Success behind the scenes

Cutting Edge Industries Ltd. makes machine parts for companies in a variety of industries

1 of 4Robert Howard owns and operates Cutting Edge Industries in Cranbrook, B.C. — Marie Milner photo

2 of 4Robert Howard of Cutting Edge Industries uses both traditional and CNC equipment. — Marie Milner photo

3 of 4Linda Fairman is a CNC machinist who works at Cutting Edge Industries, owned by Robert Howard (right) of Cranbrook, B.C. — Marie Milner photo

4 of 4Cutting Edge Industries in Cranbrook, B.C., uses both traditional and CNC machining equipment. — Marie Milner photo

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Rob Howard of Cranbrook, B.C., was glad to hear the recent announcement from Canadian Free Press that new support for trades training is now available in Cranbrook thanks to the Industry Training Authority (ITA).

Howard is a trained CNC (computer numeric controlled) machinist and the owner of Cutting Edge Industries Ltd., a tidy 450-square-foot machine shop just outside Cranbrook’s city limits. A few days each week he has the skilled help of Linda Fairman, also a CNC machinist, and he counts himself lucky to have her.

“There’s a looming trade shortage that’s of great concern to me,” Howard said. “Skilled labour is not a commodity. It’s something that’s cultivated and generated within a region and hopefully retained and always there to draw on. We need more high-value, super-skilled tradespeople.”

Howard and his wife, Sally—a registered emergency room nurse—moved to Cranbrook from the West Coast in 2008. They chose this location because it is a good place for Sally to use her skills and because Cranbrook’s all-season airport and its proximity to the United States are conveniences for Howard’s business. Cranbrook’s sunny climate clinched the deal.

Apparent affinity

From his youth, Howard demonstrated an affinity for the mechanical trades. He said he’s not a particularly creative person, but he’s able to synthesize the ideas of others very well, putting ideas together from several sources and building something good from them.

A typical day for Howard is quite straightforward: he makes parts, he talks with customers, he does some programming and design. He said he can’t imagine doing any other kind of work.

“I produce machine components,” he said. “I like cutting parts and I enjoy interacting with my customers. I really enjoy the opportunity to take an idea that’s presented to me, work on that, then give the customer exactly what he wants and have him take it to market and be successful with it. I love to exceed their expectations.”

Traditional skills, new technology

There are manual machines on the Cutting Edge shop floor, too. Howard said he uses them frequently, but uses the CNC machines much more.

“CNC machining is not that different from traditional machining,” Howard said. “In both methods you’re still pulling a chip off the part. In CNC machining you can do it much more precisely and accurately, and you can repeat it much faster. In both cases it’s still metal removal—you cut away what you don’t want and keep the part that you do.

“Everything I work on is exciting. We’ve been selective with the clients we work with, and they have all been very successful. We’re behind the scenes, but we’re part of the success.”

Howard’s clients represent a number of industries: automotive, defense, medical, underwater instrumentation and resource extraction. His clients—including a large electronics supplier—are located in the West Kootenay, the East Kootenay and Alberta.