The story of Groupe Lebel begins in 1956, when Deniso Lebel acquired a sawmill in Squatec, in the Témiscouata region. It was the beginning of a long adventure characterized by many acquisitions and construction projects.
Since 2004, Louis-Frédéric Lebel has managed the family business from the head office in Rivière-du-Loup, adopting a flexible management style that allows him to tackle many economic challenges. Groupe Lebel is constantly expanding: over time, it has joined forces with the Bois Daaquam, Lebel Cambium, IB EWP, Les Bois Lemelin, Bois de sciage Lafontaine and Plaster Rock Lumber Corporation companies. Today, twenty-three factories and value-added product plants are part of the family business, in addition to the head office and sales office.
Groupe Lebel is one of the main lumber manufacturers in Eastern Canada to be perfectly vertically integrated, from the cutting of trees to the distribution of finished products.
Groupe Lebel’s adventure began with sawing, which continues to be its most important activity today. The company alone has fourteen sawmills with a production capacity of 900 million board-feet of lumber annually. The main species processed are fir, spruce and jack pine, and this production is distributed, green or dry, in the US and Canadian markets.
Treated lumber occupies a major place in the company, thanks to its three factories which have an annual production capacity of 120 million board-feet of wood.
Finally, value-added products are manufactured in five of our factories. We offer a wide range of them:
Groupe Lebel is one of the leaders among forest producers in Eastern Canada. The company today employs 1,400 people in seventeen municipalities in Quebec, two in Ontario, one in New Brunswick and one in the state of Maine in the United States.
Mr. Deniso Lebel and Ms. Annette Cimon-Lebel, founders of Groupe Lebel in 1956.
Mr. Louis-Frédéric Lebel, Chairman and CEO of Groupe Lebel since 2004.
1956
Purchase of the first sawmill in Squatec, Témiscouata by company founder Deniso Lebel. He worked hard to establish the roots of the family business Groupe Lebel until his retirement in 2001, when the Groupe Lebel then owned nine plants in four provinces.
1975
Purchase of the St-Joseph-de-Kamouraska sawmill from the Ouellet et frères company.
1980
Purchase of the fence manufacturing factory in Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac (Notre-Dame-du-Lac) from the Clôtures Bérion company. The company would become Clôtures Témis. The assets were sold in 2003.
1983
Purchase of “Usine 200”, a factory in Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac (Notre-Dame-du-Lac). At the time, the factory manufactured plywood, and changed its line of work several times to become a factory of value-added products.
1984
Product diversification: construction of the Bois Traitel plant (pressure-treated wood) in St-Joseph-de-Kamouraska.
1991
Construction of the Cap-Chat sawmill in Gaspésie; the plant was sold in 2019. Acquisition of a sawmill in Kedgwick, N.B. The mill was sold in 2003.
1997
Acquisition of a sawmill in Scotsburn, N.S. The mill was sold in 2003.
2002
Purchase of a factory and installation of a thermal oven (wood torrefaction) in Cacouna. The factory has transformed over time. Purchase of the company Poutrelles internationales in Pohénégamook (taken over by Lebcorp in 2004 until 2019).
2004
Frédéric takes the reins of Groupe Lebel Inc., and manages the plants of Squatec, St-Joseph-de-Kamouraska, Notre-Dame-du-Lac, Cap-Chat, Cacouna and Kemptville (Ont.). Groupe Lebel then had 300 employees.
2006
Purchase of the Dégelis sawmill from Bowater Inc.
2008
Purchase of the Price sawmill from Abitibi-Bowater Inc.
2011
Acquisition of the Vallée des Lacs (Squatec), Biencourt and Lac-des-Aigles sawmills from the Richard Pelletier et fils company.
2014
The company expands with Bois Daaquam (a sawmill in St-Just-de-Bretenières) and Lebel Cambium (treated wood and specialties from Dégelis, Bolton and Caledon).
2017
Purchase of the St-Hilarion sawmill belonging to Resolute.
2018
The company expands with Daaquam lumber: Purchase of the sawmills in St-Pamphile and Masardis (Maine) belonging to Maibec.
2019
Product diversification with the manufacturing of joists: purchase of International Beams, Pohénégamook.
2021
Purchase of the sawmill in Nouvelle, Gaspésie, owned by Temrex.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Director of Business Development
Director of Fibre Procurement
Director Organizational Development
Director Lebel Énergie
Sales Manager
Production Manager Groupe Lebel
Production Manager Bois Daaquam
Contributing to the Group's success with passion, efficiency and pleasure!
Acting quickly, thoughtfully and constructively when we need to adjust to different situations.
Acting with honesty and transparency with all partners in compliance with Group policies and procedures.
Acting in a human and consistent manner while respecting our objectives and commitments
Acting in harmony with our employees, customers, suppliers and partners as if we were all part of the same family.
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