Sleeper cab pioneer diversifies product mix.Ray Berthelette has a knack for creating what others want. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mik Mak Fabrication fabrication (fab´rikā´sh  n),n the construction or making of a restoration. Ltd., a flourishing flour·ish v. flour·ished, flour·ish·ing, flour·ish·es v.intr. 1. To grow well or luxuriantly; thrive: The crops flourished in the rich soil. 2. New Liskeard business, is testimony to his talents. It specializes in custom-built sleeper Sleeper Stock in which there is little investor interest but that has significant potential to gain in price once its attractions are recognized. Antithesis of high flyer. cabs for trucks, moose bumpers, ice fishing/hunting huts, and a host of other accessories. Owned by Ray, sons Marc and Michel after whom the company is named, manage the two shops. Ray, a truck driver during the 1970s, saw the discomfort Discomfort may refer to pain, an unpleasant sensation, or to suffering, an unpleasant feeling or emotion. fellow colleagues endured stretched across the seats of their cabs in an attempt to catch a few winks between destinations. Consequently, he pioneered the first sleeper cab for his brother out of a small garage attached to his house. It was so well received that a local truck dealer in town ordered six more. Soon more orders came in and the business mushroomed, both in workspace and employees. "This garage has about 10 additions," Marc says. As well, the number of employees shot up to 40 in the mid-80s, which later shrank shrank v. A past tense of shrink. shrank Verb a past tense of shrink shrank shrink in the 90s due to the recession. Presently, the 31-year-old business employs approximately 34 people, 18 of whom work in the original location where Marc runs the 13,000-square-foot shop and 14 of whom work in the newer 6,000-square-foot shop, located in Highway 11, where Michel manages the manufacturing of bumpers and stainless-steel accessories. The production of sleeper cabs and bumpers is the mainstay of the business, although repairs and accessories provide steady work too. As the business has evolved, more of the sales occur directly with dealers, as opposed to individuals when Mik Mak Fabrication first began. "Eighty per cent of my sales are to dealerships," Marc says. Quality craftsmanship Craftsmanship Alcimedon a first-rate carver in wood. [Rom. Lit.: Vergil Eclogues, iii. 37.] Argus skillful builder of Jason’s Argo. [Gk. Myth.: Walsh Classical, 29] Athena (Rom. is an important attribute for the company. Not only does it fosters repeat business, but it has extended about 80 per cent of the company's business outside of its home town, the majority being with Canada's western provinces, as well as Quebec. Approximately five to 10 per cent of their product is exported to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . Custom dies form the sleeper cabs and bumpers constructed out of aluminum. As a machinist, Marc is often found on the shop floor, heavily involved with the manufacturing of the products. All the bunks are custom built by hand ranging in different sizes from two-and-a-half-feet long up to 10 or 12 feet long. The three-foot cabs are the most common size, but they can be built to suit the needs of the client. Some prefer hardwood hardwood: see wood. hardwood Timber obtained from broad-leaved, flower-bearing trees. Hardwood trees are deciduous trees, except in the warmest regions. floors and cabinets with a satellite hook up and flat screen television behind tinted tint n. 1. A shade of a color, especially a pale or delicate variation. 2. A gradation of a color made by adding white to it to lessen its saturation. 3. A slight coloration; a tinge. 4. windows. Others are content to have a simple arrangement of a single bed with storage capacity. They make all their own mattresses and interior upholstery upholstery, general term for household fittings, hangings, curtains, cushions, and covers. It refers to stuffed, padded, and spring-cushioned furniture, such as chairs and sofas, or to the usually decorative materials and fabrics that cover them. , and can insulate in·su·late tr.v. in·su·lat·ed, in·su·lat·ing, in·su·lates 1. To cause to be in a detached or isolated position. See Synonyms at isolate. 2. the cabs at the customer's request. All cabs are trimmed with stainless steel stainless steel: see steel. stainless steel Any of a family of alloy steels usually containing 10–30% chromium. The presence of chromium, together with low carbon content, gives remarkable resistance to corrosion and heat. hardware. Although the price varies depending upon the order, the basic model starts from around $5.000 or $6,000 up to about $100,000. A cornucopia cornucopia (kôr'ny  kō`pēə), in Greek mythology, magnificent horn that filled itself with whatever meat or drink its owner requested. of photos line the office walls with all the sleeper
