Yellowknife (Aug 16/06) - In team sports, being able to spread out an offence makes for a much more dangerous team.

Emco/Frontier Mining has taken that strategy and diversified its business to serve a number of needs around Yellowknife, said general manager Allan Webb.

Allan Webb,left, general manager of Emco/Frontier Mining and Meredith Wilson, in charge of branch operations, get ready to flip some burgers during a party to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary of being in business in Canada. The company provides plumbing materials along with supplying all three Northwest Territory diamond mines with materials. - David Ryan/NNSL photo

The company sells plumbing supplies for construction projects around the city and wholesale materials to the three diamond mines outside of Yellowknife, said Webb.

"Generally, when one side starts to slow down, the other side picks up," said Webb.

"We get a little breather in August, but once September hits, we're busy with the mines." said Webb.

The three diamond mines typically order items during the fall and ship supplies during the winter ice road season, said Webb.

While the early closure of the winter ice road from Tibbitt to Contwoyto could have posed a problem for Emco/Frontier Mining, Webb said his staff was ready to handle any trouble.

"There is something new every year," he said. "With this staff, the job goes a lot easier."

Emco/Frontier Mining has six full-time staff who have been with the company for the last seven years, said Webb.

"This is a solid staff."

One of the employees who have been with the Yellowknife office for the last seven years is Meredith Wilson.

"We've been busy, but we're having a good time," she said.

Wilson said she made the move from Emco in Toronto seven years ago.

The work environment in Yellowknife is great, she said. A Canada-wide 100th birthday party was held last week at all of Emco operations, said Webb.

The company came to Yellowknife in 1997 when Emco purchased Frontier Mining, but Webb said he was still proud to be part of the century birthday.

"There aren't many manufacturing businesses in Canada that have been around since 1906," he said.

Emco is a distributor and manufacturer of building materials for the residential, commercial and industrial markets.

Its head office is in London, Ont. and it has more than 80 outlets in Canada and the U.S.