Gainer Resources

[Gual]

This thread serves to introduce members of the planting community to basic information regarding Gainer Resources located in McBride, British Columbia.

Gainer Resources started as a logging company in 2007 and has continued harvest contracting thru to 2012. The owner is a Registered Forest Technologist and has extensive experience administering planting contracts for TRC Cedar in McBride. He also supervised planting contracts for three years for another Robson Valley planting contractor.

In 2011, the company made the leap into the planting business with contracts with three local licensees (McBride Community Forest, Valemount Community Forest, and Hauer Bros.-in Tete Jaune Cache). The contracts totaled 458,125 trees.

While tiny for larger companies, this was enough work to keep a crew of 6 full time planters, 3 part timers and a planting foreman busy for 39 total full days of planting. Due to a small contract well after the main season, personal circumstances, and time loss to injury the average days worked for full timers was 31 days.

Prices were good leading to a daily average of 308.94 dollars. This includes four local inexperienced planters. The average for vets was 346.83 dollars. The rookie average was 206.07 dollars. Our highballer averaged 410.74 dollars and had three 500+dollar days. Vacation pay was paid on top of these wages.

The planting in the Robson Valley is quite variable. It runs the gauntlet from challenging partial cuts to high clearcuts, from very steep to very flat, but on average the land was moderately challenging. The drives are from 10 minutes to 90 minutes one way. Generally the Mcbride work is less then 30 minutes drive time whereas the Valemount work is at least 45 minutes drive time.

Our company currently operates on a crew planting system. We flag every tree to make this work. We are flexible and may change this if circumstances warrant it. However, we believe its superior in terms of fairness to planters, overall quality (everyone replants if needed (not required in 2011) so quality is a crew responsibility), and efficient block completion (with the small and/or irregular selective cuts common in the Robson Valley it would be very challenging to cut individual pieces).

We are a SAFE Certified Company. We have an OFA Level III attendant. The owner has the DTA ticket and is a WCB certified Faller.

The camp is set up on the owner's property. Planters are lodged in the house and RV. Camp costs were charged but were minimal (10 dollars per work day).

Gainer Resources is willing to hire and train Robson Valley locals (McBride, Valemount, TJC, Dunster etc.). For veteran planters we prefer mature experienced planters who are consistent, quality driven and team orientated. We have good times but this is not a party environment. We go planting to make money not because we are looking for a 'chill' summer camp.

The 2012 season is shaping up. We will be planting over 700,000 trees for the previously mentioned licensees and also Carrier Lumber. The crew list is falling into place but if we find that additional vets are required then I will put a job posting (with detailed 2012 contract information) up on replant.ca.

We can be contacted at grplanting@gmail.com

[mwainwright]

thats an interesting profile. who's the owner?

[Gingerplanter]

Trent Gainer is the owner. Gainer resources is a wonderful company and this is the second year I have been working for them and I have enjoyed every minute of it. This is not a party company as everyone is serious about getting the job done. If you want to plant trees for good people and wonderful tree prices than Gainer Resources is for you. Every thing that Gual has said is 100% accurate.

[Ben Mac]

Sounds very similair to rock reforestation

[Scooter]

I have heard that Rock Reforestation is no longer in operation, and that some of the people who were/are working with the new Gainer (some of whom WERE associated with Rock) are the ones who were the organized side of Rock. Based on the gossip that I've heard, this outfit is far more professional than Rock was. Of course, that's only word-of-mouth, but it comes to me [indirectly] from someone who worked at both.

Maybe someone else here can shed more light on this.

[mwainwright]

its a pretty small world up in the robson valley, i dont think you can run a small local outfit without at least some past association to the other companies that used to fill that niche. im glad to hear this gainer fellow has his shit together and is making a good go of it. the posts above exude a sort of loyalty that makes me think these guys are genuinely happy with the company they work for. i cant say you see that everyday on this forum. keep it up.

