The year is 1972, the location Red Deer, and the industry is the Alberta oil patch. A passionate young man of 23 years is about to make his dream reality. The man is Lawrence Heck, born to a hard-working farming family from the Peace River country where the seeds of a strong work ethic and integrity were firmly planted at an early age. With a dream deep in his heart he ventured off to Red Deer and the Alberta oil fields; after putting in some hard time on the rigs he eventually turned his attention to the trucking industry. Lawrence’s dream first took shape in 1972 when he purchased his first truck, a Chevrolet C-60 single-axle bed truck, in a few short years. Lawrence realized he needed to upgrade the size of his equipment and purchased a 1974 Mack, which was rigged as a tandem bed truck. The main industry for Heck’s trucking in those early years was the service industry, during which Lawrence spent many hours behind the wheel of these trucks building a future for himself and his family. In 1979 Heck’s Trucking Oilfield Hauling was incorporated. And thus began the journey to become the premier drilling rig transportation company in Alberta. The first test was the move of Red Arrow Drilling Rig #8 in early 1980, which founded the very successful growth of this young and dynamic company. As the industry grew, so did Heck’s Trucking with the addition of first-rate equipment and personnel - Heck’s came to include over 40 power units, over 100 trailers and equipment, a state-of-the-art maintenance shop, fabrication facilities, indoor housing for over 75 trucks and 100 acres of yard and rack site. Employing more than 150 people, Heck’s opened other Alberta divisions in Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House, Drayton Valley and Drumheller. Priding themselves on customer service, Lawrence’s staff and management hold to the values upon which Heck’s Trucking was built – commitment, integrity, honesty and hard work. These same values are still firmly rooted and carrry on with Lorne Heck (Lawrence's eldest son)in Tryson Energy Services today, and will remain long into the future. The beginning: 1972 and the purchase of Heck’s first truck, a Chevrolet C-60 single axle bed truck with a 366 c.i. engine and 4-speed transmission with a two-speed auxiliary. This vehicle was owned and operated by Lawrence Heck and leased on with Andy’s Trucking in Red Deer. Lawrence soon realized he needed larger equipment, and in 1974 he purchased a new tandem Mack which also leased on with Andy’s Trucking. In 1977 the first Kenworth was purchased, and is still held dear to Heck’s Trucking today as it sits fully-restored in storage. This beauty is now only used in parades and displays, and this W900 model was included in Kenworth’s 75th Anniversary celebration. In 1979, the incorporation of Heck’s Trucking Oilfield Hauling Ltd. Had taken place. New corporate offices, a shop and secured yard were located in Blindman’s Industrial Park. The 1980s brought some nervous times for many in the Oil Industry. The years spanning 1981- 1984 were very lean, but gave way to very busy years in the mid ‘80s which in turn demanded some very rapid growth. Heck’s trucking fleet began to grow with the inevitable addition of more trucks, trailers, equipment and personnel. By 1989, it was again time for some major decisions: because the size of Heck’s fleet had increased, the necessitated the move to new and larger facility. A new site a few miles north of Red Deer was selected – an area with plenty of room for future expansion. 1990 saw the construction of a new facility which consisted of over 100 acres. This space housed the corporate offices, maintenance shops, fabricating facilities, pull-through wash bays, and an indoor facility for 75 trucks. The years through the 1990s were very exciting for Heck’s Trucking, as the manufacturing and fabricating of equipment began to emerge. Combining experience and expertise, Heck’s Trucking was now fabricating and rigging trucks for both local and international companies. 1994 saw truck riggings completed and shipped to the former Soviet Republic, and in 1995 more trucks were designed and built for Sudan. Heck’s manufacturing expertise assured their clients of the best equipment the industry could offer. Aside from manufacturing and rigging trucks for other countries, Heck’s Trucking continued to expand their own fleet as the addition of new equipment remains an ongoing commitment. 1998 was the year of the monster 8-wheel drive Floatation Commander. A Kenworth C-550, this unit is powered by a 525 h.p.N-14 Cummings power plant, has a 45 ft deck, 66’ tires and measures 7 feet high at the roll. With a vehicle weight of 78,000 lbs and the capability of hauling a 150,000 lb payload, this truly is a massive vehicle and a slight to behold. When conditions are at their worst, this truck will get the job done. As an obvious success, and with other trucking companies now following suit with the design of the Floatation Commander, Heck’s is once again an industry leader. 2001 saw the addition of the second 8-wheel drive Floatation Commander Unit. This now afforded Heck’s the opportunity to have one of these monster trucks on both ends of a rig move if required or on a second rig move the same day – proving once again Heck’s dedication to the highest standard of customer service. In the same year, a new 36-ton Crane Picker was added to the Heck fleet – a tri-axle twin steer truck with an extended crane boom reach of 100 ft. Complete with an operator cab and computerized control center, this unit performs big jobs with the typical commitment to safety. This truck is the image of the pride & quality of Heck’s Trucking and the fabricating personnel. For more information on what we have to offer, please contact us by phone 403.347.1511 or email info@trysonenergy.com