Big Iron Drilling
Big Iron Drilling Ltd. is a family-owned Edmonton-based manufacturer of residential and commercial water treatment equipment and water well drilling service provider, serving rural homeowners, farmers, and city residents across Canada and the United States via a 29-patent proprietary product portfolio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1957
- HeadquartersEdmonton, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Big Iron Drilling does
Big Iron Drilling Ltd. is a privately held, family-owned manufacturer of residential and commercial water treatment equipment and a provider of water well drilling services, headquartered at 4450 Eleniak Road NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1957 by Ray Field and his father George Field (1906-2003), the company began by assembling manual water softeners in the basement of the family home for Alberta farmers without running water, then expanded through a 1957-1968 running water installation business and diversified into water well drilling in September 1963 under the Big Iron Drilling brand. The company operates with 11-50 employees and serves rural homeowners, Alberta farmers, and city/town residents across Canada and the United States through a direct phone-based sales motion anchored by a 24-hour toll-free number (1-800-BIG-IRON) and a network of local representatives who provide free water testing.
The product architecture rests on 29 patented and patent-pending inventions, with the core technological moat anchored on the IronEater jet pump and the Abrazor media additive, which together eliminate bed fouling in iron filtration, and the Dip Tube Multiple Extender, which reduces salt consumption and regeneration frequency. Supplementary patented lines include the Kontinuous Shok Chlorinator (Canadian patent August 14, 2012; USA patent July 5, 2016), the SpringTime Water-Cooled Distiller (35-70% lower operating cost than fan-cooled units), the Tannin/Iron/Hardness Combination Unit, the Marvel Softener/Purifier, the Instant Cold Water Purifier, the Sand Trap Bladder Pressure Tank, the Down Hole Water Well Gas Separator, and the Plastic Casing Puller Drive Shoe for drilling operations. Drilling operations employ both Rotary and Cable Tool rigs in Alberta, supported by patented casing and underreamer equipment.
The revenue model combines (a) hardware sales of water treatment equipment (softeners, iron filters, distillers, reverse osmosis systems, UV lights, chlorination systems, tannin/arsenic removers) distributed across Canada and the United States; (b) professional services revenue from water well drilling and installation of running water systems in Alberta; and (c) a time-payment financing offering that converts hardware purchases into installment contracts. The company produces TV commercials, maintains an information-rich website, and relies on the memorable toll-free number as primary brand asset. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; sales are sales-led and transaction-driven, targeting rural homeowners and SMB commercial/agricultural customers without intermediated channel partners.
Big Iron Drilling firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Big Iron Drilling
- Legal name
- Big Iron Drilling Ltd.
- Website
- https://bigirondrilling.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1957
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Big Iron Drilling Ltd. is a family-owned Edmonton-based manufacturer of residential and commercial water treatment equipment and water well drilling service provider, serving rural homeowners, farmers, and city residents across Canada and the United States via a 29-patent proprietary product portfolio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Big Iron Drilling industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Water Treatment Equipment
- NAICS
- Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391), Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (238220)
- SIC
- Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Water Supply (4941)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Filtration, Treatment & Softening Plumbing Products (IMADALAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water Softeners & Scale Inhibitors (Residential) (CRAJAJAI), Water Softener, Filtration & Treatment System Installation (HSAOAAAH), Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors) (BPABAJAK)
Keywords
Where Big Iron Drilling is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edmonton
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Big Iron Drilling business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Water Treatment Equipment Sales: Manufactures and sells residential and commercial water treating equipment including water softeners, iron filters, water distillers, reverse osmosis systems, tannin removers, arsenic removers, UV lights, and chlorination systems. Equipment distributed in Canada and United States.
- Water Well Drilling Services: Drills water wells in Alberta, Canada using both Rotary and Cable Tool drilling rigs. Also offers installation of running water systems for farmers.
- Financing and Time Payment Plans: Offers financing options and time payment plans for equipment purchases, enabling customers to pay over time.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Equipment with financing options available |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Big Iron Drilling product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Big Iron Drilling manufactures, sells, and installs residential and commercial water treatment equipment — including water softeners, iron filters, water distillers, reverse osmosis systems, UV lights, and chlorination systems — and provides water well drilling services using Rotary and Cable Tool rigs. The company integrates 29 patented inventions into its equipment to handle hard water, iron, sulphur, and bacteria problems, selling directly to homeowners, farmers, and small commercial buyers across Canada and the United States.
