Ozark Services Celebrates 50th Anniversary

November 26, 2008, St. John’s, NL - Ozark Services Ltd., a subsidiary of Pennecon Energy, has reached a major milestone. The company is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year as a leader in providing electrical and mechanical services to a variety of sectors in the province and abroad.

Starting out as a small home business, Ozark Services has grown over the years to establish a commanding presence in the marketplace, providing services and expertise to the marine, industrial and offshore industries. Ozark’s growth has seen its services expand beyond the local and Canadian marketplace to include work on the international stage, such as the US, Netherlands, Greenland, Saudi Arabia, Korea and Indonesia.

President Paul Stanley said Ozark’s history is an amazing and proud one. “Ozark has worked hard over the past five decades to establish its solid reputation, which is the result of our desire to ensure superior service and to exceed customers’ expectations,” said Stanley, who is the longest standing employee at Ozark having been with the company for 37 years. “This is an exciting time and a major milestone for our organization. We have a proud history to celebrate and look forward to even greater opportunities and successes in the future.”

Stanley added that Ozark’s success is also a direct result of a highly trained and dedicated workforce. “A company is only as good as its people and our employees are our most valuable asset. They have established a first class reputation in working to the highest safety standards and delivering qualified professional services,” he concluded.

Don Noseworthy, Vice President of Pennecon’s Energy Division, congratulated Ozark Services on its 50th anniversary and commitment to high quality service. “Ozark is to be commended for achieving such a milestone and should be proud of the strong presence it has in the marketplace,” said Noseworthy. “Ozark’s expertise has enhanced our service offerings and plays a vital role in our delivery of high quality one-stop services. Indeed, Ozark is a valuable part of the Pennecon team and we are confident in its continued success.”

Ozark Services first opened in 1958 with three employees and focused mainly on electrical services for the local marine and industrial sectors. It continued to grow over the years, including applying its services and expertise to the offshore oil and gas industry, which resulted in being awarded key service contracts for Hibernia, Terra Nova and Husky projects, as well as providing support services for east coast drilling contractors such as Transocean, Rowan and Noble Drilling.

Today, Ozark has over 50 full-time employees and offices in St. John’s, Grand Falls-Windsor and Dartmouth, NS. It offers a variety of technical services and capabilities, including commissioning and startup services, engineering, mechanical and electrical rotating equipment services, transformer testing/repair, switchgear calibration and testing either onsite or at its repair facility at 650 Water Street in St. John’s. The facility also houses Ozark’s CSA certified panel shop and crane maintenance service division.

Ozark Services is proud of its fully implemented Quality Management System and upholding its ISO 9001:2000 certification, as well as maintaining the industry standards for CSA explosion proof recertifications, UL, CSA, Lloyd's, DNV and other related industry codes and guidelines.