps us compete with the big-name competition.”

Next stop: Ontario

From a humble garage in Winnipeg to high-profile operations nationwide, Titan Environmental has made good on its founding vision. Looking to the next 15 years (and beyond), Burkard is confident that the company’s winning approach and track record will help it lay an equally successful foundation in Ontario.

“It’s a big move, but we’re ready,” Burkard adds.

Titan Environmental Containment specializes in the supply, fabrication, and installation of high-quality geosynthetics and civil construction products that support critical infrastructure while helping to protect the environment.