Product overview
Big Iron Drilling Ltd. is a manufacturer and distributor of residential and commercial water treating equipment and a water well drilling service company based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Its product portfolio spans multiple categories: whole-house water treatment systems (Water Softener/Iron Filter Combo, Iron Filters, City & Town Water Softeners), point-of-use and whole-house drinking water systems (Springtime Water Distiller, Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System, Whole House Reverse Osmosis System), disinfection products (Kontinuous Shok Chlorinator, Chlorination Systems, UV Lights), and patented components and combination units (IronEater, Abrazor, Extender, Tannin/Iron/Hardness Combination Unit, Instant Cold Water Purifier, Marvel Water Softener/Purifier). The company also drills water wells in Alberta using Rotary and Cable Tool drilling rigs. Big Iron Drilling's 29 patented and patent-pending inventions span both the water well drilling division (including the Plastic Casing Puller Drive Shoe, Sand Trap Bladder Pressure Tank, Down Hole Gas Separator, Cable Tool/Rotary Underreamer, and Pressurized Cistern Pumping System) and the water treatment division. Products are distributed in Canada and the United States.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Water Well Drilling Service
Quantifiable outcome
- 35% to 70% lower operating cost for electricity and filters compared to traditional fan-cooled distillers
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Big Iron Drilling
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Big Iron Drilling technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature12 records
Big Iron Drilling partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Big Iron Drilling competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pelican Water Systems: US-based manufacturer of residential and commercial water filtration, softening and reverse osmosis systems sold direct and through dealers. Comparable mid-sized competitor with overlapping whole-house treatment products.
- Water-Right: Wisconsin-based manufacturer of residential and light commercial water treatment equipment including softeners, iron filters and RO systems. Closely comparable mid-sized US peer with proprietary product lines aimed at the same hard-water and iron-contamination problems Big Iron addresses.
- Hague Quality Water: Manufacturer of residential water softeners and reverse osmosis systems sold through North American dealers. Comparable mid-sized competitor targeting the same rural and small-town residential customer base as Big Iron.
- Hellenbrand: Wisconsin-based manufacturer of residential and commercial water treatment equipment including iron filters, softeners and reverse osmosis systems. Closely comparable mid-sized US manufacturer competing head-to-head in iron filtration and combined softener/iron filter units.
Emerging players
- Springwell Water Filtration: DTC/e-commerce-focused US residential water filtration company offering whole-house filters, softeners and reverse osmosis systems. Comparable product categories but a fundamentally different digital-first go-to-market vs Big Iron's phone/TV-led motion.
Broad incumbents
- Culligan Water: Global leader in residential and commercial water treatment (softeners, filtration, reverse osmosis) with an extensive dealer network. Comparable to Big Iron's product portfolio (softeners, RO, iron filters) but operates at vastly greater scale and through franchised dealers rather than direct phone sales.
- RainSoft: Long-established North American manufacturer and dealer of residential water conditioning and drinking water systems. Comparable product portfolio (softeners, drinking water systems) at broader scale than Big Iron.
- EcoWater Systems: One of the largest North American manufacturers of residential water softeners and filtration systems, sold through a dealer network. Directly comparable to Big Iron's residential softener and iron-filter product lines.
- Kinetico: Manufacturer of non-electric, twin-tank water softeners and filtration systems for residential and commercial markets. Comparable technology positioning (non-electric, high-efficiency softeners) to several of Big Iron's patented products such as the Hydraulic Generated Automatic Water Conditioner Valve.
Regional players
- Franklin Electric: Manufacturer of water well drilling pumps, motors, and related groundwater equipment serving North American well drillers and rural water systems. Comparable to Big Iron's water well drilling (Rotary/Cable Tool) division in terms of customer overlap (rural well owners) but operates primarily as an equipment supplier to drillers rather than as a drilling contractor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Big Iron Drilling social profiles
Digital presenceBig Iron Drilling financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Big Iron Drilling leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Big Iron Drilling funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Big Iron Drilling M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Big Iron Drilling
What does Big Iron Drilling do?
Big Iron Drilling manufactures, sells, and installs residential and commercial water treatment equipment — including water softeners, iron filters, water distillers, reverse osmosis systems, UV lights, and chlorination systems — and provides water well drilling services using Rotary and Cable Tool rigs. The company integrates 29 patented inventions into its equipment to handle hard water, iron, sulphur, and bacteria problems, selling directly to homeowners, farmers, and small commercial buyers across Canada and the United States.
Is Big Iron Drilling a public or private company?
Big Iron Drilling is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Big Iron Drilling founded?
Big Iron Drilling was founded in 1957. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Big Iron Drilling based?
Big Iron Drilling is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Big Iron Drilling make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Water Treatment Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are water Well Drilling Services and financing and Time Payment Plans.
Who are Big Iron Drilling's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pelican Water Systems, Water-Right, Hague Quality Water and Hellenbrand. Springwell Water Filtration is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Culligan Water, RainSoft, EcoWater Systems and Kinetico. Franklin Electric is listed as a regional player.
Does Big Iron Drilling have an API?
No public API is recorded for Big Iron Drilling.
What industry is Big Iron Drilling in?
Big Iron Drilling's product category is Water Treatment Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADALAK, Water Filtration, Treatment & Softening Plumbing Products, with a secondary code of CRAJAJAI, Water Softeners & Scale Inhibitors (Residential). Its NAICS code is 33391 and its SIC code is 1623.