NEERLANDIA – Platinum J Enterprises has reached their platinum year anniversary, applauding 20 years in business with a celebration open house on April 5.
“It's just amazing,” said Geraldine Wierenga.
Sharing the story of how it all began, Geraldine said Julius Wierenga started his welding career in 2004, feeling it was a good steady trade to get into.
He was working for his brother Bert and decided to make the move to go out on his own in 2005.
He started out with a 5-ton truck with a van body, putting a flat deck on the truck. After outfitting the truck with equipment and tools he started doing mobile jobs where he would go to the customer’s location.
He had seen a need for a mobile business to serve customers and he was right.
Oil field work was a big part of his business for several years. A shop was set up in the yard and gradually business grew so much that the little shop was outgrown.
More and more customers were coming to the yard shop and getting jobs done. Neeralta had shut down their welding department and they expanded their fabrication part of the business. Platinum J Enterprises took over their steel sales and supplies business.
That was 10 years ago, and the business has taken off from there. They have expanded their business to support sawmill maintenance and teardowns.
Platinum J Enterprises always goes the extra mile, said Geraldine. With repairs done they take the time to sandblast and paint parts, so the job looks good when it’s complete.
That extra effort has provided sandblasting jobs.
Platinum J Enterprises has two employees, both certified journeyman welders, and Wierenga’s son has joined the family business.
They build products including scrapers and land levellers. Platinum J Enterprises has installed stabilizer rods in fertilizer sheds to support the integrity of the building.
Four years ago, Geraldine noted a man with his own sawmill commissioned Platinum J Enterprises to dismantle the sawmill.
They are always open to jobs, even doing small repairs on travel trailers.
Being in the farming community, farmers come in and they bring their equipment to get fixed, modified or made bigger or stronger, Geraldine noted.
One customer brought in his field wagon wanting to make it taller. Platinum J Enterprises came up with a plan and delivered for the customer.
They are innovative in the way they see past the problem and find a satisfactory solution, Geraldine said.
Geraldine does the bookkeeping, the paperwork and keeps the office running.
