25 November 2016

PRESS RELEASE – SOPREMA, a leading manufacturer of waterproofing, insulation, soundproofing and vegetated solutions for the roofing, building envelope and civil engineering sectors, is proud to continue its remarkable expansion in recent years with the acquisition of a lot in the Sherbrooke Innopole Industrial Park.

The company, founded in Strasbourg, France in 1908, entered the Canadian market in 1978. Always considered a leader in roof waterproofing solutions, SOPREMA decided a few years ago to increase its product offering and extend its expertise to other areas, such as insulation production. In 2015, the company launched the very first SOPREMA polyisocyanurate insulation panel manufacturing facility in North America. This plant is now among the three other facilities owned by SOPREMA in Drummondville, which employ over 350 people.

SOPREMA Canada Headquarters, in Drummondville

“Our goal to diversify in the last few years is now bearing fruit and contributing to our growth, resulting in economic benefits and job creation in Québec,” said Richard Voyer, Vice-President and CEO of SOPREMA North America.

A building will soon be erected on the Sherbrooke lot acquired by the French manufacturer on Robert-Boyd Street where SOPREMA will perform its manufacturing activities. Project details will be released by SOPREMA management and its partners in a future announcement. The multinational company, operating in 90 countries thanks to its extensive distributor network, has about 40 production plants and over 6,200 employees worldwide.

The General Director of Sherbrooke Innopole, Josée Fortin, welcomed the announcement of the project in her city; the organization has been working on this development for nearly two years. Although the availability of new quality lots in the Regional Industrial Park was a major asset, victory was not always certain.

“We were far from being the only ones interested in having SOPREMA, so we had to build a strong case,” explained Mrs. Fortin. “Company leaders and the City of Sherbrooke actively collaborated with us during the whole process, which required the involvement of several municipal services. This teamwork is the reason we managed to stand out and develop an offer that met all of the company’s needs and requirements.”

Sherbrooke Innopole is very positive in assessing the impact of this implementation: “Such a project generates substantial economic benefits, not only in terms of jobs and direct investment, but also in terms of Sherbrooke’s outreach and positioning,” explained Josée Fortin. When a company as big as SOPREMA chooses to establish itself where you live, even though it could go anywhere in the world, it sends a strong and extremely positive message to our region.”

Sources: SOPREMA and Sherbrooke Innopole