LEROY BILLESBERGER, a second generation welder, began his career in the welding industry working in his father’s fabrication shop in the 1970’s. He went on to receive his certification as a first class journeyman welder with International Red Seal approval and later obtained his “B” certification from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) as well as certifications in Metal Inert Gas, Tungsten Inert Gas and Flux Cored Arc Welding processes. He has also received a diploma from the Canadian Institute of Management, and completed ASME Section IX Welding Codes and Metallurgy with CASTI.
Leroy became involved in the technical/consulting aspect of the welding industry while working for other welding alloy suppliers. In 1996, he established his own welding supply company that specialized in high end welding alloys, and merged with another successful welding alloy business from Eastern Canada in 2001. This merger soon became the largest distributor of specialty welding alloys in Canada. Several years later he sold his interest in the company and pursued his technical interests.
Currently, Leroy owns a welding supply company called WeldCor Supplies Inc., with 6 stocking warehouses across Canada from BC to Ontario. He also does technical and/or consulting work for over 300 welding distributors across Canada and the United States. His main technical focus is the hardbanding industry, of which he has published a general knowledge booklet called “the Evolution of Hardbanding”. He has also published a 110 page “Welding Products Hand Book”. He currently lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan with his wife.
