When the team at Axiom Equipment Group saw a need they were sure they could meet – higher quality power-related equipment with more innovative features and functionality at an affordable price – they utilized decades of cumulative experience in the construction sector to provide its clients with unique and effective products.
Offering best-in-class power-solutions equipment, including a line of 20 kVA to 150 kVA generators, along with electric, solar, hybrid, and diesel light towers, Axiom has created solutions to suit the needs of the market for highly efficient yet eco-friendly equipment.
Through innovation and key partnerships with recognized global manufacturers, Axiom’s Metrolite Electric Light Towers, Hybrid Light Towers (Solar-Diesel), and Diesel Light Towers, as well as the Megagen Z Series generators, are all examples of innovative and efficient technologies leading to a green future for customers.
Originally formed as Axiom Lift Equipment in 2010 and merged with the equipment branch of Saskarc Industries in 2018 to form Axiom Equipment Inc. The company is now headquartered in Saskatchewan, Canada’s central prairie province, allowing the team to serve customers coast to coast.
“Originally Axiom Lift Equipment was focused on just lift equipment such as scissor lifts, boom lifts, and telehandlers. We did some used sales, but mainly rental in southeast Saskatchewan,” says General Manager Randy Gay.
“Saskarc focused on site-support equipment such as heaters, light towers, air compressors, and generators. We started having discussions around merging the two companies so we could expand the product range and grow the team.”
Following the merger, Axiom continued to rent while learning which brands of equipment worked, and which didn’t; what customers liked, and what they didn’t.
In 2019, Axiom noticed a need for higher-quality equipment with more features and functionality, but at a reasonable price compared to what was available at the time. “We started thinking how we can scale the company so we that we can provide what the customers want, diversify, and focus on serving other sectors than primarily oil and gas,” explains Randy.
During a visit to European trade shows, the team identified some high-quality products from manufacturers that they would be proud to represent as their own, especially if upgraded with what customers in Canada and the U.S. wanted. “We started down that path in 2019 and have never looked back,” he says.
One notable change the company has made over the last few years is to phase out the rental business model and become a manufacturer and distributor.
“We have our own products built to our spec in Europe and we bring them here and distribute them to the construction and rental industry,” Randy says. “We phased out the rentals and decided to focus on generators and light towers so we can be a specialist in those products.”
With a vision of being the North American brand of choice for innovative and eco-friendly equipment solutions, Axiom is committed to fostering a strong sense of teamwork within the company and promoting fairness and honesty with customers.
“Customer service has been the top priority for us since day one, and we take pride in ensuring customer satisfaction at all times,” Randy says. “Customer service, teamwork and continuous improvement are all values that we talk about every day and that really shapes our culture. We’re a pretty tight-knit team here. We’re super-focused on our customers and we’re always looking to improve.”
Those values extend to creating quality exclusive products such as Megagen Z Series, a line of high-quality generators that can be used as primary or backup power in a variety of sectors, controlled remotely through DSE controllers to maximize productivity and efficiency in big construction, commercial, and industrial applications.
Axiom’s Metrolite LED Electric Light Towers (ELT-4320) can connect in a series of up to four units with zero maintenance, emissions, and noise, while the Hybrid LED Light Tower (HLT-6150) features hybrid (solar-diesel) technology and environmentally friendly design.
The Metrolite Diesel Light Tower (DLT-18HD), compared to a traditional 20kW diesel light tower, boasts efficiency and provides an overall longer runtime, making it a great option for 24/7 operations in the mining, oil and gas, and industrial construction industries. Not to mention emergency response, special events, rural, military, and hard-to-reach applications.
While some other brands have been around longer and perhaps are more familiar, Axiom is making its mark across the country.
“People are starting to know our brands and even model numbers. We have large construction companies send out requests for quotes to several different companies and they’ll want pricing on a Metrolite ELT-4320, which is one of our products,” explains Randy.
Axiom has also focused on ensuring it keeps its customers’ wants and needs at the forefront and goes to considerable lengths to make sure those needs are met.
