because the world is now an economic vil-
lage,” Hak said. “Opening up international-
ly mitigates the challenges that companies
have in North America. What we do over-
seas is not just for Lea-Der; we do it for
a very large number of Canadian compa-
nies. We’re helping them to create global
markets for their products.”
But success at an international level comes
only with understanding the local market
and business culture of another country.
“Doing business in North America is com-
pletely different from doing business in Af-
rica, the Middle East or South America,”
Hak said, adding that success correlates
with connections, whether they be cor-
porate or government. The latter comes
in handy especially when working in the
Middle East, where unlike North America,
oil and gas companies are owned by the
state, and dealing with a governing body
can be completely different from dealing
with private businesses.
MAXIMUM SAFETY,
MINIMUM ENVIRONMENTAL
FOOTPRINT
Working on an oil rig is one of the most
dangerous jobs there is and accordingly,
Lea-Der specializes in the production of
safety products, custom-made to support
the global oil and gas industry. Dedicated to
human safety and environment protection,
the company is known for its drill floor trac-
tion matting. An excellent example of Lea-
Der’s ‘maximum safety, minimum environ-
mental footprint’ mandate, these mats are
attached to rig floors or fit around the ro-
tary table. The traction surface is resistant
to any fluids discharged during drilling and
colour-coded danger zones help ensure a
safe workspace. The Lea-Der Mud Can is a
good example of a type of equipment that
helps protect the environment. Chemical-
resistant, the Mud Can recaptures drilling
fluid to prevent spills on land or elsewhere.
“When we go anywhere now in North
America, we say that we are a one-stop
shop for human safety and environment
protection,” Hak said.
The company is heavily invested in train-
ing people who want to enter the drill-
ing market. Through an online training
program called the Service Rig Training,
novice workers learn how to protect
themselves. “I think the training is a very
important component because companies
tell us that with the training that has been
done, their incidents have been reduced
by 37 per cent, which is a very significant
amount,” Hak said.
lea-der.com
“When we go anywhere now in North America, we say that we are a one-stop
shop for human safety and environment protection.” Joe Hak, vice president
SEPTEMBER 2016
H
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