History
OUR TIMELINE
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1871
1871 -
Mr. James S. Johnston, Merchant, began a business in Barrie dealing in coal, wood, cements and building supplies. Sixteen year old Walter Sarjeant went to work with Mr. Johnston and, after a few years learning the business, entered into a partnership forming “Johnston and Sarjeant” in 1889.
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1889
1889 -
Walter Sarjeant entered into a business partnership with his employer of 18 years, James S. Johnson, together they formed the Sarjeant Company.
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1903
1903 -
When Mr. Johnston retired in 1903 the partnership dissolved but Samuel Sarjeant (who had joined the company in 1890), together with his brother Walter, began a business called the Sarjeant Company of Barrie. In 1903 a new partnership was formed in Orillia with the retirement of Mr. Sanderson who was in a similar type of business.
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1905
1905 -
Sarjeants Head Office in Barrie, 1905. It marked the beginning of the Sarjeant Company of Orillia. In 1905, both Sarjeant companies (Barrie and Orillia) were incorporated as The Sarjeant Company Limited with Barrie serving as its head office.
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1909
1909 -
Walter Sarjeant and Allan Laidman, partners, started Sarjeant Insurance.
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1929
1929 -
Sarjeant Insurance incorporated as part of the Sarjeant Co. Ltd. Later, in 1950 Sarjeant Insurance became a separate firm.
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1945
1945 -
The company bought the Jenkins Coal Co. in Allandale and Barrie. An artificial ice plant was installed in Orillia with of capacity of 12 tonnes a day. Operations ceased in 1966.
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1952
1952 -
The company bought the Cameron Ellis Gibson Ltd. fuel and oil business.
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1956
1956 -
The ready mix concrete business begins with a plant built in Barrie and two ready-mix trucks. A plant is later built in Orillia.
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1970
1970 -
The Sarjeant Company was purchased by Custom Concrete Ltd.; a new era began with the Elliott family.
The concrete supply business was expanded to include ready-mix plants in Barrie, Midland, Orillia, Brechin, Timmins, Iroquois Falls, Cochrane, Kirkland Lake, Hoyle and Smooth Rock Falls. Together with the Northern Ontario operations,The Sarjeant Company included four sand gravel operations and five portable ready-mix plants capable of producing concrete in remote areas as well as for large projects.
The ready mix concrete and aggregate division became dominant in Simcoe County and the Timmins area making Custom Concrete the largest independent ready-mix company in Canada.
Fuel oil facilities were built along with office buildings and the concrete plant at the Sarjeant Company’s current location on Sarjeant Drive. The fuel oil petroleum products division had the greatest growth between 1970 and 1985.
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1989
1989 -
Sarjeant marked 100 years in business.
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2005
2005 -
Sarjeants opened a ready mix plant in Bradford, Ontario. The company also branched off into property development in 2005 in Simcoe County with a fifty estate lot subdivision in Midhurst. This subdivision was completed in 2007.
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2006
2006 -
Sarjeants opens a temporary ready mix plant in Huntsville, Ontario. From this location they could service commercial and residential customers in the Muskoka area. Property development also grew in 2006 when Sarjeants undertook a much larger residential development in Essa Township.
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2008
2008 -
The company acquired three fuel companies, expanding its reach in the fuel business. Custom Concrete (Northern) in Timmins consolidated their locations into a new larger facility in early 2008, bringing their many different divisions under one roof.
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2009
2009 -
Our Huntsville operation grew out of its temporary location into a brand new 5,000 square foot building in early 2009. This location is the regional office for the Muskoka area.
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2012
2012 -
Sarjeants established a concrete plant north-west of Fort McMurray, Alberta to provide concrete for a large commercial project.
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2013
2013 -
Sarjeants opened a new commercial Cardlock fuel depot in Timmins. There are now four centres where trucks are fueled 24 hours by a computerized automated system.
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2018
2018 -
Brandon Elliott appointed President of The Sarjeant Company Ltd.
RECENT NEWS
At the Sarjeant Co. we want to keep you updated on all of our promotions and events. Be sure to check in frequently to stay up to date on recent news and deals! VIEW ALL NEWS
Sarjeants Celebrates Women In The Workplace!
Covid-19: Update From The Sarjeant Company & Custom Concrete (Northern)
Read our latest Covid-19 Letter.