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Mammoet installs a massive headframefor BHP's Jansen potash project. June 2, 2026 Mammoet is helping Ledcor with the construction of the largest potash mine in Canada. Production at BHP's new Jansen potash mine is in Saskatchewan, about 140 km east of Saskatoon, is expected to begin in mid-2027. Once the mine is fully ramped up, Jansen will become one of the world's largest potash mines, producing about 8.5 million tonnes per year. The key scope for Mammoet was to remove the lower section of an existing headframe unit and replace it with a larger one to increase mining capacity. A mine's headframe is positioned above the shaft, delivering people, equipment and materials below and above ground. Mammoet also assisted with the complex lifting of a staircase tower module from inside the building where it was to be installed. With Jansen's remote location, modular construction techniques enabled the units to be prefabricated, delivered, assembled on site and installed efficiently. Mammoet's heavy lifting and transport expertise enabled the approach and limited the amount of construction equipment and operators on site. This enabled parts of both components to be built in parallel, shortening the project schedule relative to other methods. Planning. The project had been in planning for several years. Mammoet began work at the site in 2013, when the original headframe unit was constructed. The modules for the new headframe were prefabricated at specialist facilities in the Edmonton and other locations in Alberta. The parts were transported to site on platform trailers fitted with transport beams. This phase wasn't without its challenges. "Jansen is mainly farmland, so you will often see agricultural equipment and machinery being transported on its roads, but shipping these large modules presented issues when staging our trucks overnight," said Mike de Wilde, Project Manager at Mammoet. "We couldn't just pull into a normal layby because the trucks would fill the entire area. The schedule had to be carefully planned and managed." You may also like: During the planning phase, ground conditions were an important consideration. During the spring, the ground becomes soft and wet, so the team performed a ground-loading test between the laydown area and the mine shaft. Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) carrying counterweights tested the route so that areas of potential sinking could be identified. As a result, more than 400 crane mats were mobilized because the ground was too soft. Near the shaft opening, a section of ground also required reinforcement to support the weight of the new headframe module. A shoring system, constructed of 21-metre towers, was constructed at a basement level to provide stability. Due to the size of Mammoet's global fleet, extra steel supports could be mobilized from its yards in Dubai and the United Kingdom, reducing overall risk, despite the tough conditions. The real heavy lifting. With the modules on site, the team began removing the existing headframe and prepared for the installation. A 22-axle line and 20-axle line SPMT combination, both fitted with steel supports, were driven underneath the 796-tonne headframe module. The supports were necessary as using crane mats would have exceeded the ground-bearing pressure limits. The SPMTs lifted the headframe using their onboard stroke, allowing Ledcor and BHP teams to remove the temporary steel supports. Then, the unit was driven to a laydown area. Before the new headframe could be installed, Mammoet helped install a 60-tonne staircase tower inside it. A Liebherr LR1300 crawler crane lifted in strand jacks and other equipment through an opening at the top of the building. The team then assembled the intricate winch system to lift the staircase tower. The system comprised strand jacks and spools to secure the 61-metres of cable required to pull the staircase tower module from the bottom to the top of the building. The removal of the original headframe left a large opening at the base of the building, providing enough space to manoeuvrer the staircase module in range of the strand jacks and LR1500 crawler crane. Once the unit was inside the building, its position was manually adjusted using pullies and chain hoists so it could be secured and lifted. Overcoming obstacles. The last phase of the project was the installation of the new headframe, which weighed 2,090 tonnes, an almost 1,300-tonne increase from the previous headframe. A configuration of two double SPMT trains, with a combined 80 axle lines, were used for the movement. Finding the best configuration proved the biggest challenge. "We had to find a trailer configuration where we could carry the additional weight, be under the permissible ground-bearing pressure, plus be short enough to not clash with the existing structure," de