40 years in operations, and at the Edmonton International Airport since 2001, BBE recently celebrated a new milestone.
Braden-Bury Expediting (BBE) is an integrated supply chain and logistics company that offers freight forwarding, cargo handling, procurement services, packing and crating services. It now operates in a brand new facility, an impressive space of 40,000 square feet located on 36 Avenue on EIA’s Cargo Village, almost next door to the STARS base.
BBE was founded in 1977 to provide shipping services to resource development and exploration in the Canadian North. Supplying services to the Arctic, well connected to the intricacies of air, ground, sea and rail transport, BBE is now considered to be a leading service provider to remote Canadian communities. It is owned by the Norterra Corporation, which is owned by the Inuvialuit Development Corporation (IDC) of Inuvik.
On Thursday, April 23rd, in the presence of more than 140 guests, including regional VIPs and members of the media, BBE President Heather Stewart and her team showed off BBE’s spacious warehouse and its interesting components. An expanded cooler and freezer space allows for the storage and handling of products such as food, pharmaceuticals and lab samples, among many others. A 20-foot drive-over scale, state-of-the-art cargo screening equipment, IATA Dangerous goods trained personnel and US-equivalent processes allows BBE to ship confidently to the world.
Rosenau Transport is the largest independently-owned carrier in Western Canada, and it has its own large facility at EIA. Terry Rhode, who wears many hats at Rosenau, share that the, ”first mile and the last mile”, are critical when shipping, and not excluding other shipping companies, with its 23 locations and terminals in Western Canada and 300 trucks on the road, Rosenau is a major carrier.
A petite brunette, charismatic and dynamic BBE president and CEO Heather Stewart has earned the respect of her team, BBE owners and Airport executives in a world of tough transport drivers and cargo handlers. Within a press conference that was also a subtle and delicious promotion of Northern Canadian fare, Ms. Stewart took the time to address the topic of “why this new facility benefits the residents of Leduc-Wetaskiwin,” despite the obvious benefits to our sustained overall economy.
She candidly states that BBE has enjoyed hiring local people who appreciate a short work commute. Despite the economic woes of recent history, BBE has maintained its staff numbers, and always has an open door to competent workers’ applications.
City of Leduc Mayor Greg Krishke and Leduc County John Whaley offered to BBE warm congratulations and best wishes for continued success, pointing out that the Shipping Industry is alive and well, despite the Oil Industry’s downturn. Instead of a ribbon-cutting ceremony, BBE executives planned a unique and visually effective “Crate-Cracking Ceremony”, where several VIP guests opened a large BBE crate, and each of them pulled out a white box, adorned with a medium sized, colorful globe.
“This superb new facility is a testament to Northern Alberta’s economic resilience and the Canadian Arctic’s emerging industries, as well as the strong return-on-investment air carriers are achieving here,” shared Myron Keehn EIA Vice President of Commercial Development, in a recent press release.
This function also welcomed two Northern Canadian artists, proudly displaying their wonderful art. Albert Adams, a native of Yellowknife and Edmonton resident is a sculptor who creates handsome soapstone sculptures that sell in Canadian art galleries for thousands of dollars. His pieces are smooth and varied in color, depicting animals and warriors of our Northern culture. Lindsay Payne, a lovely young woman born in Tuktoyaktuk NWT and educated in Alberta, went back to the region of her childhood, from where she shares the Northern lifestyle in lively paintings, rich in youthful color and dynamic style. (lindseypayneart.com)
A delicious buffet of Northern fish was creatively prepared by Ocean Odyssey Inland, a provider of fresh quality seafood that arrives at EIA less than 2 days after having been caught. A variety of Dutch cheeses were served, heralding KLM Dutch Airlines’ weekly flights schedule from EIA to the Netherlands, starting in early May.
In 2013, Braden-Bury Expediting has taken over and expanded the iShop4U, a procurement service aimed at finding and purchasing items for residents of the North, as shopping expeditions are cost-prohibitive for many. We salute the hard work and focus that has brought BBE to this impressive milestone.