Before deploying Liebherr T282 trucks in its oil sands operations, Syncrude subjects them to an 11-point upgrade program to improve their structural integrity and functionality. Truck number 17-139, pictured above, hit the 100,000-hour operating mark this year. Courtesy of Syncrude

Working in a challenging and specialized environment often requires specialized equipment and processes. The question then becomes: who will supply them? For Syncrude, the answer is to develop them in-house.