Steven Blair Contracting Ltd.

The diverse company hauls across Canada, and also does excavating and site preparation, installs septic fields, performs snow plowing, road building and grading, as well as bull dozer work. Kim Blair says that diversity is helping the contracting company successfully weather the economic storm. “I guess we’re holding our own and just looking at different aspects. We haven’t had to change our ways too much yet, but we’re definitely open to new suggestions. We’re turning a little bit more towards floating equipment, heavy equipment usage, and gravel projects.”

Kim Blair has a good business background, including three years of computer programming in College, along with courses in accounting, industrial relations, and marketing. She took several business courses in high school as well. She is also getting a hand from her son, 30 year old Cameron, who Kim says is interested in the succession of the company. “He’s been operating equipment since he was 13 and always had the crappy jobs like washing the trucks and greasing trucks and doing all those types of things, cleaning the shop and things like that, so that’s kind of where he started,” relates Blair, adding “he’s come a long way now and I don’t know where it’s going yet, but… I think it’s been great and all of a sudden he’s got ideas that I’ve never had, so yeah, I think there’s nothing like it.” Kim also has another son Cody who may help on a part time basis at this time.

While Cameron Blair may wind up being a big part of the business in the future, Kim says she isn’t quite sure what the future will hold for the business. “Well, my five year plan keeps changing, so I don’t know where it’s going to go.” She smiles, but adds that “I don’t look at growing any bigger than we are right now. Maybe changing and modifying things or buying different trailers to accommodate the environmentally green biomass type of industry. If we have to do that type of thing, that could be a possibility, but not looking to grow at this point of time in size anyway. Maybe downsizing a bit to just make it more economical and do it that way as opposed to having everything and maybe looking at where we are really making our money.”

As the family works at strengthening the company for the long haul, Kim says the business location is ideal for long haulers. “In the trucking industry you have half load restrictions. You’re basically shut down for a few months while that’s going on. So when you’re on the highways, our business is a prime location for parking. People want to park their stuff there until they can move it,” explains Blair, “and just for us to go to certain jobs because we are in that location has been beneficial hauling across Canada, being centrally located on the highway is an asset. People can pop in quite easily with their big rigs and know that they don’t have turn around problems, so it’s an excellent spot.”

While the road has definitely not been an easy one for Kim Blair and her family, she acknowledges that there have been a number or people who have lent a hand to her both in business and in life. “The loyal employees have really helped me because they’ve been with me some of them 20 to 25 years,” says Blair, “so having them in place has really helped me cope too.” But despite all she has been through, when you mention the word challenges, Blair responds this way. “Challenges? I guess!” laughs Kim, adding insightfully before “I’ve learned to enjoy them or I’ve learned to go with the flow and then finally get to the enjoying them stage.”