Wilde said. Making this installation even more difficult was the fact that a section of the new headframe had to dock inside the staircase tower building. "We were pretty much stroked out with the SPMTs, so it was a very tight fit," de Wilde said. "Ditchdoctor had to align the head frame precisely with bolt positions specified in the engineering plans. Ledcor arranged for guidance lasers to be set up at the end of the platform, and its SPMTs had to align with them perfectly. "Because every deviation could cause serious problems when it came to setting the module down, it was a very precise manoeuvrer." The project is an example of Mammoet's skill when it comes to modular construction and efficient fabrication-to-foundation solutions. The option to use fabrication facilities and deliver everything to site was a benefit in terms of schedule and cost-efficiency. A great deal of specialized engineering went into making sure everything arrived on schedule and was connected smoothly

British Columbia movers & shakers April 2, 2026. April 2, 2026 News influencing decision makers in BC. Cari Watson has been appointed as Executive Vice President, Client Experience and Digital at Westland Insurance Group Ltd. Jody Bellefleur has been named Corporate Secretary and Chief Financial Officer of Kiboko Gold Inc. Matthew Gow has been appointed to the Board of Directors, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. Additionally, the company announced the immediate resignation of Dr. Olivier Féménias and Jon Morda from the Board of Directors. Dan Teillet has joined the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Lucy van Scheltinga joins Westland Insurance as Director, Health (East), Westland Benefits. Joslyn Young celebrates first anniversary with the Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade. Lena Alwash has been named the new Program Assistant to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of British Columbia. Warren Spitz, the CEO of Sierra Forest Products, has been recognized as a recipient of an Honorary Degree by The University of British Columbia for the spring of 2026. Sophie Enright joins Thermo Fisher Scientific as the newest Account Manager, starting Monday, April 6th. Kurt Slocombe has been appointed as the new President and Chief Executive Officer by the Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) Board of Directors. Patrick McClarty, CPA, CA, PMP, FPAC, and Mike Russell will become members of the Forest Professionals BC Board. They succeed Alison Dempsey, PhD, LLB/JD, LLM, and Dave Morel, and undertake the responsibilities of two board members whose terms have expired. Ellisdon celebrates their 75 year anniversary. Island Savings is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Genesis Victoria has opened on April 1 at 2930 Brickshire Dr., Langford. Lightyear Capital, a US-based private equity fund with over US$8 billion in assets, acquired PayByPhone, a major provider of digital parking payments and management software to over 1,300 clients worldwide, from Corpay. Koffman Kalef LLP celebrates 33 years in business. The Province of British Columbia has chosen Fraser Crossing Partners, a joint venture between Aecon Group Inc. and ACCIONA, to design, construct, and partially finance the new bridge that will connect Surrey and New Westminster as part of the Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project. Emterra Group celebrates its 50th anniversary. FCC Food and Beverage has appointed Jennifer Guerard as its new chief human resources officer (CHRO). This appointment is in addition to her current positions as executive vice-president, general counsel, corporate secretary, and human resources. Ledcor announced the following senior executive promotions: Chris Whitty has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Heavy Civil & Mining Canada; Raj Sawh has been promoted to Vice President, Major Projects - Canadian Heavy Civil & Mining; and Brian McPhee has been promoted to Vice President, Infrastructure West. Dr. Jon Thomas, Director of the Esposito Family Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and BC Regional Innovation Chair in Canada-India Partnership Development at the University of the Fraser Valley, received $520,000 from the Indo-Pacific Scholarships and Fellowships for Canadians (IPSFC) program to advance Canada-India innovation partnerships. Happy Belly Food Group Inc., a pioneer in the acquisition and expansion of new food brands in Canada, announced that Yolks Breakfast, its boutique breakfast brand, has secured a real estate location for the City of Port Moody and inked a franchise agreement. The World Trade Centres Association(R), a global trade association that links over 300 World Trade Center(R) locations in almost 100 countries and territories, announced the opening of World Trade Centre Okanagan in Kelowna, enhancing Canada's