Matco Moving Solutions is celebrating 50 years of business in Canada this year. Established in 1966, in Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Matco was among the first transportation companies to serve the region.
Today, Matco has become a key player in the area’s residential and commercial moving sector with eight locations in Alberta, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon.
“Fifty years in business is a significant milestone for any company,” said Wayne Wishloff, vice-president and general manager, Matco Moving Solutions, “but, for a company in the moving business, it’s a rare achievement. Matco has stood the test of time for two key reasons; first, we have always focused on the customers’ voice, and second, when we move our customers’ personal effects we treat them as our own. Each employee understands what it means to hand over one’s personal property to a stranger and rely on them to deliver it to their dream home, damage-free. Over the years, we’ve earned the trust of many families in the community and it’s a great feeling to know we’ve been part of something important.”
Matco started out as a small, family-owned business known as the Mid-Artic Transportation Company — Matco — when it was founded in May 1966. Two brothers and their brother-in-law saw a business opportunity in the region’s booming oil and gas sector and the need for local trucking and transportation services. Matco was one of the first operators to service the isolated oil and gas exploration crews working offshore and made trips up to the Beaufort Sea, crossing frozen oceans and ice roads, often in blizzards, to deliver supplies. When the Dempster Highway officially opened in 1979, Matco made history when it operated the first moving truck to drive down it.
As the region continued to develop, so did Matco. In 2013, Matco was acquired by Manitoulin Transport, a member of the Manitoulin Group of Companies, which sought to further strengthen its coverage in Canada’s West and expand into the growing residential and commercial goods relocation business.
“At the 50-year mark, it’s time to reflect on how far we’ve come as a company and where we plan to go,” said Don Goodwill, president, Matco. “Matco has seen some big changes in customer needs over the years and has always adapted accordingly. Today, Matco is a full-service, global moving company that can get households and businesses safely across the province, or around the world, with ease. As we look to the future, we will continue to do whatever it takes to meet customers’ needs, including investing further in technology to provide instantaneous service and expanding our use of digital media. In the next few years, we will see some exciting developments for Matco and our customers and we look forward to serving more communities as we strive to become the premier mover in Alberta.”