Our History
Family-Owned Since 1982
Our Story
How Consbec began
Consbec began in the mid-1970s, when Rick Walker left his job as a drill mechanic with Gardner Denver in Sudbury and started drilling and blasting on his own. He had grown up on a farm in Englehart, in northern Ontario, and his first jobs were road work and quarries around Elliot Lake, with a few drills and a small crew.
The work came from Ontario’s general contractors, who gave a new subcontractor a chance and then brought him back for the next job. The company was established as Consbec in 1982.
Growing with the work
Over the following decades the company took on new kinds of work as its customers needed them. Pipeline right-of-way came first, starting in 1981, followed by surface mining and quarrying. In 1985 the group began selling and servicing drills as well as operating them.
Explosives took longer. The company bought its first plant in 1986, spent the following years developing its own loading units and delivery trucks, and opened its first bulk emulsion plant in 2010. In 2018 it began contracting underground.
Today the mining press describes Consbec as one of Canada’s largest drilling and blasting contractors, and as the only private Canadian company that makes and transports its own bulk emulsion.
Each of those steps was the work of many people: the drillers, blasters, mechanics, miners and office staff who have been part of Consbec over the years.
Milestones
Along the way
Early 1970s
A drill mechanic in Sudbury
Rick Walker moves to Sudbury and joins Gardner Denver, the drill maker. He starts in the warehouse, moves into mechanical work, and then into management.
Mid-1970s
Out on his own
Rick starts drilling and blasting in Elliot Lake, with a few drills and a small crew, on road work and quarries.
1981
First pipeline job
Ditch rock on the natural gas mainline near Ottawa.
1982
Consbec is formed
The company is set up as a drilling and blasting subcontractor, working with packaged explosives.
1985
Selling and servicing drills
G.D. Drilling becomes a Gardner Denver distributor. The group has sold, rebuilt and serviced drills ever since.
1986
Learning to make explosives
Rick buys a water-gel explosives plant in Minnesota and runs it until 1992, learning how explosives are manufactured.
1990s
Bulk product for smaller jobs
Consbec brings bulk ammonium nitrate to small and mid-sized operations, and begins designing and building its own emulsion loading units.
2004
Emulsion trucks
The company builds its first bulk emulsion trucks.
2010
First emulsion plant
The first bulk emulsion plant opens. Plants that can move with the work follow, so a job can be supplied from close by.
2018
Underground
Consbec Mining + Tunneling starts work as an underground mine contractor.
2019
Detonators
A joint venture, BME Mining Canada, is formed to supply explosives, detonators and blasting technology.
2026
Hall of Fame
The Ontario Road Builders’ Association inducts Rick Walker into its Hall of Fame.
From the Archive
Older jobs
More archive photos are on the Pipeline page.
Family-Owned
Three generations
Consbec is still owned and run by the Walker family. Rick’s three sons came back to work in the business, and his grandchildren have since joined them.
In February 2026 the Ontario Road Builders’ Association inducted Rick into its Hall of Fame. He accepted it on behalf of everyone who has been part of the company: the contractors who trusted us with their work, the people who have worked here, and their families. We are grateful to all of them.