Precision Manufacturing Corporation

Carrying on a decade of leading machining manufacturing in Calgary, Alberta

Written by: Molly Shaw
Produced by: James Logan

At home in Calgary, Alberta, Precision Manufacturing Corporation (PMC) integrates engineering, design and manufacturing technology to produce equipment components for customers in the oil and gas industry. PMC combines multi-industry experience in high-precision machine tooling, hydraulic and petroleum equipment expertise to design high-performance solutions.

Although the oil and gas industry has taken a hit in the last year and taken quite a toll on the Canadian economy as a result, PMC continues to stay strong and steady. In fact, PMC is ranked as No. 207 on ProfitGuide.com’s 2015 list of fastest-growing companies in Canada.

“Despite the price of oil and the downturn in our economy, business has remained steady,” says Bob Ding, president and founder of PMC. “We’re still working with a few U.S. Fortune 500 companies and large customers.”

Building key connections

Ding established PMC in 2005 after decades of working in the Chinese machinery industry through the 1980s and 1990s. “During this time China was undergoing its Industrial Revolution,” recounts Ding. “It was an ideal time to systematically learn modern industry technologies in China.”

In 1985, Ding graduated from Zhejiang University of Technology and started to work in Shaoxing Tongli Machine Tool Co., a heavy-duty machine tool manufacturer. “Tongli Machine Tool Co. has now been acquired by China FirstHeavy Industries Co., which is China’s No. 1 heavy equipment manufacturer,” reveals Ding.

During his time at Tongli Machine Tool Co., Ding helped design and manufacture more than 10 different machines and precision machine tools, including lathes, milling machines and process machines. Here he studied many heavy-duty running machine technologies, including precision gearboxes, precision linear sliding systems and sophisticated hydraulic systems. He also started to build key industry connections including Hangzhou Advance Gearbox Co., a prominent manufacturer. During the 16 years working in China, Ding’s extensive accomplishments were recognized by the Chinese government and he was awarded numerous accolades.

High-performance, high-precision components for major industry

Today, PMC couples this advanced machine tool industry background with extensive oil and gas equipment experience, integrating high-tech manufacturing with CAD/CAM to efficiently produce high-precision components for major industries. In this regard, PMC is a true one-stop shop for advanced machine manufacturing, ranging from casting, forging, CNC machining to precision grinding, gears to hydraulic cylinders.

The company manufactures specialized components for the oil and gas industry including hydraulic pump jacks, PCP pump drivers, wellhead equipment and down-hole tools. “We also have resources for big forging, premium ductile iron castings and precise steel fabrication, as well,” adds Ding.

PMC has the ability to connect and integrate, from raw material production (foundry and forging) to fine-finished manufacturing shops (high-precision machining, gear and CNC shops) as one to implement more sophisticated industry equipment.

Growing in a global market 

Ding says PMC’s personnel keep business moving forward. “People are the most valuable assets for PMC,” he says. “Our nine key team members and eight partner companies include a prominent foundry engineer, gear specialist, machine tool expert and top-notch machinists both in Calgary and in China. They all bring 15 to 40 years of industry experience to the business.”

Despite economic setbacks, PMC has strong strategic manufacturing partners in Canada and abroad and the company is finding ways to grow and adapt. “We have successfully supported two small Alberta manufacturers, which has led to exponential growth into today’s global leaders in their industry sectors,” says Ding. “Both our customers have been acquired by two U.S. Fortune 500 companies. With our growing manufacturing activities, we’re aiming at diversifying and looking at valued industry equipment manufacturers to promote our multinational customers’ global market.”

With strategic manufacturing partners in Canada and other corners of the world, PMC is looking into supplying equipment solutions to unconventional energy production sectors such as oil sand mining and oil extraction equipment manufacturing. “We are also looking into growing our oil equipment market in China as well,” adds Ding.

Even though the Canadian economy has been somewhat stagnant, Ding says PMC hopes to garner business in the Canadian equipment manufacturing market, which is currently relying heavily on overseas imports. PMC certainly has the reputation and connections to make this happen. “Without relying on a sales force, we have seen natural growth,” says Ding. “We get our contracts via longtime trust from our repeat customers and mostly through our major customers. Even though some of these companies have been acquired by larger organizations, we still work for them because they know we can do what they need reliably. We’re a simple outfit and we can suit their needs.”

Although the economic situation in Canada is not ideal, Precision Manufacturing Corporation is making the best of it by continuing to build a reputation for leading, high-performance machining manufacturing solutions and positioning itself for rapid fire once the economy picks back up.