The Melville Manufacturing Shops are owned by Kahkewistahaw First Nation and overseen by Kahkewistahaw Economic Management Corporation (KEMC). With the support and direction of Chief and Council, and alignment of values across the Nation’s leadership and economic development organizations, a vision emerged to transform the facility into an active industrial manufacturing operation capable of creating lasting economic value for Kahkewistahaw First Nation and its members.

The next step was finding the right industry partner that reflected those values to help bring that vision to life, and that partner was found in Preferred Energy Inc. — an established Saskatchewan industrial manufacturing and construction company with the experienced workforce, management systems, safety and quality programs, technical expertise, equipment and project execution capabilities required to support the growth of the Melville facility.

That shared vision led to the creation of Piwapisk Industries, a 51/49 partnership between Kahkewistahaw First Nation and Preferred Energy Inc., with George Gordon Developments Ltd. (GGDL) as a strategic Indigenous business partner — bringing two First Nations together through collaboration, shared opportunity and a common vision for the future. Piwapisk operates from approximately 50,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space in Melville, Saskatchewan.

Leveraging Preferred Energy’s established capabilities in industrial fabrication, pressure piping, structural steel, modular manufacturing, mechanical and civil construction, electrical and instrumentation, pipeline construction and complete industrial project delivery, Piwapisk is positioned to pursue opportunities across mining, energy, utilities, infrastructure, renewables, agriculture and other major industries throughout North America.

At its core, Piwapisk is about creating lasting opportunity — developing careers, expanding skilled-trades training, strengthening workforce participation and building greater Indigenous capacity within industry. By connecting First Nations, industry, education and communities, the partnership represents economic reconciliation in action — creating shared prosperity, building capacity and opening up new opportunities for generations.