Our History
Certified Coating Specialists Inc. (formerly Kootenay Powder Coating Ltd)
In 1994, founder Clifford and Joy Harper incorporated Kootenay Powder Coating Ltd., in Castlegar BC, opening its doors with 3-full time employees. At the time the operational focus was primarily powder coatings in a Plant setting. Soon after opening the doors the Company saw an opportunity and added to their protective coating products with a technology known as Thermal Plastics. This coating system lent itself to a field orientated approach and with that Kootenay Powder Coating Ltd. started working on projects throughout the Interior BC, primarily the Kootenays. At the same time, with respect to the services offered, Kootenay Powder Coating also became more vertical by starting to branch out into the surface preparation side of the coatings industry and soon added abrasive blasting to the arsenal.
By 1997, Clients were approaching the Company to look at providing “wet” coating application services. That year our first paint pump was purchased. By 2000 Powder Coating had grown from a Plant orientated company to a field driven, pro-active operation throughout the interior of BC.
Over the next 7 years Kootenay Powder Coatings Ltd. became KPC Coating Group and Cliff Harper continued to anticipate the needs of the coatings application market by embracing new technologies and diversify the services and programs KPC was able to offer.
Now, 14 years later, the evolution of the original Kootenay Powder Coating Ltd. has transformed into Certified Coating Specialists Inc., a recognized industry leader in British Columbia. This latest evolution better exemplifies the abilities of the Company in all aspects relating to the size, type, and complexity of projects undertaken, the services offered, the geographical area serviced, technologies and programs offer. CCS now has over 15 full-time employees and upwards of 50 hourly employees with four offices throughout British Columbia.
