Phoenix Industrial Services Reaches Above and Beyond

Phoenix Industrial Services president Paul Lynds points to a photo of a steel scaffold system his company designed and built for a major power dam in Northern Ontario. It is a lot to take in.

 

The system was 120-feet from the water level to the top deck of the scaffold.

 

It was 65-feet wide and featured a bridge across a spillway designed to withstand rushing water. It was a meticulous system as it went up on a steep angle and the scaffold had to be close to the dam as the work being done was concrete re-surfacing.

 

“We specialize in getting clients to places they feel are impossible to get to,” Lynds said. “This is what we do and we do it right and safely.”

 

Lynds has been in the industrial scaffold business for 35 years and spent the last 13 years building a sterling reputation in the industry with his own company, Phoenix Industrial Services in Sudbury.

 

Phoenix Industrial designs and erects scaffold systems for industries including mining, construction and pulp and paper.

 

It also works on bridges and dams. After more than three decades in the business, Lynds remains dedicated to the most important thing about the work he does – safety. It is a passion of his.

 

Phoenix started Jan. 12, 2001. Lynds formed the company after the previous company he worked for went bankrupt.

 

He wanted to run a business and treat his employees the way he wanted to be treated – with respect and dignity.

 

He wanted to run a business that not only had an engaged and happy workforce, but one that also raised the bar on safety and innovation.

 

Safety is the driving force behind Phoenix and it is, and always will be, in the spotlight for Lynds. There is nothing that means more to him. Phoenix has no lost time injuries in its 13 years of existence. “I built this company to last,” he said. “We come up with safer alternative ways for people to work. The safety factor in the work we do is unbelievable. Working safe is the right thing to do.”

 

Innovation is also fuelling the Phoenix Industrial Services surge in the market. Instead of traditional wood-built scaffold systems, the company uses a steel system.

 

There are about 130 components to the system, but it is how the company uses them that makes them work.

 

Phoenix Industrial meets with clients and designs a unique system to fit any project.

 

“It’s like a giant Mechano set,” said general manager Andrew Smith. “We are the experts in this type of system. The steel system is more efficient than wood. It is recyclable. The components can be used over and over again. Wood gets cut down in size or can be burnt. There is always a constant influx of wood. Our systems are all pre-engineered. We know exactly how our components will react in a scenario under a load. We also have the confidence to put in a fixed price for a project because of our designs and processes.”

 

There isn’t one project Phoenix Industrial can’t go back and look on to see who did what work and how it was done.

 

The quality control system was fostered from within the company and ensures the safety issue is always front and centre in everyone’s mind.

 

“Everything we do, we can track,” Smith said. “We want to understand everything, even near misses. If you can control your near misses and learn from them, you can be safer in the future. We focus on doing things right, training our people right and giving them the right tools. We’ve worked in some of the worst environments in the industry and we are proud of our safety record.”

 

Phoenix Industrial has its sights set on the underground mining sector. The company has also expanded to meet client demand better by opening an office and yard with all scaffold materials in Timmins.

 

“Underground has the same hazards as on the surface, such as open holes,” Smith said. “We are trying to educate people about the dramatic improvement in safety and efficiency with our philosophy, approach and product.”

 

www.scaffoldsbyphoenix.com