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An unstable mine highwall, a rock face above an active railway or critical infrastructure exposed to natural hazards can each present an entirely different challenge. Ground conditions change, access is difficult and operations often cannot simply be interrupted. In geotechnical stabilization, there is rarely a standard solution.
For more than 37 years, BAT Construction has built its reputation by taking on these challenges across Canada. Its approach combines highly experienced people, specialized equipment, self-performed execution and a culture of problemsolving to deliver complex work safely and efficiently.
“We want to be the best at what we do,” says Dan Sims, President. “That means constantly challenging ourselves to be safer, more innovative and better at delivering for our clients.”
Built to Solve Difficult Problems
BAT owns and operates its specialized equipment and selfperforms its critical work rather than relying heavily on subcontractors. When commercially available equipment has not provided the capability required, BAT has designed and built its own, including high-reach drilling systems and proprietary horizontal drain hole drilling rigs developed for mine pit stabilization.
That same problem-solving approach extends to project execution. BAT works with clients and engineers to identify constructability issues, improve methodologies and address risks before they affect safety, cost or schedule.
“We don’t want to simply complete a scope and move on,” says Sims. “We want to understand what our client is trying to accomplish, identify where we can add value and become a partner in making the overall project successful.”
Built for Mining and Critical Infrastructure
Mining is a major area of specialization for BAT. Its teams support active mine operations with pit-wall stabilization, horizontal drain hole drilling, rock scaling, drilling and anchoring, shotcrete, natural hazard mitigation, blasting and other specialized geotechnical services.
Much of this work occurs in remote locations and difficult terrain where changing geology, access and production requirements demand experienced people and specialized equipment. BAT’s proprietary equipment demonstrates how the company develops capabilities specifically around the challenges its clients face.
That experience extends across critical infrastructure throughout Canada. Having worked from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland, BAT’s teams have encountered widely varying geology, climates and access conditions. That experience helps them anticipate problems, develop contingencies and adapt when conditions differ from expectations.
On one CPKC project, BAT encountered a large unstable rock structure above an active railway where prolonged interruption to operations was not an option. BAT protected the tracks with blast mats and soil bags and coordinated the work around a scheduled shutdown. Within the available two-hour window, the rock mass was safely brought down, the slope secured, the tracks cleared and railway operations restored.
The project reflects a principle central to BAT’s approach: understand the problem first, then build the solution around the site or conditions.
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We want to build the best geotechnical construction company in the industry.
The project reflects a principle central to BAT’s approach: understand the problem first, then build the solution around the site or conditions.
Safety, People and Continuous Improvement
Safety is BAT’s first core value and is non-negotiable. Its HSE systems, competency programs, specialized training and IRATA-certified rope-access capabilities support work in some of Canada’s most demanding environments.
BAT fosters a culture where employees carefully identify hazards and stop and speak up if something isn’t right. When conditions change, work is reassessed and the appropriate experience and controls are verified before proceeding.
BAT regularly reviews project performance, client feedback and lessons learned and incorporates them into its procedures, future planning and project execution. This commitment to continuous improvement supports its five core values of Safety Driven, Integrity, Quality, Flexibility and Team Spirit.
Ultimately, BAT considers its people and culture its greatest competitive advantage.
“Equipment and technology are important, but the experience, judgment and attitude of the people using them are what make the difference,” says Sims. “We want people who take pride in their work, look after each other and want to become exceptional at what they do.”
For employees, that means opportunities to build careers working on technically challenging projects across Canada while developing specialized skills and progressing into technical, supervisory and leadership roles.
Raising the Standard
BAT continues to invest in its future, expanding its Ontario operations, developing a new facility in Kamloops and adding specialized drilling capacity, including additional proprietary horizontal drill rigs.
“We want to build the best geotechnical construction company in the industry,” says Sims. “That means attracting exceptional people, developing leaders, continually improving how we operate and investing in the capabilities our clients will need tomorrow.”
For BAT, growth is not the objective on its own. The goal is to continue raising the standard for its clients, its people and the geotechnical construction industry.
