Global mining contractor based in North Bay celebrates 60 years

A worldwide underground mining contractor company headquartered in North Bay is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Displayed outside of Redpath Mining is some of the equipment it uses to get the job done. The company started with only four employees in October 1962 when founder Jim Redpath launched the company.

Today, there are more than 6,400 staff around the world.

Jim Redpath began his career as a miner, first a Timberman’s helper, soon a stope miner then a shift boss by 1960.

Despite being raised surrounded by prospectors, diamond drillers, miners and engineers, he aspired to be a shaft sinker. He reached his goal of becoming a shaftman and eventually shaft leader, but soon found himself curious about what it would be like to run his own mine contracting company.

Five years after he founded J.S. Redpath Ltd., the company secured five major projects. One of the projects, Creighton Mine, No. 9 Shaft, located in Ontario, was the deepest North American shaft at that time.

The project had been completed having overcome many obstacles, putting the J.S. Redpath Limited name on the metaphorical mining industry map.

Now retired, Jim Redpath’s successors are taking a page out of his notebook.

"Jim would credit the employees,” said Redpath Mining CEO George Flumerfelt.

“At Redpath, it's all about charting our own course. We believe if we can provide a great service for our clients, that provides a great future for our employees."

Describing themselves as a construction company that focuses on underground mining, Redpath currently has about 200 staff in North Bay. The company helps send equipment to mining projects all over the globe.

To celebrate the milestone, Redpath opened an $8.5 million, 15,600-square-foot mobile equipment repair facility to maintain and service its underground mining equipment across Canada and the world.

Its current stock is made up of 300 pieces of equipment.

LOCAL SUCCESS STORY

"So we've got large pieces of mobile equipment, loading equipment, shovels, drills that sort of thing,” said Redpath Americas president Paul Healy.

“We'll bring them here to commission and refurbish them."

The new facility consists of repair bays, inspection bays, along with welding and washing bays.

North Bay Mayor Al McDonald said Redpath is a local success story and has been a huge part of attracting additional businesses to the city.

"When business and industry bang on our door, we tell them that we have Redpath here, a world leader in mining has chosen North Bay,” McDonald said.

Healy said the decision to remain in North Bay for the company was a simple one: its location to nearby mines.

"Logistically it was kind of a central location as we did a lot of work in northern Quebec, Timmins, Sudbury," he said.

“Since then, we found it to be a great place. We can attract employees from different mining communities, whether that’s in Canada or internationally.”

Healy expects more jobs will be added with the opening of the new facility.

"We have a very, very bright future ahead of us,” said Flumerfelt.