STERLING — Frontier Energy Group, LLC, already a large oil field service company in Sterling, continues to expand its activities in the city. After successfully acquiring Spicer Wireline earlier this year, Denver-based Frontier continues to move accounting functions to Sterling.
Last week, a ribbon cutting was held at Frontier’s new accounting office, located at the former Bank of Colorado building, 201 S. Third Street. Joining Dan Eberhart, chief executive officer for Frontier, to celebrate the expanding of Sterling’s presence were Congressman Cory Gardner, Frontier staff, Luft Machine staff, clients and community leaders.
Frontier’s three new 2012 operation locations have spurred even more growth, and as a result, they’ve hired additional staff, more than doubling office staff in the area. To accommodate the growing staff, larger office space was necessary.
“We’ve found Sterling and Logan County just very welcoming to us,” Eberhart said. “We find this to be an area where there’s quality talent that we can get at affordable prices and there’s room to continue to expand an accounting office.”
Gardner expressed his excitement about Frontier’s growing presence in Sterling and it’s impact on northeastern Colorado.
“I’ve been fighting for jobs in eastern Colorado and economic opportunity, and when you have a chance to celebrate the opening of a business that’s creating jobs here and creating energy here, it’s a good day for Colorado,” he said.
Frontier employs approximately 175 people.
Gardner also spoke about the importance of relying less on other countries for energy.
“Creating energy, not just in Colorado, but energy in the western United States has led to these jobs,” he said.
Frontier completed light renovations to their new building before finishing the move-in on Monday, Dec. 3.
Less than a mile away from it’s shop, Frontier’s new 9,000 square foot location is a two-story building featuring two vaults and office space for approximately 30 employees.
The office phone number remains (970) 522-4761.
Frontier’s new office space means improved customer service, new amenities for employees and room for growth.
“Mike Kerker’s family founded Cable, Inc. on Front Street in the 1950s. Since then, Frontier has enjoyed success thus far in Sterling and looks forward to their future endeavors,” Eberhart said. “The new facility will help accommodate the company’s growth, which has been significant over the past few years. This move should help us improve internal and external communication, and most importantly our speed in responding to customers.”
Frontier believes Sterling is a great place for business and offers benefits that are difficult to replicate in other places. Sterling is an ideal location with Northeastern Junior College providing a well-trained workforce, the company said.
“We have a good record of stability here in terms of, we hire someone and we train them, they stay,” Eberhart said. “ It’s a really important thing for a business, because if you’re constantly hiring and training people that leave, it’s very frustrating.”
He said that’s something that happens to them a lot in North Dakota: People go medium and large companies for training and once they’re trained a small company snatches them away.
“The new office underscores our commitment to employees, vendors and regional businesses,” said Don Pfister, Frontier’s chief operating officer. “This project includes an investment in improved infrastructure for Frontier and allows us to provide better service for our customers.”
All of Frontier’s 20 locations are in the western U.S., including three in Sterling. Frontier Petroleum Services has a shop location for hydro-test and slickline services and another location for oil tools. Recently expanded Luft Machine, LLC, Frontier’s fabrication subsidiary, continues to thrive in Sterling as well.
“We were fortunate to find a great space so close to our current office. We worked hard to limit the impact the relocation could have on our customers and our employees,” Eberhart said. “The new location and enhanced facilities will help us continue to grow and evolve to keep pace with our customer’s needs.”
He pointed out that with the office already here, as well as the manufacturing and two other locations, “it’s kind of a critical mass and it’s easier to make it a bigger hub for us.”
“It’s close to Denver, it’s close to North Dakota, but we don’t have to deal with the externalities of being in North Dakota,” Eberhart said. “We just find it very welcoming.
“We want to continue on the success that we’ve had here. We intend to continue expanding here.”
Frontier provides comprehensive drilling and production services to oil and gas companies throughout the western U.S. Frontier Energy Group, LLC, is the parent company of Frontier Wellhead & Supply, LLC, with operational headquarters based in Watford City, N.D.
Together with Frontier Hot Oil, LLC, Frontier Pressure Testing, LLC, in Williston, N.D., as well as Frontier Petroleum Services, LLC, and Luft Machine, LLC, in Colorado, these companies provide a one-stop oilfield drilling and production service company.
Services include wellhead equipment sales and installation, frac equipment rental, wireline and sickline, pressure testing, fishing and rental tools, and oilfield fabrication.
Frontier is dedicated to the growing needs of its 500 plus customers, by growing both organically and via strategic acquisitions with service in North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, Utah and California, from 20 locations.
To learn more about the company, visit www.feg.net.
Callie Jones: (970) 526-9286; cjones@journal-advocate.com. Follow @CJones _JA on Twitter.
