Business Stories

Waukesha Pearce Industries (WPI), a Texas-born pioneer in engine technology with nearly 100 years in business, has established its Canadian head office in Spruce Grove. With 17 U.S. locations and five in Canada—Spruce Grove, Nisku, Grande Prairie, Rocky Mountain House and Fort St. John—the company is expanding across North America.

WPI’s presence in Spruce Grove began in 2005 when Toni Moretto moved his oil and gas equipment company, Tritech Compression Inc., to the city, introducing Canada’s first natural gas engine test cell. After Tritech was acquired by Hoerbiger Holding AG in 2009, WPI partnered with Toni in 2020 to expand into Canada. Today, WPI operates across two locations, employing 45 people in Spruce Grove.

As Director of Operations for WPI Canada, Toni oversees the 40,000-square-foot facility on 6 acres in Spruce Grove’s Yellowhead Industrial Park. The location employs 20 staff, with plans to double that soon. WPI is Canada’s only one-stop-shop for natural gas engines, offering certified remanufacturing, the world’s largest inventory of Waukesha and Ariel parts, and zero-hour remanufactured engines for leading brands. Its facility features a full machine shop, a 40-ton crane, and Canada’s only natural gas dynamometer for testing engines up to 4,000 horsepower.

Globally active, WPI supports oil, gas, mining, and power industries in North America, Asia, South America, Africa, and the Middle East. Recent expansions in Grande Prairie and Fort St. John reflect the company’s international growth strategy. “Spruce Grove’s location and potential to support local businesses align perfectly with our vision,” says Toni, positioning the city as a hub for Canadian and Alaska operations.