When Jeff Litster and Ryan Arseneau moved from Ontario and Quebec to Calgary, they could never have imagined what was in store for them. They were machinists by trade, lured west by the strong economy and the promise of skiing, climbing and biking in the Rockies. They met in 2000 while working at the same shop and bonded over their love of the outdoors and their ambition to advance their skills at work. By 2007, they were ready to start a machining business of their own.
The duo convinced Joe Brunelle and Corey Homick to move to Calgary from Ontario and join their company, Fidelity Machine and Mould Solutions. They initially said they didn’t want to be in the ownership group but agreed to work at Fidelity for five years; Brunelle quickly changed his mind and became an owner while Homick returned to Ontario. It didn’t take long before he realized he missed the guys, the business and the city and was welcomed back into the fold. A few years after that Ben Mayer joined as the fifth owner, creating a strong leadership core at the growing machine shop.
“We started focusing on injection mould making – steel and aluminum moulds to make plastic parts. That was where our background and expertise was and it was all we thought we were ever going to do,” says Jeff Litster, president of Fidelity. “But because that work is unique and each part is unique, it gave us the ability and the technology and the machinery to do other complex work in other sectors.”
The company’s client base began to grow and Fidelity’s reach expanded. Today, injection moulds make up about one-third of the company’s business, and the team is focusing on expanding its influence in diverse medical offerings, aerospace products and clean tech solutions. Fidelity has an ownership stake in and is partnering with a new company called TAKEnergy to develop natural gas expanders that will create electricity during decompression to further its participation in clean energy production.
Fidelity offers a complete suite of manufacturing, offering clients a wide range of CNC capabilities, industry-leading mould making, an advanced EDM facility, and a complement of design and engineering services that provide creative solutions that help clients make more refined, higher quality parts. The company presents new technologies and novel approaches to allow for higher volumes and better efficiency in manufacturing.
“We are open to any challenge, whether it be medical masks or downhole drilling equipment or parts going into outer space,” says Litster. “More and more we are finding that different needs are popping up and the status quo isn’t the status quo anymore. What we needed yesterday is not what we need today. In a lot of cases understanding what we need today is a process and we are there to go through that process with our customers.”
Fidelity is committed to serving clients’ evolving needs and is proud to be far more than an average machine shop. This is apparent in the rebranding of the company; the company is now Fidelity Manufacturing Group to reflect that it is so much more than machining and mould making. With that rebranding has come a renewed commitment to be a partner to clients, not a mere vendor.
Customers look to Fidelity for creative solutions to complex problems that are delivered on time. The company has become the go-to shop for complicated jobs, both for clients and for other shops in town, and the team is always up to the challenge. Client satisfaction is the priority, and Fidelity goes the extra mile to ensure needs are met and client expectations are exceeded.
The owners have exceeded their own expectations too. When they started Fidelity, they thought their 6,000-square-foot shop to produce injection moulds would be all they would need. Then they outgrew that space and moved into a 22,000-square-foot space to accommodate demand. The medical division ballooned as the company began producing masks during the pandemic, and the space included an ISO clean room and production machines that allowed them to make eight million high quality masks a month. The team also partnered with a client to not only design and create a complicated MWD tool but to also produce large quantities of it with the help of some local shops. As the company responded to the market and capitalized on opportunities presented by clients, it became too big for this space as well.
This summer, Fidelity Manufacturing Group moved into its new 55,000-square-foot tailored space that will give them room to grow and allow them to better serve clients. Even though it is growing in size and scope, it still provides small-business individualized service.
“We came from the automotive industry where the expectations and pressures involved are another level. If you miss delivery the consequences are high. It’s been ingrained in us to strive for next level service – anything less than that is just mediocre,” says Corey Homick, project manager for Fidelity Manufacturing Group.
Mediocrity isn’t an option at Fidelity. The team produces expert workmanship, whether creating high performance injection moulds, complex 3D surface milling or producing complex internal features like threads or undercuts in the advanced EDM facility. Reaching these high standards requires exceptional staff, and the company is proud of its great group of dedicated employees. It is a coveted place to work, and prospective employees are drawn to Fidelity for the opportunity to develop their skills and broaden their experience. Machinists aren’t just operators, they are programmers working on state-of-the-art equipment to find creative solutions for clients. Turnover is low and employees are invested in the success of the company as many hold options in Fidelity.
“I take a lot of pride in the fact that our staff is still with us. It says something about our philosophies and who we are. When Jeff and I were talking about opening the shop, we always said we’re going to treat the staff like we wanted to be treated. We’ve been in front of the machines. We’ve done the hard work. We’ve done the dirty jobs. We still do, and we always said our staff would be number one,” says Ryan Arseneau, director of operations for Fidelity Manufacturing Group.
As Fidelity Manufacturing Group grows it is also helping grow and strengthen the industry. The team liaises with the University of Calgary, Calgary Economic Development, IRAP and is heavily involved in the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) to attract ambitious young people and to increase awareness about opportunities in trades.
“Probably 10 years ago we recognized that finding good talent is increasingly difficult. All the schools push post-secondary and no one was pushing the trades. We got involved, participating in job fairs over the last eight years and it has lent itself to some really good staff that we currently have,” says Arseneau.
Great staff, great leadership and superior service and products have made Fidelity Manufacturing Group a trusted company across sectors for machining solutions. After 15 years, the progressive team is proud to continue growing and diversifying as it helps its valued clients succeed.
6620 36th St SE T2C 2G4
Phone: 403.724.0008 • 24 hr: 403.650.9843
www.fidelitymachine.ca
