Brooks Industrial Metals Ltd. - Serving Brooks and Southern Alberta for 52 Years

Brooks Industrial Metals Ltd. originated in 1966 by Joe Duenk. Being of Dutch descent, Joe began as the one single employee in his small radiator repair business. He also kept a steel scrap pile where he would buy and sell scrap metals within the community of Brooks.

Fast forward 30 years later to 1996 when his oldest son John Duenk fully engaged in the role at Brooks Industrial Metals Ltd. as president of the company. John took on the role with almost the same 30 years of experience working within the business alongside his dad from the time John was 8 years old.

Then in 1997, after just one year of becoming president, John took on the largest expansion in the history of the company. At the main yard location, located at 221 7th Street East John mentioned, “We built up over and around, we erected the steel structure for our new offices and fabrication shop overtop of the old existing buildings! Once we had the steel structure in place, and the outside of the building sheeted, we demolished the old wooden shop and brick office building from within. We continued to remain open, fully servicing our valuable customers through the entire expansion that took place over those 14 months."

John has always had a passion for building anything, designing and a lifelong passion for all types of engineering feats and architecture. “I am often teased by my family for the time I spend looking at and taking pictures of buildings, cars, steel sculptures all the places we visit – even the truckloads of steel that catch my eye when we are driving out on the highways.” His success in upgrading the offices and shops in 1997/1998 was only the beginning. Since then several other expansions and additions of buildings, equipment and cranes to the main yard property have made them a formidable presence as the major steel service center dead set in the center of southeastern Alberta.

“Of all the many things my father has taught me the most important was to have a good work ethic. Work hard, but also to be aware of how to treat people fairly and to be compassionate for others.” John Duenk explains. Using these seemingly simple biblical philosophies from his father, Brooks Industrial Metals Ltd. today has grown to a company employing around 50 people, covering 11 acres of land and running at two locations as two separate running divisions.

In 1979, Brooks Industrial Metals Ltd. added a cylinder gas distributorship know back then as Canox. This added service and product complimented the addition of their welding supplies and welding equipment. Today, after several gas company changeovers they are a Messer cylinder gas distributor and a full Miller® Welding equipment distributor.