MAPEI Inc. recently celebrated the grand opening of its new powders production and warehouse expansion at its flagship location in Laval, Québec, as part of the MAPEI Group.
“Now that the powders and admixtures lines are operational, MAPEI Laval is among the biggest and most technologically advanced plants in MAPEI’s North American network,” said MAPEI Canada general manager, Marco Roma. “The new facility allows us meet Northeastern Canada’s growing need for construction materials, admixtures for concrete, plus cement grinding aids.”
The increased production capacity in Laval will have a ripple effect as well as allow for a more balanced production across Canada.
“By enhancing our ability to shift production accordingly for more localization between our plants in Ontario, Québec, and British Columbia, we can reduce our carbon footprint with quicker deliveries and shorter distances for transport of supplies to construction sites, impacting all regions of the country,” said Roma.
Incorporating locally sourced materials into construction projects is a fundamental element of MAPEI’s sustainability enhancement strategy. This approach aligns with MAPEI’s overarching philosophy, which has contributed to its involvement in the construction and renovation of numerous prominent structures and infrastructure projects across Canada. These projects range from the Minoru Aquatic Centre in Richmond, BC, to Union Station in Toronto, Ontario, and the Avenir Centre in Moncton, New Brunswick, among others.
“Our presence in Canada grew out of an opportunity related to the 1976 Montreal Olympics,” said Veronica and Marco Squinzi, CEOs of MAPEI Group. “We were called upon to supply products for the installation of the Olympic athletic tracks. Our impact in the country was so positive that in 1978 we decided to invest and open, right here in Laval, as our first plant outside Italy, starting the internationalization strategy that still characterizes the company today. In the last half decade, we have decided to diversify markets by adding product lines that were not previously in our Canadian portfolio such as additives and industrial flooring, but which were already well developed and rigorously tested by MAPEI in Europe, hence the decision to undertake an expansion project.”
“MAPEI North America is on the move,” said Luigi Di Geso, president and CEO of MAPEI North America. “This addition will accommodate a growth that began right here in a modest facility that would be unrecognizable by today’s standards, and yet was cutting-edge just a few short years ago.”
The newly established powder production line will generate an annual output of 30,000 tons per shift, while the freshly introduced admixtures line is set to produce 7,000 tons per year per shift. To facilitate the streamlined distribution of these products, the expanded warehouse area has been expanded by an extra 50,750 square feet. This complements the existing facilities on-site, which include a 128,000-square-foot polymers plant, a Research and Development Center for Excellence in Concrete Construction, and the Canadian head office.
“With 11 product lines covering all aspects of construction, MAPEI Inc. is poised to achieve even greater heights than before in helping build Canada more sustainably for the years to come,” said Di Geso.