Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online
Ribbon cutting at Weyburn UFA. Photo by Brian Zinchuk
WEYBURN – UFA Cooperative is a staple throughout Alberta, but now it is growing into Saskatchewan.
While United Farmers of Alberta has long had location in Swift Current, Macklin, Kindersley and Lloydminster, it has recently opened new cardlock and bulk fuel facilities in Weyburn and Yorkton. On July 5, there was a ribbon cutting in Yorkton, followed by one in Weyburn on July 6.
Steve Marshall, director of Saskatchewan petroleum operations, said the Swift Current and Kindersley locations were built in the 1990s as a joint venture with what was then the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, another cooperative at the time. However, the Pool went through major transformations since then, including switching to a corporate model.
Steve Marshall at Weyburn UFA. Photo by Brian Zinchuk
Marshall said, “In the last few years, we’ve looked to expand. We have 111 sites in Alberta, and pretty much saturated the market and in Alberta, we look, looked east and believe that Saskatchewan was a very good place to go. You know, agriculture is tremendous in Saskatchewan, right? There’s a lot of the scope of ag out here is much larger than what we see in Alberta. There’s twice as much arable acres in Saskatchewan as there is in Alberta. And we want to be a very prominent choice for customers in Western Canada.”
UFA is a farmer-owned cooperative that is 114 years old, with 125,000 members.
There’s no small coincidence as to the locations. In Weyburn, the UFA is across the highway from two grain terminals, and just off Highway 39, the main highway from Saskatchewan to the US. Weyburn is one of the largest grain delivery points in Canada, with three terminals in total.
In Yorkton, UFA is adjacent to two canola crushing terminals, both of which have been or are being expanded. It’s on Highway 16, a TransCanada route. “We want good visibility from a major thoroughfares,” he said. “Access is everything.”
UFA is looking at other locations in Saskatchewan. “We have the capacity to build a couple a year,” Marshall said, noting they do their due diligence and rigorous analysis.
He said there’s good opportunity in Yorkton as well.
There as six pump islands, high speed lanes each with satellites, allowing truckers to fuel tanks on both sides at the same time. Lubricants are offered as well, from hydraulic fluid to crankcase oil. Diesel exhaust fluid is available at the pumps. The washroom includes a shower, too.
As for where they get their fuel and lubricants from, Marshall said they have a “balanced supply pool” with multiple sources, but they buy through Shell as their preferred partner, and carry Shell lubricants. In Saskatchewan, fuel will come from the Regina Consumers Cooperative Refinery, but in Alberta, they source from the Shell Scotford Refinery and Northwest Upgrader. Some diesel also comes from Cenovus in Lloydminster.
In addition to the card lock, they also provide bulk fuel deliveries, with one truck at Weyburn. That includes some deliveries to drilling rigs.
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UFA hires agents to run the locations, similar to a franchise model. In this case, Jason and Laura Lee Petersen were hired.
Jason, Korbyn and Laura Lee Petersen. Photo by Brian Zinchuk
They noted they had to apply for the agent position. Jason’s originally from Lake Alma, and Laura Lee is originally from Radville. They now live on a ranch between Colgate and Radville. Their 13 year old son, Korbyn, will also be helping out, pushing broom, as is common with family outfits. They also have a delivery driver.
It’s not Jason’s first foray into the fuel business. He’s been working in the field for 25 years, initially at Beaubier Co-op, then PetroCan, and now UFA. Laura Lee has a background in human resources and business, used to work with Southeast College. She has a MBA and is the admin side now at UFA in Weyburn.
They also own and operate a fluid hauling tanker truck in the oilpatch.
Asked why they went with UFA, Jason said, “We heard so much good things about UFA to start with, in Alberta. And when they came to Saskatchewan, it was such a golden opportunity. We just couldn’t turn it down.”
“We’re excited to serve. Customer service is our thing. We believe UFA has a great product and great service.”
Well over 100 people turned out for the grand opening, which took place right after the Weyburn parade. They even had a UFA float in it, encouraging people to come out for the grand opening.
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