[jules]

I have heard that Rock Reforestation is no longer in operation, and that some of the people who were/are working with the new Gainer (some of whom WERE associated with Rock) are the ones who were the organized side of Rock. Based on the gossip that I've heard, this outfit is far more professional than Rock was. Of course, that's only word-of-mouth, but it comes to me [indirectly] from someone who worked at both.

Maybe someone else here can shed more light on this.

Trent is an RFT and did forest consulting for Rock for a few years. Most of the vets at Gainer last year had worked at Rock the year before, as well. I don't know if Rock is still in operation. My guess is yes, though the competition with other local companies is going to be tough on them.

Sounds very similair to rock reforestation

It's not quite the same. A key difference is that Gainer pays by-the-tree, rather than an adjusted dayrate. It works out better for me because I tend to be a consistent planter with "good days", as opposed to someone who varies more.

Last season, we planters ended up with the same deal as we had at Rock, but with a nicer living situation, marginally better tree prices, better organization, and payroll that was done properly and on time. It's a good scene.

[Gual]

Sounds very similair to rock reforestation

One thing I should point out is that our crew plant is set up quite differently.

Rock Reforestation has planters bag out at the same time but bag up the same amount of trees. Everyone has radio (so do we but for different reasons) so the highballers can tell the rookies/ slow planters to dead walk up a cutblock to feed them trees. In the end a baller might plant 500 trees to a rookie's 100 trees.

The only planters accept this is that there is a day rate system which essentially puts planters in different levels: 200 a day, 250, 300, 350, 400. Which level you are may not necessarily reflect how much you plant because tree totals are not recorded.

Financially, the issue with this system is that rookies end up getting 250 a day for planting 600 trees. And the highballers aren't really planting that much more.


Anyway at Gainer Resources we just set up a cache and send the crew in- planters follow the trees of the planter next to them (everyone flags to facilitate this). Due to differing speeds, a dreaded 'cattle plant' generally does not occur and steps are taken to prevent this. Planters generally bag up whatever amount of tree they feel is best (although some blocks we may ask if a little extra is possible). Planters fill the back and work the unit as a crew and attempt to plant at least some distance towards the cache. People are paid the standard way- by telling the foreman their tallies.

There are certainly disadvantages to this system and I don't think it would work very well in larger clearcuts, with more then 10 people, or with a lot of rookies. However as previously mentioned, I believe it is well suited to difficult Robson Valley selective logging. I planted a similar system for Brinkman in Ontario/Alberta with a six pack and it can (if done right) be very efficient.

[Gingerplanter]

Anyway at Gainer Resources we just set up a cache and send the crew in- planters follow the trees of the planter next to them (everyone flags to facilitate this). Due to differing speeds, a dreaded 'cattle plant' generally does not occur and steps are taken to prevent this. Planters generally bag up whatever amount of tree they feel is best (although some blocks we may ask if a little extra is possible). Planters fill the back and work the unit as a crew and attempt to plant at least some distance towards the cache. People are paid the standard way- by telling the foreman their tallies.

There are certainly disadvantages to this system and I don't think it would work very well in larger clearcuts, with more then 10 people, or with a lot of rookies. However as previously mentioned, I believe it is well suited to difficult Robson Valley selective logging. I planted a similar system for Brinkman in Ontario/Alberta with a six pack and it can (if done right) be very efficient.

Plus you get rid of any bit of favoritism with dividing up the land. I have always prefered crew plants as they tend to ward off any block insanity, plus it is easier for the foreman. It also gives a more team mentality to the crew without removing the competitive environment that helps make everyone money.

[Gual]

I will just post a quick stats overview of our 2012 season.

We had a pretty intense/grueling season that was a bit helter-skelter in terms of vehicle breakdowns and reefer deliveries among other happenings. But we got everything done on time and our clients were pretty happy with the finished product. We could not have done it without a great crew of planters.

We never planted for less then 15 cents. We had 4 days at 30 cents, 12 days at 20 cents, 5 days at 19 cents, 4 days at 17.5 cents and the rest at 15 cents (~22 days).

