HISTORY
Fournier celebrates over 60 years of existence.
1960
THE BEGINNINGS
Mr. Renaud Fournier began by offering his services in sheet metalwork from the basement of his house. Following the success of this endeavour, he embarked on his entrepreneurial career by founding the company 'Fournier Steel Works Limited' in 1960. This company specialized in sheet metalwork, boiler making, machining, and hydraulics. By 1962, it had over 50 local employees, elevating it to the status of essential firms in the region.
1974
EXPANSION
The company has undergone several expansions since it was created, including a major one in 1974 of over 10,000 square feet, resulting in the creation of 51 new jobs.
1976
ACQUISITION
In 1976, Fournier broadened its horizons by acquiring Richmond Fournier Inc., a company specialized in the preparation of anodic and cathodic bars for aluminum smelters.
1987
ROTARY PRESS
The company then took a major turn by showing interest in a revolutionary piece of equipment designed by the Industrial Research Centre of Quebec (CRIQ): a rotary press for the dehydration of municipal and industrial sludge.
1990
INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION
After three years of developing the rotary press, the company began to reap the seeds it had sown in the Japanese market, selling five rotary presses to this country Along with the United States, the Land of the Rising Sun is the main market for the sale of rotary presses.
1999
THE RELAUNCH
In March 1999, the company hired Harold Roy as the general manager to help revitalize the business, which was experiencing the repercussions of the gradual closure of asbestos mines in the region.
2009
ESTABLISHMENT IN TROIS-RIVIERES
The company established a branch in Trois-Rivières to continue the operations of Kamtech Services. This acquisition brought the integration of a workforce of over 60 highly qualified employees. The branch specialized in project management and implementation in the mining and industrial sectors.
2013
FRESH START
In October 2013, Mr. Renaud Fournier sold his shares, thus putting an end to an important chapter after more than 53 years as president of Les Industries Fournier Inc. Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins, in partnership with members of management, acquired Mr. Fournier's shares. As part of this transaction, the company retained all of its operations in Thetford Mines and Trois-Rivières. It is at this time that Mr. Harold Roy became the president of the company.
2015-2016
EXPANSION IN THETFORD MINES
The company invested approximately 2 million dollars in the renovation and expansion of its Thetford Mines plant, creating an additional area of approximately 12,000 square feet. This space was dedicated to the mechanical and hydraulic assembly of products, primarily rotary presses, as well as the manufacturing of plate filters.
2017-2018
EXPANSION IN TROIS-RIVIERES
The company made another major investment of nearly 2 million dollars to expand its facilities in Trois-Rivières. These works allowed the company to increase the capacity of the plant while creating new office space. The factory space was expanded from an area of 8,000 to 16,000 square feet.
2020
PRODUCT SHIFT
The Fournier company adopted a new strategic plan by taking a turn in terms of its products, enriching its portfolio with proprietary products. To achieve this, a Fournier Innovation and Development Centre was created in 2021.
2022
NEW ACQUISITIONS
Fournier took a new step by acquiring two new companies. In order to diversify the product portfolio, Fournier acquired a majority stake in Boivin Évolution (BEV), located in Lévis. To provide client proximity and increase production capacity, Fournier also acquired Les Industries PLD in Chicoutimi, thus completing the product and service offerings in the aluminum sector.