standing in the global network of trade and investment hubs. Homewood Suites by Hilton Surrey has officially opened its doors. Mac's II Agencies joins the Lovato Electric Canada as the new sales partner in British Columbia. The Pawbour Air Club, Harbour Air's first-ever VIP (Very Important Pups) loyalty club, has been launched. Twig Fertility has established a clinic in Vancouver, BC, to provide patient-centered, evidence-based fertility care. Prince George is set to unveil a new online portal for land use applications, launching on April 7. Técnicas Reunidas Canada E&C will provide front-end engineering design services for British Columbia's Coastal GasLink Phase 2. The new Island Health Cowichan District Hospital, designed by ZGF Architects, will be the first hospital in the province to be completely electrified and the first in Canada to meet the CaGBC Net Zero Carbon Building Design Standard. The University of British Columbia has announced a significant new partnership with InBC Investment Corp. (InBC) to establish the UBC Catalyst Ventures Fund. MindBio Therapeutics Corp., a biotechnology firm focused on developing prediction technologies for detecting drug and alcohol intoxication through speech analytics and artificial intelligence, has successfully completed its previously announced upsized non-brokered private placement, securing gross proceeds of $1,437,828.87. The majority of the 1,700-person camp will be moved to accommodate workers constructing the North Coast Transmission Line throughout northwest British Columbia, B.C. Hydro announced. Electric Mobility Canada has expressed support for British Columbia's announcement regarding updated zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) targets and ongoing investments in public charging infrastructure expansion. The Government of British Columbia has provided the City of Maple Ridge with $80,000 in funding to organize the "Game On: Soccer Viewing Parties" in celebration of the FIFA World Cup 2026(TM). UBC Social Work's Jack Bell Building has been reopened following a significant two-year makeover. A $15 million increase in funding for the IDM industry has been announced by Canada Media Fund (CMF), boosting the entire pool to $57 million. Dreyfus Ashby & Co., a renowned wine and spirits importer with a long list of family estate brands from across the world, is pleased to welcome three prestigious British Columbia wineries: Mission Hill Family Estate, CheckMate Artisanal Winery and Martin's Lane. First West Credit Union will now operate as Tru Cooperative Bank, a federally regulated credit union, marking a milestone in its evolution as a member-owned cooperative and strengthening its ability to serve members and communities across Canada. The Government of Canada has initiated Build Canada Homes, a program aimed at accelerating the construction of affordable housing. This initiative also targets homelessness by developing transitional and supportive housing in collaboration with provinces, territories, municipalities, and Indigenous communities. The City of Pitt Meadows is set to begin construction on the expansion of the Athletic Park, following the awarding of the contract to Cedar Crest Lands (BC) Ltd. This project aims to enhance the park into a centralized sports hub, in line with the City's Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan. The 43rd annual BC Export Awards in British Columbia celebrated the province's best exporters, awarding companies in 11 categories and naming ITI Powered as Exporter of the Year. Award Winners: * Exporter of the Year: ITI Powered * Professional Services: Tradable Bits * Emerging Exporter: NORAM Electrolysis Systems Inc. * Natural Resources: Quantum Technology Corp. * Advancing Technology: Aspect Biosystems * Manufactured Products: Oxygen8 * Consumer Products: Village Farms International * Digital and Media Entertainment: PressReader * Clean Technology: Hyfluence Systems Corp. * Women-led: Newton Industries Ltd. * AgTech: Golden Eagle Sable Fish LP * Diversified Exporter: Coast Fraser Enterprises Ltd. The Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia has announced appointments to its Board of Directors: New Appointments for a Three-Year Term: * Dana Hayden - nominated by the Government of British Columbia * Salman Manki - nominated by the Law Society of British Columbia * Anna Solnickova - nominated by the British Columbia Real Estate Association Re-appointment for an Additional Three-Year Term BJ Houghton - nominated by the Association of British Send your business announcements, news, celebrations or new hires HERE * indicates required The Business Examiner South Vancouver Island provides business news, advice, and data for the following communities:Brentwood Bay, Central Saanich,Colwood, Esquimalt, Highlands, James Bay, Langford, North Saanich, Oak Bay, Saanich, Sidney, Sooke, Victoria,and View Royal