About Us
Our Story
Established in Airdrie, Alberta, in 1980, East Lake has grown from a one-man operation to a 14,000-square-foot state-of-the-art metal fabrication and manufacturing facility. What hasn’t changed: our commitment to exceptional customer service.
We maintain open communication during all phases of our projects – including scope definition, solution development, CAD design, production, quality assurance and project management.
With 40 years of experience, we set ourselves apart from the competition by offering innovative processes, custom metal fabrication, and single-source capabilities. Our new CNC automated fabrication equipment and in-house powder coating service give us the capacity to take on a wide variety of fabrication and manufacturing projects. And of course, our skilled team of fabricators is always interested in prototype development and bringing your project to life.
Our Team
Hank Rietveld
President
Hank grew up watching his father, Henri, work 12-hour days, 7 days a week, to build East Lake Welding. As a young man, he vowed he “would never get involved in the family business” and headed off to university to pursue a degree in Agriculture where he graduated with honors. What started as an agreement to “help out” at East Lake for a couple of weeks has turned into 20 years of passion, creativity and a tremendous amount of hard work. After soaking up Henri’s extensive knowledge in the welding industry and completing his Journeyman’s Certificate, Hank became the visionary behind the growth of East Lake Manufacturing and spends more hours than he would like to admit thinking about what comes next for the company. He takes great pride in his work and always strives to pass on the best possible solutions to his customers. Hank has been instrumental in taking the 3-man shop from the acreage and growing the business into the manufacturing powerhouse that it is today located in Airdrie Alberta’s Industrial area. Hank’s quest to produce quality metal products has led him to pursue equipment and processes that allow East Lake Manufacturing to be in charge of each project from start to powder-coated finish; this detail truly sets the business apart in the industry. Second-best is not an option for Hank, and anyone who has worked with him knows that the product they receive will be the absolute best. Hank, Laurie and Kevin have worked hard to build a team of professional manufacturers who are skilled in their trade and have a shared vision for putting out quality products. In his spare time, Hank can often be found running the paths of Airdrie or spending time with his family. Hank also has a philanthropic heart and gives much of his time to help support the people of El Salvador as a Team Leader through Shelter Canada.
Hank holds a BSc in Agriculture and is a Journeyman Welder.
Kevin Ham
Vice President
Kevin started his engineering career in control systems for the oil and gas industry, then changed focus to SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems,and electronic flow measurement systems integration. This led to roles in product application and sales management for manufacturers of electronic controllers and related software systems. Kevin joined the East Lake Team in 2014 when Hank was just beginning to dream about the next steps for East Lake Welding. Kevin was looking for a new challenge and his knowledge and expertise in automation was exactly what East Lake needed. He has been instrumental in the growth and success of the business, helping bring in CNC automation equipment – including a high definition CNC plasma table, 220 tonne press break and a robotic welding cell. By incorporating this innovation Kevin and Hank have been able to collaborate with their customers to bring high-quality fabrication solutions to complicated problems. Kevin’s thoughtful, methodical approach to problem solving makes him the “go to” guy when complicated problems arise. When East Lake Welding moved to Airdrie, Kevin became the lead in developing the pipe support branch of the business and has spent the last 8 years refining the processes and procedures that make this portion of the business a success. By developing close relationships with both customers and vendors, East Lake Manufacturing is proud to produce high-quality pipe supports to the oil and gas industry across Alberta. In Kevin’s spare time, he can sometimes be found tinkering on an old hot rod, planning a good old-fashioned road trip or relaxing in the bow of a boat on a hot summer day with his family.
Kevin holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Computer Engineering.
Laurie Rietveld
Director of Human Resources
When Hank and Laurie got involved with East Lake Welding in 2002, they were newly married and just starting a family. Before coming to East Lake, Laurie had a successful career in the non-profit sector working with children and families involved with the child welfare system. Little did she know that her background in psychology and work experience would set her up for success at East Lake Welding. Through the years, Laurie has helped to implement Human Resource policies and manuals for new employees and worked side by side with a Health and Safety consultant to develop the East Lake Safety program. Years later, Laurie is the Director of Human Resources and collaborates with Hank and Kevin on the vision and growth of East Lake. she likes to joke that she is the resident “Girl Friday” and completes whatever task no one else wants (or has time) to take on. As the company approaches its 45th year of incorporation, Laurie is thankful to have been a part of the growth and is excited about the milestone of rebranding to East Lake Manufacturing. It’s a giant step forward in the vision for East Lake and signifies all the hard work and innovation that the team has adopted over the past 20 years. In her spare time, Laurie’s favorite place to be is anywhere she can gather all her people. “There is nothing better in life than being surrounded by love and laughter.”
Laurie holds a BA in Psychology.
Professional Certifications
Worker’s Compensation Board 
East Lake Manufacturing is up to date with Alberta WCB (Workers’ Compensation Board). The company’s WCB premium rates are consistently below industry rates for the industry code.
Canadian Welding Bureau
East Lake Manufacturing is a CWB (Canadian Welding Bureau) to CSA Standard 47.1 certified Fabrication Shop. As such we are required to adhere to the CWB’s stringent requirements with respect to weld procedures and properly trained personnel. We believe that having properly trained and certified personnel is essential in providing quality products to our customers.
Our Work
Watch How We Do It
What Clients Say
Rob Butler | CEO
Porchlight Developments
“
If you value an organization that thinks through effective solutions, and formulates efficient plans to execute deficiency-free repeatable and scalable fabrications, the East Lake Team is the right place for you.
Shayne McCallum
United Safety
“
United Safety has been working with East Lake Welding for over 25 years. The quality of service and products they have built for us have been excellent. They have worked with us in many situations where we had very short timelines to deliver a product and they always came through. Their craftsmanship and attention to detail is just one of the many reasons we continue to work with them. If you're looking for an innovative, collaborative and trustworthy company to depend on I would highly recommend Hank and his team.
Contact Us
Hours of Operation
Mon to Fri: 7:00 am – 3:30 pm
Closed for all Statutory Holidays
Closed from Dec 25 – Jan 1