By the mid 90’s, Bantrel was beginning to forge a reputation as a Canadian leader, showcasing a high standard in customer service, project performance, and quality. Along with company success came the need to grow manpower; between 1993 and 1997, the number of employees saw an increase, reaching a high of 844 employees. It was at this time, in 1993, that the Edmonton office was opened as a means for better serving Imperial Oil Limited, at the Strathcona Refinery in East Edmonton. Since inception, the Bantrel Edmonton office has focused on plant infrastructure and sustaining capital projects, leading the way in this field.
In 1994, Bantrel became the first EPC in Canada to earn an ISO 9001 certification, a recognized international standard for quality processes and managerial integrity. This reputation for commitment to quality would play a large role in building a strong and ongoing relationship with Suncor Energy, one of the largest companies in the Canadian oil sands.
Bantrel was now executing a number of projects simultaneously, while also exploring major new opportunities outside of the traditional refining and upgrading market. In 1995, Bantrel was awarded a contract on the Suncor Upgrader Expansion Project in Fort McMurray. Bantrel success on Plant 25 led to a contract on one of the biggest oilsands projects of the era—the $2 billion Suncor Millennium Upgrader in Fort McMurray, 1997. That same year, NOVA Chemicals awarded Bantrel an EPCM contract on a $2 billion capital expansion at an ethylene plant in Joffre, Alberta. The Joffre 200 Project would later lead to a major contract with Union Carbide on a $300 million expansion of an ethylene glycol plant, near Red Deer, Alberta. In 1996, Bantrel was also leading an engineering alliance involved in the EPCM of the Newfoundland Transshipment Terminal, with a number of Bantrel employees working on site. By the time this project wrapped up in 1998, it was clear that there were opportunities to build new relations and expand business beyond Albertan boarders.