Ontario Mining contractor celebrates 50 years of service and growth

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

The Ontario Mining Association congratulates member JS Redpath on reaching its fiftieth company birthday — today. Recently, a gala event to acknowledge this milestone was held at Memorial Gardens in North Bay, which attracted more than 400 guests including company founder Jim Redpath.

Local dignitaries and current and retired Redpath employees were also on hand at the celebratory event. Mr. Redpath established the mining contracting company in 1962, when he was 26 years of age.

Redpath is believed to be the first Canadian mine contractor to reach a fiftieth anniversary. North Bay has been the home base of JS Redpath since 1969. The company has grown from a regional supplier of mining contracting services, in its early years, to a global service provider with business units in North America, South America, Australia, South Africa and Europe, today.

The company has 6,000 employees world-wide working on projects in 18 different countries during 2012. Redpath employees celebrated their employer’s fiftieth anniversary not just in Ontario but at many locations around the world.

“Our employees both past and present have enabled the company to succeed,” said George Flumerfelt, Redpath President and Chief Executive Officer, at the gala event. “It is their tremendous spirit that has allowed us to overcome the many challenges we encounter on a continual basis. Our employees are our orebody and without question our most important asset.”

Redpath’s founder was the keynote speaker at the anniversary celebration. “I am amazed at how the company has grown and prospered beyond anything I could ever have imaged,” said Mr. Redpath.

Redpath is a provider of underground mining services such as shaft sinking, mine development, contract mining, raiseboring, construction and engineering services to the international mining community. Its global headquarters is in North Bay. It also designs, manufacturers and markets high-tech mining equipment, such as the Redbore family of raise drills.

Mr. Flumerfelt, who is an OMA director, served as the Association’s 76th Chairman for a two-year term spanning 2008 to 2010. He was the first mining contractor to represent the OMA as Chairman. The OMA congratulates Redpath on reaching this important milestone in its corporate history and for its ongoing success and support. For further information on the company visit www.redpathmining.com.