21 SEPTEMBER 2026 WorldWide Drilling Resource® A Journey to Innovation Adapted from Information by Foremost Industries In 1949, a machine shop located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, started as Universal Industries, but was later changed. Since the family name Nodwell was already taken, Bruce an inventor, told his son Jack to look at maps of Alberta and Saskatchewan for ideas. Jack spotted a small town in southern Alberta called Foremost, and found the name was available. With Imperial Oil making the Leduc No.1 discovery, the economy began to rapidly grow in Alberta. Oil exploration moved northward where oil men encountered muskeg - a wet, boggy, swamp-like matter conventional equipment could not pass. Bruce was asked by Imperial Oil to construct two vehicles they had designed, to provide mobility over muskeg, but was unsuccessful. In 1955, Bruce introduced the double sprocket, an invention enabling vehicles to drive wide tracks while securing them in place using just a single row of wheels. This innovation, along with the stability provided by the belt, made it achievable to utilize the belt of any size or shape necessary for the vehicles. The concept of the wide track was born, paving the way to build new and different types of machines. The Tracked Truck was later named the Nodwell after its inventor Bruce Nodwell. It gained industry recognition due to Bruce’s relationships with customers. It was developed into the Nodwell 110, a model that could carry an 11,000-pound payload which earned the nickname “Noddy.” Although the Canadian market was hesitant due to previous failures, the Nodwell 110 achieved notable success with its first major sale to Western Geophysical in Alaska. This sale, which included a geophysical crew, performed exceptionally in challenging muskeg environments. This success lead to the production of over 1500 units establishing the model 110 as a benchmark for geophysical operations in Northern Canada and Alaska. The vehicle’s reputation even extended to supporting the U.S. Antarctic Research Organization. Foremost began acquisitions with Drill Systems in 1998. By 2013, the Foremost Group of companies came together under a single name. Universal Industries, Corlac Industries, Maloney Industries, Peaceland Fabrication, Stettler Oil & Gas, Brahma Compression, Steelhead Welding, and Foremost Industries launched the beginning of a new era as “FOREMOST”. In early 2019, Foremost expanded by acquiring the operating assets of Steel Craft Inc. and JTL Industries allowing them to incorporate ULC Fuel Tanks and Agriculture Grain Bins into their product offerings. The company has three distinct divisions, Foremost Energy Equipment, Foremost Agriculture, and Foremost Mobile Equipment, operating out of four locations with 600 employees. The logo they use is the same original design that was chosen when the company was founded. Through many years of boom, bust, and product development, the company has grown into what it is today - an industry manufacturer of gas, oil, water well, mining, and agriculture equipment. Photo courtesy of Dalton Photography. Nodwell 110 MIN G&O Kov[i H[mm_rs 408-431-6000 kovaidrills.com Engineered for Consistency, Faster Penetration Rates, and Reliability. Precision Manufactured with HighQuality, Durable Materials. Provides Accurate Drilling While Extending Tool Life and Minimizing Downtime. Built for Hard Rock Formations & Tough Downhole Environments.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDk4Mzk=