NiIew Order Enterprizes has a firmgrip on construction. It reallyholds things down — and up.

New Order's Groundhog Anchor andSupport System has helped homeownersand builders keep projects firmly plantedin the ground and resting above ground.Groundhog is proven to be durable andeconomical for applications where porta-bility and adaptability are required.

The Groundhog story goes back about20 years, to the day when Jim McFeetorsmet a fellow who had an idea for holdingdown satellite dishes. Satellite dishes weregaining in popularity at the time, so heintroduced his son Mike to what seemedto be a clever concept.

The anchoring system now includes aroughly eight-foot-long shaft widi augerflyting at its base and stabilizing fin nearthe top of die shaft. Plowed deep into theground, the shaft holds a structure in place.

"We ended up realizing there's a big-ger market for this thing," said McFeetors,president of Ancore. "The anchor is beingused as a means of supporting an above-ground structure and then patented."

"Then we made design changes and re-alized it had some bearing capacity — as in

holding a load up rather than down."That is to say, McFeetors and his

partner saw that the metal anchoringsystem could also be used to keep struc-tures from sinking into the ground orlifting with frost. Many homeownershave, for instance, faced the annoyingreality of a deck sink or heaving in softground. This anchoring system couldguard against those situations.

Thus, a business was born. "What weended up doing at the time was basicallygoing door to door to builders and hom-eowners to pitch these anchors," McFee-tors continued.

But the anchors could only be used fordetached decks. Regulations wouldn't allowany other use. The business would remainrelatively small unless a broader range ofapplications was allowed for die anchor.

So McFeetors went to the NationalResearch Council to get the anchor testedfor a broader use. He got a conditionalOK. The anchor would have to be testedlocally for each location's soil condition."So we tested it in Manitoba and it wasapproved for use here."

That was around 1988 - right whenthe sunroom market was making big

strides. For that market, McFeetors hadto make a bigger product. He did, and itwas tested and approved.

From there, business kept growing.McFeetors started New Order Enter-

prizes in Calgary back in 1991, when hewas apprenticing in the welding field. Hemoved back to Winnipeg in 1995 andbrought the business with him.

Since dien there has been a lot of expan-sion to New Order. It's selling and installinga wider range of anchors and offers hydrau-lic equipment for installing those anchors.

One popular application of GroundhogAnchors is for boathouses and cottages, hesaid. "We can come in and put in a prop-er cottage foundation for half the cost ofother contractors," he noted, adding thatslargely because New Order's system is notcomplicated and involves equipment thatis easily transported to the site.

The company does a thriving businessin urban construction, anchoring decks,porches, living room expansions and more.

What's the secret to the success of New-Order Enterprizes and the GroundhogAnchor and Support System? It's mostlyabout keeping things as simple and tidy asreasonably possible.

5 • Building Connections

Groundhog~ -^ANCHOR AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS

@ R'iiem

The Grnnndhng Anchor syslem fsss praveis both darable asid economies! for applicationIn areas of work, residence, and recreation. groundhog anchors feature adjustability.

portability, and arc easily adaptable to difficult and rptnote conditions,

For more info, visit your local hardware store, or on the web: www.groundhoganchors.ca

NEWOSpecializing in GroundhogAnchoring and customsteel Manufacturing

The Groundhog Anchor andSupport System has provenboth a durable and economi-cal choice for almost anyapplication where adjustability,portability and adaptability todifficult and remote situationsis desired.

We manufacture customornamental railings, staircases,spiral staircases, furniture,roof racks, plant stands,wine racks.

"Groundhog anchors can be installedin a process that's easier and less disrup-tive than a concrete anchor," McFeetorssaid, adding Groundhog anchors don'tcost a bundle either.

Simply put, the system offers economyand convenience. Groundhog anchorsrange in size from light-duty anchors with.75-inch shafts to heavy-duty anchorswith two-inch shafts.

For light jobs like fence posts, signsand sheds, New Order offers its No. 36and No. 56 anchors. With about 1,500

pounds of tension, these anchors are idealfor light-duty tie-downs.

On the heavy-duty end, No. 812 anchoris ideal for mobile homes, house additionsand tarp buildings. With compression safeloads of approximately 5,000 pounds, thisanchor can handle almost any job.

New Order Enterprizes also manu-factures custom ornamental steel rail-ings, staircases, furniture, roof racks,plant stands and more. An impressivephoto gallery of New Order custom steelmanufacturing creations can be viewedat www.neworder.ca. SB

New Order Enterprizes41 Juniper LaneSt. Andrews, MBR1A 4E2

www.neworder.ca

Profiles • Q2 • 2007 • 6