Quality Drilling Products Manufactured By Engineers Who Get Dirty

MACKINNON WATER SOLUTIONS began in Pembroke, Ontario, during 1970 with a single cable-tool rig, adding their first rotary rig during 1989. During 1995, brothers Rob and Jamie MacKinnon commenced taking on leadership of the family-owned company started by their parents, becoming equal partners in 2005. Their adaptability and commitment to growth led to expanding service to include pumps and water treatment in 1993 and 2013 respectively. They started a second location strategically located about three hours outside of Toronto in Sundridge, Ontario, during 2020. As their company has grown, so has their fleet. They added a second rotary rig in 2018 and then two more during 2021. Their steady growth reflects dedication to innovation and customer satisfaction, which spurred evaluating next steps for their fleet.

“My brother and I don’t always agree, but on major decisions, we’ve never disagreed. We both believed it was time to sell two of our rotary rigs and buy new,” Rob MacKinnon, owner, said. “We were looking but didn’t like any of the choices with all of the electronics. So when we saw that the DRILLMAX^® was mostly hydraulic, we thought it would be a good fit for us.”

Initially they saw the DM450 at the 2022 National Ground Water Association show. They liked the design, but its size didn’t meet their needs.

“Donnie [Wood, product line manager] mentioned they were working on the DM650,” Rob said. “So when we saw the DM650 at the 2023 National Ground Water Association, we were 95% sure it was the one. We just wanted to see the way the company was run and whether there were spare parts available.”

Jamie and Rob initially visited the drill rig manufacturer facilities in Salina, Kansas, during December 2023. Takeaways from their initial visit included:

• Growing Company: “We were surprised by how quickly they were expanding, and how well they had done so.”

• Exceptional Team: “All the staff were working and had a positive attitude.”

• Stock Availability: “They had stock on parts. You don’t want to spend that kind of money on equipment and then have to wait six months to get a part when it's needed.”

While their factory visit reinforced they’d made a sound decision, the quality of the DM650 air was what drove them to make the deposit. They appreciated the functionality and ease of use along with the overall strength of the rig.

“Most rigs the size of the DM650 air only have 30,000-lbs pullback, and this has 40,000 lbs,” Rob said. “The design of the mast is impressive and has a lot of strength.”

For Rob, the expectation of Geoprobe^® engineers to get away from the desk and get dirty contributes to quality drilling products.

“What makes  good drilling products are engineers who design and then build it themselves. We often joke about the engineers who design other rigs must have never run it or repaired it,” Rob said. “Geoprobe^® engineers design new rigs with the operator in mind and then build the first one from the ground up — that’s unheard of.”

When spending money on equipment, the drill rig manufacturer factory visit removed potential buyer’s remorse.

“From initial interest to completing the purchase, they’re fair to deal with. The pricing was fair, and they worked with us on options to suit our drilling conditions,” Rob said. “Availability was a bit of an issue, but they are on target to meet the delivery of the rigs ahead of schedule. If you are in the market for a new drilling rig, we would definitely recommend DRILLMAX^® and to make the trip to the factory to see for yourself.”

Seeking to attend the service workshop and witness his rig being assembled, Rob returned to the drill rig manufacturer factory to attend Open House April 25, 2024.

“I saw parts going through paint the first day and then the next day they had that control panel on and were routing hydraulic hoses,” Rob said. “It’s a smooth, well-thought-out process with no waiting for components.”

He admits he also attended Open House to meet others who had experience with DRILLMAX^® rigs.

“I talked to those with Geoprobe^® rigs and everyone said service was wonderful and that Jason and Roman provided wonderful over-the-phone service,” Rob said.

While at the Open House, he visited with Nancy McHenry, human resources director, and discovered one of the secrets behind the positive attitude of Team Geoprobe^® he witnessed during this first visit. 

"Skill is important, but they only advance candidates to the second round if they’re a culture fit," Rob said. "Given the tight labor market, they’re sticking to their guns and not hiring someone unless they’re certain they will be an asset to their company. We definitely learned some things from Nancy that we can use in our own hiring practices."

He also appreciated the opportunity to make industry contacts during the industry-leading field event. 

“I can get ideas from others or be a resource to them if they run into difficult site conditions or problems,” Rob said. “It’s a small industry and we’re pretty good at helping each other out in these situations.”