Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1546085
9 Creighton Rock Drill Ltd. – Company History Creighton Rock Drill Ltd. was founded on April 20, 1966, by D.J. (Jim) Creighton and his wife, Evelyn. At the time, Jim had a successful career selling drill steel and rock drilling tools throughout Southern On- tario. Believing the time was right to build something of his own, he made the bold deci- sion to leave the security of his job and start a business. For Jim, the decision carried significant risk. As a father of seven young children with a mortgage on a modest three-bedroom home in North York, Toronto, entrepreneur- ship was far from the easy choice. Nevertheless, with determination and the support of his family, Creighton Rock Drill was born. The company initially operat- ed from the family home, with the attached one-car garage serving as its first warehouse. As the business steadily ex- panded, it quickly outgrew the available space. Just eigh- teen months later, the family relocated to Etobicoke, where a five-bedroom home with a two-car garage effectively dou- bled the company's warehouse capacity. In 1970, Jim's eldest son, Bob, made the decision to leave school and join the family business full-time. Having spent several summers work- ing in the drilling industry, Bob brought valuable firsthand experience operating drilling equipment and using the very products Creighton Rock Drill supplied. His addition came at an important time, as the company's continued growth created the need for additional staff and larger facilities. Soon after, Creighton Rock Drill moved out of the family garage and into its first indus- trial location—an 800-square- foot warehouse—marking an important milestone in the company's development. In 1972, the company diversified its product offering by adding Ground Engaging Tools (GET) to comple- ment its drilling products. This stra- tegic move helped balance seasonal fluctuations in the drilling industry, providing additional business during the slower winter months when sur- face drilling activity declined. One of the company's first GET product lines came from Sweden under the Bofors brand. Their proprietary wear parts proved to be an excellent fit for Creighton Rock Drill and remain an important part of the company's prod- uct portfolio today. Source:Creighton Rock and Drill IDA Universal Q3 2026 Creighton Rock Drill's first warehouse was a one-car garage attached to the Creighton family's home.