As the operator of a thriving industrial construction company based in Devon, Alta., Jim Philpott knows how important it is to gain and maintain an edge over the competition.

It's all about giving your customers maximum value in exchange for the money they spend. And that's the way Thermal Energy Services insists on doing business.

"It's all about productivity," says Philpott, one of Thermal's two managing partners. "It's about setting reasonable targets for both budgets and schedules and it's about meeting or even beating those targets. We strive to be strategic in terms of our project execution," he adds.

A long list of satisfied clients in the Western Canadian oilpatch will testify that Thermal Energy lives up to the highest performance standards, pleasing clients representing such diverse fields as oil and gas, power and utilities, pulp and paper, chemical and petro-chemical, mining and smelting.

Thermal Energy Services, which offers a full range of construction and maintenance services, has been on a fast-forward growth track for the past 18 months.

A full service industrial construction and maintenance team that specializes in supplying pressure equipment, piping, steam-generation equipment and piping modules for oilsands-related projects, Thermal Energy Services serves its customers a full-meal deal, bringing the latest in equipment and the finest in project-management technology to every task.

A privately owned company, Thermal Energy prides itself on its performance-based open-shop team concept structure as well as a large and disciplined team of skilled workers and quality-control technicians.

"We're able to pay for top performance and skills and we don't mind paying our people a better wage than our competitors because their outstanding performance justifies it. We believe in keeping people happy and working as a cohesive team," Philpott continues.

Founded on a business model that stresses employee participation, performance measurement and customer satisfaction, Thermal Energy Services is particularly proud of its remarkable safety record.

"We've only had one injury that required medical aid in the five-year history of the organization," says Philpott. It was an extremely minor injury, he adds.

Meanwhile, prospective customers are urged to check out the informative company website (www.thermalenergy.ca' target='_new'>www.thermalenergy.ca) for a list of completed jobs. It's an impressive portfolio.

Looking back over the company's history, Philpott reserves for special mention the work Thermal has done on Opti-Nexen's Long Lake project, which utilizes the latest in gasification and Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) technology.

"We started on the project in February, 2006, and we still have people on site," he explains. Thermal has been asked to supply and install an entire gamut of equipment and infrastructure for this client, from SAGD well pads to main flow lines, specialty silos and oxygen systems. Of course, modular construction and placement has also been an important feature of the assignment.

Since the company is typically asked to contribute to the construction and maintenance of steam-generating projects, technically regulated and controlled by ABSA (a provincial safety watchdog), Thermal has recruited the services of an outstanding team of quality-control professionals, including 45-50 Level II and Level III CWB inspectors.

"On these jobs, the regulatory requirements are stringent and it's essential that we meet them in every particular," Philpott explains. "Post-work inspection and documentation are critically important, which is why we've put together such an outstanding technical team."

Pressure equipment and piping are included in Thermal Energy's offerings.

It also explains why Thermal maintains the following superior industry accredited programs:

* Safety: COR Certification, WCB, 2007 Best Safety Performer.

* Quality Control: ABSA, ASME, NBIC, CWB.

* Including "A" and "PP" certification.

Thermal Energy, which has been on a fast-forward growth track during the past 18 months, has demonstrated via performance that it enjoys the in-house competencies which enable it to execute any SAGD project in its entirety, from start to finish.

Having said that, Philpott stresses that the company is equally happy to undertake smaller construction and maintenance tasks as required.

The company recently added a 100-acre modular fabrication yard in the Edmonton area, which means all modular structures can now be built in their yard, then transported by truck or by rail for assembly at the job site.

"That's very important for our customers requiring modular construction transported to the Fort McMurray area," Philpott points out. "Ours is one of the few yards around with direct rail access to the property."

Both Phillpot and John Giles, his equal partner, are hands-on entrepreneurs with many years experience on the management and ownership side and their years of seasoning have given them the discipline and knowledge required of every successful service provider.

Across the West, large players and small have learned they can rely on Thermal Energy Services for all their construction and maintenance needs. Super-competitive pricing and top-shelf delivery are the hallmarks of this outstanding full-service outfit.

Interested? Why not take another close look at the information packed website (www.thermalenergy.ca' target='_new'>www.thermalenergy.ca) and then place a call to the office in Devon: 780.490.7192.