When Amit Jain was first introduced to Harris-Stolper and DFMZ, he saw more than two manufacturers of protective enclosures. He saw an opportunity to unite opposites. One, rugged, the other refined, unifying the heavy-duty and the precision-engineered under one powerful idea.
“I often told the team,” Amit recalls with a grin, “the market went from having two great defensemen to one outstanding goalie.”
That goalie became Citadel Enclosures, a new Canerector platform built on the legacies of two companies that have spent decades protecting what matters most.
From Tough and Clean to Unbreakable
Harris-Stolper was born in the world of steel and grit. It lived in the industrial environments where machinery, operators, and equipment must be shielded from the elements. DFMZ, by contrast, worked in spotless precision, fabricating automation enclosures and cleanroom systems where even a speck of dust could halt production.
“They were polar opposites,” says Amit. “But I believe there are industries where both strengths, ruggedness and precision, could come together to make life simple for customers and provide options that meet their needs precisely. With Citadel, they now have one partner that can do it all.”
That’s the central promise of Citadel Enclosures: protection without compromise. Whether it’s an operator cabin on a construction site or an isolation chamber in a medical facility, Citadel’s engineering unites the best of both worlds: tough when it must be, refined when it counts.
Engineering Collaboration
Bringing these two cultures together didn’t happen overnight. “At first, people weren’t sure what the platform meant.” Amit admits. “But over time, it became clear that we were building something new together.”
The teams began cross-pollinating expertise. With Harris-Stolper’s metal fabrication knowledge DFMZ began to recognize the merits of using different materials for different applications. Knowing where polypropylene performs best and where to lighter, more versatile aluminum will deliver better value for customers and stronger returns for the business.
“We started stress-testing each other’s strengths,” says Shannon Duncan, General Manager at DFMZ. “It’s been a masterclass in collaboration. We’ve learned that innovation doesn’t come from protecting turf, it comes from combining perspectives. The DFMZ team learned to think more like fabricators; Harris-Stolper learned to think more like engineers. Citadel sits right in that middle ground.”
That spirit of shared learning has already conceptualized incredible products to bring to market. From modular operator cabs to experimental “Zen Pods” designed for sound-proofed focus spaces, Citadel’s teams are exploring new market verticals together. “There’s an incredible energy that comes from saying, ‘Let’s just try it,’” Amit adds. “That’s how you build momentum.”
The Birth of a Brand
When it came time to name this new entity, the team turned to Splash Media Group, a branding agency based in B.C. Their brief was simple but ambitious. They wanted a name that would convey both protection and innovation.
“Branding is a very personal process,” says Mike Doran, Agency Director at Splash. “From our first discovery session, we could tell this group was different. They cared deeply about what their brand meant, not just how it looked. When we landed on Citadel, it clicked instantly: a fortress of protection, but also a symbol of strength and resilience.”
Through months of collaboration, the agency and leadership team refined Citadel’s identity. The result was a clean, confident design. A stylized “C” wrapping protectively around its center, and a tone of voice described as “confident, educated, and a little bit rebellious.”
Amit laughs at that last part. “Splash told us our brand archetypes were the Creator and the Rebel. I love that. It means we’re both imaginative and bold enough to challenge conventions.”
The team’s internal slogan, “Protect what matters most”, came naturally. “It’s personal,” Amit says. “For one customer, that means people. For another, it speaks to products or even reputation. For us, it’s all of it.”
A Brand That Feels Like a Team
The branding process was a cultural unifier. “Not everyone starts out comfortable talking about archetypes and tone of voice,” Amit admits. “But once people saw how it connected to who they are and how they show up for customers, it clicked.”
Controllers, engineers, and sales leads all weighed in on colors, fonts, and taglines. “At one point, we were debating shades of grey,” he laughs. “I loved it. It meant people cared.”
As Shannon puts it: “I’m so proud of how everyone embraced the process. The brand became something we all built together. It wasn’t handed down from a boardroom.”
That collaborative spirit is a hallmark of Canerector’s decentralized model. Businesses under its umbrella are empowered to make their own decisions, define their markets, and lead with entrepreneurial autonomy, while still benefiting from a powerful peer network.
Strength in Autonomy
For Amanda Hawkins, CEO of Canerector, Citadel represents what happens when entrepreneurial leaders are given both freedom and support.
“At Canerector, we believe in preserving legacy while enabling growth,” she said. “Citadel Enclosures is a perfect example of how two strong businesses can combine their strengths and still maintain their independent spirit. We didn’t create something new by starting over. We created it by building on what already worked.”
That autonomy, she adds, is what keeps innovation alive. “When teams are trusted to lead, they move faster, think bolder, and build stronger businesses. Citadel embodies that philosophy beautifully.”
The Road Ahead
The Citadel team isn’t slowing down. They’re exploring opportunities in modular and mobile enclosures for healthcare and emergency response and even considering how AI and automation will reshape the environments their products protect.
Amit is already thinking a decade ahead. “The day will come when operator cabins are empty, and machines will be remote-controlled or autonomous. When that happens, our question will be: What are we building next? Citadel will always be about protection, but protection evolves.”
That vision reflects a company unwilling to settle for the status quo. Splash summarized this concisely during the branding process. We are a company that does not believe in the status quo. Innovation is an everyday event. We always aim to hit that moving target.
Amit agrees. “We’re building the environments that let people and ideas thrive safely. And that’s a privilege.”
A Platform for Growth
Citadel Enclosures now joins Canerector’s family of growth platforms alongside several groups: Foundrion, Calibre Industrial and The Machining Group to name a few. But like every Canerector story, its strength lies in collaboration.
“What excites me most is what we haven’t imagined yet,” Amit remarked.
In the world of industrial and precision enclosures, that imagination just might be the strongest fortress of all.