cabs and their variations built over the years. In fact, no job seems
too big for the Berthelette brothers, as the odd photo of custom-built
fifth wheelers appears."We'll custom build RVs," Marc says, describing a 50-foot camper they built for a fellow from Ottawa whose life history wrapped around the trailer In communications, a code or set of codes that make up the last part of a transmitted message. See trailer label. in a painted mural mural Painting applied to and made integral with the surface of a wall or ceiling. Its roots can be found in the universal desire that led prehistoric peoples to create cave paintings—the desire to decorate their surroundings and express their ideas and beliefs. . Included on the wall are letters from customers thanking the Berthelette's for the lifesaving moose bumpers. "We get letters all the time," says Marc, explaining the thick aluminum-plated bumpers are built to take the impact of large animals. He adds the cost of a bumper at $3,500 will save tens of thousands of dollars in repairs and lost production time. "It protects their investment." Another product Ray created initially for himself is the portable sports hut. Easily converted into a winter ice shack Ice Shack is an episode of That '70s Show. Kelso arranges a double date with Eric & Donna in an attempt to win Jackie back, while back home, Hyde panics when the passenger in his car says he's carrying a bag full of drugs. and hauled on skis by snow machine or ATV (1) (Advanced TV) An early name for the digital TV standard proposed by the Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Service (ACATS). See ACATS. See also ATV Forum. (2) (Analog TV) Refers to the NTSC, PAL and SECAM analog TV standads. , its portability makes it attractive to the angler angler, common name for a member of the family Ceratiidae, European and American bottom-dwelling predacious fishes. The angler lies on the bottom and lures its prey with a long, wormlike appendage that extends forward and dangles over its mouth. and hunter. The fold-up 10-foot aluminum boat is also easy to manage on the road and in the water. It did not take long for both creations to become a part of the company's expanding product line. Marc says they also build a lot of custom accessories for pick-up trucks, like tool boxes, pick-up racks and head guards. Recently, he has been busy fabricating accessories for four-wheelers. As the wall of photos spreads with interesting projects unique only to Mik Mak Fabrication, individuals and businesses will continue to reap the benefits of a well-focused company that produces quality workmanship. www.mikmak.net BY ADELLE LARMOUR Northern Ontario Business Northern Ontario Business is a Canadian magazine, which publishes monthly in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. The magazine covers business news and issues in Northern Ontario. TRI-TOWN TOP PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS Company Sector # of Empl. Grant Forest Products Forestry 295 Temiskaming District Hospital Health Care 230 Temiskaming Board of Education Education 205 Wal-Mart Retail 162 Elk Lake Planning Mill Forestry 150 NuComm International Customer Service 165 Wabi Iron and Steel Manufacturing 115 Chartrands' Independent Grocer Retail Foods 96 Conseil Scholaire des Grande Prairie Education 95 Nor Arc Steel Fabrications Manufacturing 92 Tri Town Municipalities Municipal Government 86 Three H Manufacturing Manufacturing 77 Boart Longyear Mining 75 Englehart Hospital Health care 75 Pederson Construction Construction 75 Northern Tel Telecommunications 60 Grant Transport Transportation 60 Northern College Education 58 Nid Canada Fiberglass Fabrication 56 Armstrong Motors/Narl Auto retail & service 54 Kirkland Lake Gold Mining 260 Heath & Sherwood Drilling Mining 150 Extendicare Health 115 Dave's Your Independent Grocer Grocery 95 McIellan Transport Transportation 70 MacIntyre & Associates Mining 60 Rosko Forestry Operations Ltd. Forestry 50 Heath & Sherwood (1964) Ltd. Manufacturing 44 Tembec. Kenogami Fingerjoint Mill Forestry 40 Newmont Mining Mining 37 Trans-Cycle Industries Manufacturing 30 Siemens Westinghouse Manufacturing 30 KIRKLAND LAKE TOP PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS Company Sector # of Empl. Kirkland Lake Gold Mining 270 Heath & Sherwood Drilling Manufacturing 150 Newmont Mine Mining 147 Extendicare Health 115 McLellan Transport Transportation 79 Tembec. Kenogami Mill Forestry 77 MacIntyre & Associates Mining 75 Rosko Forestry Operations Ltd. Forestry 59 Dave's Your Independent Grocer Grocery 53 Heath & Sherwood Manufacturing 37 Trans-Cycle Industries Manufacturing 31 Siemens Westinghouse Manufacturing 28 |
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