42 GERMINATION.CA JULY 2019 IF YOU DRIVE by Saskatoon’s Marquis Industrial area, you might notice it has a new occupant. In June, Can-Seed Equipment offi- cially opened its new, larger facility in what is becoming one of the city’s most visible industrial parks. The company — which special- izes in seed processing equipment — has grown multiple times since it was founded in 1984, and the latest incarnation is a result of a forward- thinking mindset that is helping Can- Seed boost its profile in a competitive industry, according to insiders. When Jason MacNevin took over as the owner of the company in 2015, he says he immediately set his sights on growing the business and helping it to continue to move on to bigger and better things. “We’ve spent the last four years trying to be very visible, to be in front of our customers,” he says. “That’s key — maintaining those relationships.” The new 10,000 square-foot facil- ity will celebrate its grand opening July 17 and is located at 810 66th Street East in Saskatoon close to Miller Avenue and Marquis Drive. It dwarfs the old facility located 30 min- utes away, which clocked in at only 4,000 square feet. It doubles the office size for the administrative team, now made up of 14 employees. The warehouse represents a very modern storage facility for in-transit equipment along with inventory equipment. Saskatoon’s Marquis Industrial area, where Can-Seed is now located, backs onto a main traffic vein which makes it easier for customers to access and for equipment to be loaded and unloaded. The old Can- Seed building was located in a very old industrial area which didn’t have great access for loading and unload- ing, MacNevin notes. As his company moves into larger quarters, the owner of Can-Seed Equipment says building on the strengths of those around him has been the secret to his success. Marc Zienkiewicz MOVIN’ONUP The Can-Seed Equipment team. “To be successful in this business, you need to have a good inventory. Anytime a customer comes to you needing a piece of equipment and you don’t have it in stock, that costs them time and money.” MacNevin was born and raised in Saskatchewan and built his career there. He started in distribution and over the years transitioned into operations. Since he took over, Can-Seed has continued to make a name for itself as both an industry player and a good corporate citizen.