Jason Hawman
STI/SPFA recently spoke with Jason Hawman, Product Manager at AGI Westeel, about his career in the steel fabrication industry.
STI/SPFA: Tell us about the history of your company.
Jason Hawman: Westeel, now part of AGI | Global Food Infrastructure, has a history rooted in 19th-century Canadian sheet metal companies. Founded in the mid-1940s, it emerged from Western Canada and grew to become a major player in the design and manufacture of steel tanks for various industries, particularly agriculture. Westeel’s history includes mergers with other companies, and its acquisition by AGI in 2014.
STI/SPFA: How did you get your start in the industry?
Hawman: I personally got started in 1998 as a general laborer where I worked my way through the ranks of the various positions within the shop to eventually attain a leadership position which helped drive our growth in the tank manufacturing industry. I was raised with a solid work ethic and always kept my head down and focused on safety and quality to where I stood out among my peers and given the opportunity to grow into a leadership role. Here, I look to foster the same qualities in everyone within the organization.
STI/SPFA: What do you like best about working in the industry?
Hawman: It would have to be the people I work with and the customers in our industry. It is easy to get out of bed to work with some of the most like-minded entrepreneurial groups within our walls as well as the hard-working customers from the various industries to supply: agriculture, forestry, mining, construction, and aviation to name a few.
STI/SPFA: What’s been your favorite or most memorable moment of your career so far?
Hawman: A couple of moments come to mind. The factory that I managed for several years recently reached a safety milestone of 11 years worked without a lost time accident, which is huge considering the type of work that we do in this industry!
Another milestone I have is winning a Product of the Year Award with STI/SPFA on a project near and dear to my heart which was the culmination of our entire team pulling together to get a large and challenging product designed and produced on a deadline for our customer. The industry recognition on top of all that was truly the cherry on top!
North American Pipeline Project
STI/SPFA: What advice would you give someone who is interested in working in the industry?
Hawman: My advice would be to always maintain a “customer first” mentality. This includes both the external customer, but also the internal customer. Through a focus on customer satisfaction in all areas, you will find yourself feeling more rewarded in your own career and as a bonus, your business financials and reputation will always be growing!
STI/SPFA: What do you think will be the biggest challenge facing the industry in the next three to five years?
Hawman: A challenge that we see is the ever-rising push for EV’s and the impact that it is having on the fuel storage industry as a whole. Further to this would be rising costs across all items driven by government policy on both sides of the border. We are seeing projects being delayed and, in some cases, cancelled due to tariff uncertainty.
STI/SPFA: How has STI/SPFA Membership helped you and your company succeed and grow in today’s marketplace?
Hawman: Membership brings me the value of technical support, networking and technological advancements through new registrations. Being able and comfortable to call up the engineering resources, or any other member for that matter, to ask questions related to design, manufacturing processes, and challenges encapsulates the same culture that we strive for in our business.
I love the community that is STI/SPFA membership, and I have even grown fantastic friendships that I hope will outlast my time in the industry!
