Built to Last: Jan Nyquist, Pipefusion and 45 Years of Innovation

When Jan Nyquist launched Pipefusion Services Inc. in June 1981, he was weeks away from his 26th birthday and had little more than determination, polyethylene pipe industry experience, and $5,000.

Forty-five years later, the Huntsville entrepreneur has built a company whose products are shipped throughout North America and as far away as Guam, Hawaii and South America.

What began as a specialized pipe fusion operation has evolved into one of Canada’s most innovative pontoon dock and specialty marine product manufacturing businesses. The company employs 30 people year-round and sells over 1,000 docks fitted with polythene pipe pontoons annually.

Despite the challenges of owning and operating Pipefusion for over four decades, Nyquist remains as passionate about the business as when he discovered the industry almost five decades ago.

“What’s amazing is you have a little company in Huntsville doing all these things,” says Nyquist, who was born in California to Finnish parents who moved the family 13 times through three different countries by the time their son was 13.

As Pipefusion celebrates its 45th anniversary and prepares to co-host Dockfest 2026 on July 11 in Huntsville, Nyquist is reflecting on an entrepreneurial journey shaped by innovation, risk-taking and community involvement.

Supporting the community has always been part of Pipefusion’s identity.

“I’ve always helped the community any way I can,” says Nyquist. “Anytime anyone asks my company to do something, we do it. But we’ve never done it as a business strategy. We do it because we want to.”

That philosophy is personified in Dockfest, Huntsville’s highly anticipated annual waterfront event. Pipefusion and the Rotary Club are equal partners in organizing the day, which attracted over 3,000 attendees last year. The festival features the wild Bathtub Derby, live music, tasty treats, family activities, and a popular water ski show.

Most importantly, every dollar raised at Rotary NyDock Dockfest supports the Raise Muskoka Campaign, initiated by the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, for the building of the new Huntsville Hospital.

“All of our sponsors, all the volunteers, and the whole community give to this event,” says Nyquist. “The entire town is part of it.”

A breakthrough for Pipefusion came when the company began applying its polyethylene pipe fusion expertise to floating dock systems.

Rather than using polyethylene pipe solely as infrastructure, Nyquist recognized its potential as a flotation system. The company developed specialized brackets to attach to the top of pontoons to create floating platforms.

“I think the key to this company and its success is innovation, creating value out of a product,” explains Nyquist. “We started in the polyethylene pipe fusion service and created a value-added product by building brackets on top of the pontoons to build docks. Our docks are really like floating living rooms. We have one called The Lounge.”

Today, docks and pontoons account for approximately 75 per cent of the company’s business. Operating under the NyDock trade name, Pipefusion manufactures residential products such as floating docks, dock boats, floating boathouses, hammock docks, swim rafts and floating picnic tables. The company’s commercial products include docks for marinas, resorts and municipalities; floating saunas, floating walkways and airplane docks.

Nyquist’s story is, in many ways, an immigrant success story. His family moved to Canada in 1968, and he is a dual Canadian-American citizen. His path to entrepreneurship, like the one to true love, wasn’t direct. He attended university but found it wasn’t a good fit for him.

Everything changed in October 1978 when he landed an entry-level position as a fusion technician with KWH Pipe.

“KWH made pipe but also had a plant where they made special pipe fittings,” recalls Nyquist. “I saw it and said to myself, ‘I can do this stuff.’ I had always been interested in mechanics as a teenager, but my parents wanted me to get a degree. I didn’t like school and really didn’t know what I was going to do. As soon as I saw this business, all my problems went away.”

Six months later, an assignment in Maine would change the course of his life. As one of the company’s youngest unmarried employees and an American citizen, he was selected to go to Maine. The assignment introduced him to a Toronto-based contractor specializing in polyethylene pipe fusion. Nyquist joined the smaller company and spent several years learning the trade before venturing out on his own.

“When I started Pipefusion, I had myself and $5,000, and took it from there,” says Nyquist. “I was travelling right away to Newfoundland, Quebec, all over Ontario and to parts of the U.S. I was literally living out of my truck.”

Innovation remains central to Pipefusion’s growth. An important discovery was a product to solve a common problem for older steel dock systems.

Steel pontoons often rust and leak, causing docks to lose buoyancy. Pipefusion developed a polyethylene sleeve that slides inside the damaged pontoon, displacing water and restoring flotation without needing replacement.

“That’s a creative idea that is becoming big business for us,” notes Nyquist.

Despite his deserved reputation as a talented entrepreneur, Nyquist is quick to credit the people on his team at Pipefusion. Many employees have worked at the company for decades.

“You can’t have great success on your own,” he explains. “You have to work with other people to get high success. One person can only do so much. You bring people in, and they really become part of your family. Once you have a strong team, that’s when things start happening.”

Jan Nyquist (centre) with Brad and Ginny Payne.

In 2018, Nyquist welcomed Ginny and Brad Payne into the business as partners. Ginny is the company’s Controller, and Brad is Operations Manager. Ginny joined Pipefusion in 2008, while Brad, a lifelong builder and contractor, became a full-time employee in 2015 after years as a subcontractor.

“We all work very well together and have different talents,” says Nyquist. “Brad and Ginny have really helped us elevate and grow the business.”

The business continues to evolve with the recent hiring of Shannon Young as Social Media and Marketing Director to expand Pipefusion’s marketing efforts.

At 71, Nyquist has no retirement plans and remains deeply engaged in the business he built from scratch.

“I don’t fear death, I fear retirement,” he says with a laugh. “When you retire, you can only look backward. I love what I do and want to look forward. It’s fun to be part of the community and make things happen.”

Still, he recognizes the importance of succession planning. As Pipefusion celebrates 45 years, one of his goals is to ensure the company endures long after he eventually steps aside.

“Business is always moving,” says Nyquist. “A marriage and a business are the same. They’re either getting stronger or weaker, but they never stay the same.”

For 45 years, Pipefusion has moved forward and continues to do so.

“The whole industry is growing, which is unbelievable,” says Nyquist. “Last year was a strong year, and we’re way ahead of it this year.”