2012 Stats:

Full days: 47 days.
Trees Planted: 728,380 trees.
Daily Average: 324.35 dollars.
Top 3 Planter Average: 391.05 dollars.
Highballer Average: 401.24 dollars.
Highballer Season Wage: 17,690.39 dollars (does not include Vacation Pay or any deductions).
Average Vet Season Wage: 14,315.03 dollars (based on the 6 planters that worked 40+ days).
Biggest Money Day: 600 dollars (3000 trees on 20 cent ground).
Other 500+ Dollar Days: 11 - (6 planters hit 500$ at least once).


2011 Stats:

Full Days: 39 days.
Trees Planted: 458,125 trees.
Daily Average: 308.94 dollars.
Vet Average: 346.83 dollars.
Rookie Average: 206.07 dollars.
Highballer Average: 410.74 dollars (and had three 500+dollar days).
Highballer (Base) Season Wage: 12,733.00 dollars
Average Vet Season Wage: 11042.82 dollars (32 days average worked for the five vets.)

We will be looking to hire planters for the 2013 season due to an anticipated increase in work. Look for a job posting in December/January with up-to-date 2013 season information.

If there are any questions/interested planters- our contact information is:
grplanting@gmail.com
Aiden (250) 569-4230
Trent (250) 569-7207

[Mike]

Looks good, thanks for solid information. Do you guys pay vacation pay on top? You said "(does not include Vacation Pay or any deductions)."

[Gual]

Looks good, thanks for solid information. Do you guys pay vacation pay on top? You said "(does not include Vacation Pay or any deductions)."

Yes the 4% Vacation Pay is on top of any of the above numbers.

[marbles]

I've worked for both companies. I won't say anything about Rock but Gainer Resources was very good to me. They ditched the crew plant format of the past and went with a partner plant except the odd day at the end of the season finishing up blocks as per usual I'm sure with any company/contract.
Land was good prices were great I'd recommend them to any planter.

[mattycakes]

Just thought I'd chip in with my $.02 and let everyone know about my experience with Gainer Resources. I planted with them this past summer ('12), and after 6 years planting with several companies across BC, Alberta, and Ontario, I can definitely say it was the most refreshing, enjoyable and lucrative season I've had. To begin with, for the first time ever I felt as though the tree prices were completely fair. The cheapest land we worked was $.15 and I guarantee you it would have been $.11 with any of the larger BC contractors. I believe the overall average price was around $.17-18 with only a couple of days spent in land that could truly be described as crap. Access was typically good, caches were well planned and stocked, and downtime was virtually nonexistent. Quality expectations were fair, and though it may seem petty to most, the lack of a retarded tally system was a breath of fresh air in an industry that seems to presume its employees are all thieving chodes.

Not to sound cliche, but I felt valued as an employee and less like another cog in hare-brained profiteering scheme. Shift length was determined by our input when scheduling permitted and it was always easy to bring forth any concerns to the higher-ups. Living conditions were outstanding and cheap and the food was pretty satisfying, with the exception of a couple of days.

Prior to working with Gainer, I had definitely grown disillusioned of planting and of the industry as a whole - I guess a few seasons with Folklore can do that to a person... However, last summer definitely changed my perspective and I really believe if anything is going to save silviculture, it'll be small, independent contractors who have a more intimate relationship with the employees and with the work. So this spring, when everyone is deciding who to work for, search out smaller companies and independent contractors, they're out there and they're worth it.

So yeah, the gist of it is, if you have the opportunity to work for Trent Gainer, don't pass it up cause you won't find a better bunch of folks with which to work.

[Mike]

A close friend of mine, a guy I respect deeply and planted with a lot, went to Gainer resources and said nothing but amazing things about it, after seeing 4-5 other companies and not finding a place that fit. I've also met a few other Gainer people (including Aiden), and I've never heard anyone say anything less than incredible positive reviews.