“One thing we did when we started manufacturing our product was to make a list for both generators and light towers of all the things an ideal product would have, and we had the manufacturers build those prototypes,” Randy explains.
Those prototypes – all certified for CSA and UL for the U.S. – were critiqued and then towed around western Canada on a trailer to show to key customers.
“We did what we call a tow and show,” Randy says. “We showed them the product and went through all the different features that we’d added on or changed, and then we asked them ‘If you were doing this, what would you like to see?’”
As a former rental company, Axiom had already dealt with many of those issues, but receiving additional customer feedback was invaluable.
“Now, when we change something or upgrade it and we send production models out into the field, those customers see that we actually listen to what they would like to see in the product,” Randy says. “The fact that they had direct feedback on developing and improving how the machine operates in the field helps them in their daily lives.”
As the world continues to embrace green initiatives, Axiom’s products lead the way, whether it’s with 100 percent electric towers, solar options with battery packs, or diesel generators and light towers that are more energy-efficient than the competition.
“Continuous improvement is a huge part of our focus, and we’re constantly looking at different ways to improve not only our customers’ carbon footprint but how to improve their daily lives on-site,” says Randy. “We’re trying to make it a better site experience, which plays into our tag line, ‘expect higher standards.’”
With Western Canada historically oil and gas driven, it has been challenging to make inroads with solar and electric, but Randy has seen dramatic changes over the last few years, particularly when it means saving money.
“One diesel light tower like our DLT-18HD can power up eight electric light towers, so it’s like you have nine light towers, but you’re really only fueling and servicing one machine. That’s efficiency right there,” he says. “I would say the mindset has changed. Now, even sectors like oil and gas have been more receptive to solar and electric options as they see greater efficiency and cost savings. Other recent challenges have included, of course, COVID-related supply chain shortages which have resulted in pre-ordering equipment out to 2024,” he says.
“We’re working really hard on that to mitigate the demand as quickly as possible, and we are,” Randy says. “We have equipment coming in all year this year, and we’re in pretty good shape.”
Astonishingly, the pandemic hasn’t affected the company negatively, with growth of about 60 percent last year, an expected doubling in size this year, and almost double again next year. Axiom also has several products in the R&D pipeline to be released in the next six months to two years that will be part of its green initiative while ramping up its product line dramatically.
It’s that intensive development of product that continues to set Axiom apart from its competition, along with obtaining valuable customer feedback.
“Through our experience in the rental industry we knew what people wanted, but we went out and got confirmation of that by asking them,” Randy says. “In real time they can touch and feel the machine and tell us what needs changing, what needs upgrading.”
Axiom’s exemplary customer service continues to make its mark, from the initial cold call to determine whether there’s a need for product, to the mapping out of a plan to bring this potential new customer in, whether through tow-and-shows or a virtual product demo.
“That has also really helped us, especially during COVID,” Randy says. “We set up a studio here at head office for virtual demos on products where they can literally see inside the cabinets and see all the equipment over Zoom. We’ve done service training that way and sales training. If a tech is having a problem in the field, they can do a video call and we can walk them through it with a machine here in the shop.”
Ecommerce is also in the works: selling parts online for products and service kits, along with possibly setting up a subscription-type program where companies can subscribe to a parts kit whenever required.
“The customer service has always been key,” Randy says. “We have a customer care team that looks after the customer after the sale is done. I don’t know how I can emphasize it enough. I know everyone likes to say they have good service, but at Axiom, we truly go above and beyond.”
Whether through continuous improvement, committing to excellence through systems development to ensure profitability and superior solutions for customers, or giving back to the community by contributing to fundraisers for the Oxbow Emergency Medical Services and Oxbow Hockey Rink Fundraiser, Axiom strives to put customers and community first.
“At the end of the day, it’s our name. We have to look after the customer, and now that we’re bringing that same level of service but with our own products, we’re that much more passionate about it,” Randy says. “And I don’t think there’s a manufacturer out there that would go to the lengths we do to look after our customers.”
