A FIRST NATION COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
WHO WE ARE?
Supercom Industries LP (Supercom) is a unique First Nations partnership created in 2016 by First Nation communities located along the north shore of Lake Superior. These traditional territories are deeply connected to the stewardship of natural resources in the region, and Supercom is a collective engagement committed to sustainable development and economic growth while maintaining and protecting the land for future generations.
Each First Nation is located along the north shore of Lake Superior in Northwestern Ontario, and each has its own governance, territory and culture. Today, our territories are the route of the East West Tie Transmission Project – one of Ontario’s highest priority transmission lines linking Thunder Bay to Wawa.
Originally created to specifically maximize employment and economic benefits during the construction of the East-West Tie (EWT) Transmission line, the success of Supercom exemplified that partnerships create strength and value. Upon completion of the project, the shareholders provided direction for staff to seek out other opportunities. Supercom has since been nominated for the CANDO’s National Economic Developer of the year award, and was recently awarded the 2022 Northern Ontario Business Award (NOBA) Indigenous Business Excellence award.
Supercom continues to look for new opportunities in Northern Ontario to expand its portfolio with additional projects that will continue to grow their local economies through economic development and employment for their member communities.
PROJECTS
SPRING DRAINS/S-DRAIN
The Spring Drain, or S-Drain, is a tool with the potential to radically innovate the railway industry across the globe. Across North America alone, approximately 1/10th of the existing rail systems travel over wetlands such as swamps, bogs and fens. These track areas are susceptible to liquified soil forcing through the tracks in spots called mud or peat boils that can cause delays, derailment, or require expensive maintenance to repair. The S Drain is preventable, affordable equipment that can be installed in stages between standard railway train operations, and maintains the wetland ecology without needing to backfill stone or cement.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT S-DRAINS CLICK HERE
MAAJIIGI UTILITIES LP
Through a partnership with Hydro One, Supercom was successful in their bid for the maintenance and emergency response of the East-West Tie Transmission Line. Maajiigi, a company owned 51% by Supercom and 49% by Hydro One Networks, holds a three-year maintenance contract with the option of two one-year extensions to maintain the EWT transmission line.
SUPERCOM INDUSTRIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TBT ENGINEERING PRESENT: S-DRAINS
TBT ENGINEERING HAS DEVELOPED AND PATTENED A PROVEN GROUND STABILIZATION PRODUCT AND TECHNIQUE THAT MITIGATES ISSUES CAUSED BY PEAT BOILS AND PEAT MIGRATION FROM BENEATH RAILWAY EMBANKMENTS.
The S-drain is a patented, composite geo-synthetic installation that is mechanically installed in existing rail lines between rail cribs (ties). Peat Boil/Mud Spot developments have been increasing as a result of longer and heavier trains running at a greater frequency to meet the shipping demands of our growing global economies. Untreated peat boils can result in track deformation.
Traditional treatments for peat boils have involved lengthy track blocks to allow for removal of underlying peat/soft soils and reinstatement with rock fill. Alternative treatments have included helical piles, geo-spikes, and stabilized soil treatments beneath the rail.
None of the traditional nor alternative methods are as effective as the Spring Drain for its ability to cost-effectively treat Peat Boils and Mud Spots with limited impact to rail traffic as the installation is completed without disruption to rail infrastructure and completed in between trains thus avoiding operational impacts.
The S-drain improves the performance of the peat subgrade by reducing the risk of peat liquefaction while improving the stiffness and stability of the railway embankment.
Installation is done mechanically with customized equipment and tooling allowing the Spring drain to be installed vertically between rail ties. The density of treatment can be altered to apply more remedy where required.
Through a combination of dynamic shear wave dissipation, expedited porewater pressure relief, and load transference the Spring Drain reduces and eliminates ongoing maintenance costs (ditching and releveling), operational costs (peat removal and slow orders), and potential safety hazards (settlement induced rail fatigue and derailments).
CONTACT US
SUPERCOM INDUSTRIES - 17-656 City Road, Fort William First Nation Ontario, P7J 1K3
SARAH LEVESQUE
Business Development & Sales Manager
807.633.4405
807.889.0488
DAVE BRENNEN
Spring Drain Foreman
807.632.7797
MARLENE SABOURIN
Controller and General Manager