Onyx Access Solutions
Onyx Access Solutions works in a part of project planning that rarely gets attention until the ground starts failing. Access. The ability to move equipment, crews, and materials across terrain that was never meant to handle industrial traffic. In Western Canada, that problem shows up constantly. Mud. Thawing ground. Wetland edges. Sites that can’t be disturbed without consequences. If you don’t solve access early, everything else becomes harder.
This is where matting stops being an accessory and becomes part of the core operation. Onyx supplies access mats, rig mats, and crane mats designed to create temporary surfaces that actually work. Temporary roads that stay usable. Pads that hold equipment steady. Work areas that don’t turn into hazards after the first rain.
The goal is simple. Keep people safe. Keep equipment moving. Keep the ground underneath from getting destroyed.
Why access planning changes everything
A lot of projects fail quietly. Not with dramatic accidents, but with slow losses. Delays because trucks can’t get in. Lost hours because machines are stuck or have to take long detours. Extra labor because crews have to work around muddy zones. These aren’t line items that show up clearly in the budget, but they add up fast.
Access mats reduce those hidden losses. They spread weight across unstable ground. They give tires and tracks something predictable to work on. They limit how much the site gets torn up, which matters both during the project and after it ends.
In places like Fort McMurray, Lloydminster, Sherwood Park, and other busy industrial areas in Alberta, access problems are not occasional. They’re normal. Onyx builds its service around that reality instead of pretending every site starts with a solid road.
The real difference between mat types
Not all mats solve the same problem. Treating them as interchangeable is one of the fastest ways to create issues on site.
Access mats handle general traffic. Temporary roads. Walkways. Staging zones. They are designed to support movement and reduce surface damage.
Rig mats are built for heavier loads and rougher use. Onyx highlights steel-framed rig mats because they’re meant for industrial environments where lighter mats fail. These are the mats that take repeated passes from heavy equipment without breaking down.
Crane mats are designed for one specific purpose. Supporting cranes and lifting operations. Crane outriggers create intense pressure in small areas. Without proper support, even a slight shift can turn into a serious incident. Crane mats create a stable base where stability is non-negotiable.
The value in Onyx’s offering is not just having these mats available. It’s understanding where each one belongs and deploying them correctly.
End-to-end service means fewer things to manage
A lot of suppliers will rent you mats and leave the rest to you. That’s fine if you have time, manpower, and experience to handle everything else. Most projects don’t.
Onyx positions itself differently. Supply is only part of the service. Delivery, installation, removal, and trucking are built into the model. That reduces coordination problems and cuts down on the back-and-forth that eats up time.
Installation matters more than people expect. Mats placed unevenly shift under load. Gaps become trip hazards. Poor alignment causes edges to break down. A good installation sets the tone for the whole project.
Removal matters just as much. When mats are pulled out carelessly, the site gets damaged and the cleanup costs grow. Controlled removal keeps the ground intact and shortens demobilization time.
The environmental side that actually affects operations
Onyx talks about mat washing plants and minimizing environmental risk. That has real operational impact. Dirty mats can transfer soil, seeds, and organisms from one site to another. That becomes a problem when projects move between regions or work near sensitive land.
Clean mats reduce the risk of spreading invasive species. They also make inspections easier and improve safety for crews who handle them. Environmental compliance is not only about avoiding fines. It’s about avoiding shutdowns, delays, and bad relationships with landowners and regulators.
For companies working across multiple sites, that consistency matters.
Rental or new mats, and why choice matters
Not every project should own mats. Not every project should rent them either. Onyx offers both because needs change.
Rental mats make sense for short-term jobs, seasonal work, or projects where matting is a temporary requirement. New mats make sense when a company does repeated work and wants full control over its equipment.
Onyx’s partnerships with a major mat manufacturer mean supply is more reliable. That matters when projects scale quickly or change scope. Waiting for mats to become available is not a good way to keep a schedule intact.
What goes wrong when matting is treated casually
Most access problems start with small decisions.
Trying to save money with lighter mats Using access mats where rig mats are needed leads to crushed surfaces, shifting pads, and unsafe conditions. The repair costs always outweigh the initial savings.
Poor layout planning Throwing mats down without a clear plan creates uneven routes. Equipment drifts off the mat path. Edges collapse. Soon the whole system is compromised.
Ignoring base conditions Mats placed on unstable ground without preparation sink and tilt. Mats don’t magically fix bad soil. They need a basic foundation to perform.
No drainage strategy Water trapped under mats turns firm ground into slurry. After rain, mats settle unevenly and create sudden hazards.
Rushed removal At the end of a project, everyone wants to move on. That’s when mats get dragged out and the site gets torn up. The damage often costs more to fix than careful removal would have cost in time.
The consequences people don’t always connect
When access fails, the damage spreads beyond the obvious.
Crews lose time navigating around soft spots
Equipment suffers unnecessary wear
Safety risks increase as surfaces become unpredictable
Environmental impact grows as soil is disturbed
Cleanup costs rise
Morale drops because simple tasks become harder
None of this shows up as one big mistake. It shows up as a steady drain on productivity.
How Onyx reduces those risks
Onyx’s model focuses on control. Control of supply. Control of logistics. Control of installation. Control of removal. Control of environmental impact through cleaning.
Instead of reacting to access problems, the service is designed to prevent them. Steel-framed rig mats handle heavy-duty needs. Timber crane mats support lifting operations. Access mats manage daily movement. Washing plants reduce environmental risk. Delivery and trucking keep the whole system moving.
That combination turns matting into part of the project strategy, not a last-minute fix.
When it makes sense to plan matting early
If a project involves soft ground, seasonal changes, crane work on natural surfaces, pipeline crossings, modular construction, or environmentally sensitive areas, matting should be discussed at the planning stage.
Waiting until equipment is stuck is the slowest way to solve an access problem. Early planning lets you choose the right mats, lay them correctly, and avoid most of the trouble that shows up later.
The practical value of getting access right
When matting is done properly, everything feels easier. Trucks move where they’re supposed to. Crews walk without worrying about footing. Cranes set up on solid ground. The site stays cleaner. Demobilization doesn’t turn into a repair job.
That’s the real promise behind Onyx Access Solutions. Not dramatic claims. Not flashy language. Just solving a persistent, expensive problem that shows up on almost every serious project in Western Canada.
Stable access keeps operations on track. That’s what Onyx builds its work around.
Contact us: Onyx Access Solutions 9370 Pear Link Southwest, Edmonton, AB T6X 2X5 Canada 780-905-9865 https://onyxaccess.com/