A local stalwart in the oil and gas, and mineral industries, and the company he started, have earned some well-deserved recognition. Prairie Mud Service is the 2016 inductee to the Saskatchewan Business Hall of Fame for the Association of Business Excellence (ABEX) Awards.
President and owner Ray Frehlick believes a number of factors have contributed to the success of his company, which operates in industries that are known for their unpredictable nature. These factors include Prairie Mud鈥檚 size, ability to adapt and its strong integration in the community in which it operates.
鈥淚 had a vision to be in business when I was a young guy, and now I鈥檓 old as dirt and still in business. I spent most of my time in the energy sector and in agriculture,鈥� said Frehlick, during a call with the Mercury. 鈥淚 guess in any business, the key to success is to have good customer relationships, honesty and integrity.鈥�
Frehlick incorporated the company, which supplies drilling fluids and service to the oil and gas and mineral industries,聽 in 1976. At the time, Frehlick brought along a wealth of knowledge and familiarity with the industry from 23 years of work in fluid engineering in Canada and the U.S.
With his experience, Frehlick saw the potential of a Saskatchewan company to participate in the market for fluid engineering, and started Prairie Mud & Chemical Service. The company ended up filling a need for such a service in the Estevan area. Prairie Mud evolved from a two-person operation, weathering the ups and downs of the industries in which it works. Since then, Prairie Mud Service Partnership was started in 2002, expanding business in Manitoba, North Dakota, Montana and Alberta.
Frehlick said Prairie Mud鈥檚 smaller size relative to other companies helped aid its longevity and noted that he knows the secret to retaining employees and keeping them happy. Since Prairie Mud is not a large company, Frehlick said he refuses to treat his employees like numbers.
鈥淲hen we started in business, our vision was to have a health plan, dental plan and pension plan. The company isn鈥檛 just made by the president or manager. It鈥檚 made by good people. Employees who work here are part of a family,鈥� said Frehlick. 鈥淚 know everyone鈥檚 first name and last name, and have conversations with them on a daily basis.鈥�
In addition to good employee relations, Prairie Mud has a reputation for being an excellent business partner with other companies in the industry, and has built many strong working relationships through 鈥済ood service and good people,鈥� Frehlick said.
鈥淭here will always be new technologies and products, and certainly, there鈥檚 continuous change, as new technologies come out,鈥� said Frehlick, describing how Prairie Mud has adapted to changes in the oil and gas industry over the years. 鈥淔or example, horizontal drilling didn鈥檛 start until June of 1989 in southeast Saskatchewan. Horizontal drilling has certainly recovered a lot more oil than was in place when there was only vertical drilling.鈥�
Frehlick emphasized how important it has been for him to keep Prairie Mud active in the community, noting that there is 鈥渕ore to it than just the business.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e been president and manager of minor hockey and the president of minor ball, and we helped build the Met Stadium. We鈥檝e given young people opportunities to play ball,鈥� said Frehlick. 鈥淲e鈥檝e done a lot to make this a better city, better province and a better country by helping out on things like the CT scan at the hospital, and we helped with the original building of the new hospital.鈥�
Frehlick has been involved in a number of community groups personally, providing financial support and leadership for a number of initiatives and organizations, such as the Estevan Lions Club and Rotary Club of Estevan.
By adapting to the needs of the community and industries in which it works, Frehlick noted Prairie Mud & Chemical Services Ltd., ensures the success of both, and will continue to endure for many more years
聽to come.
鈥淲e cannot think of a business more deserving of this recognition than Prairie Mud Service,鈥� said Jackie Wall, executive director of the Estevan Chamber of Commerce. 鈥淭he company as well as Ray Frehlick are pillars of this community. One would be hard-pressed to find a community initiative that Ray and Prairie Mud have not had a
hand in.鈥�
鈥淲e at the chamber are very happy to see Prairie Mud Service inducted into the Business Hall of Fame. They have demonstrated incredible perseverance and commitment to their work and to their community,鈥� said Steve McLellan, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. 鈥淕iven the highly cyclical nature of Saskatchewan鈥檚 oil and gas sector, Prairie Mud鈥檚 longevity and success in the industry, along with Ray Frehlick鈥檚 leadership, is truly commendable.鈥�
