At the time, Luc Paris worked in a cast iron foundry. However, several clients told him that there was a lack of aluminum foundries in Quebec.

That’s all it took for Luc to embark on an adventure which, unknowingly, would change the course of his life. In 1981, he founds Paber Aluminium with his friend Mario Bernier – a contraction of Luc’s and Mario’s last names. As they are the only two employees at the time, they set up shop in modest offices.

Despite the need, the growth is not very fast. A first client allows them to get their feet wet in the field of industrial sewing machines. But this contract is not enough to keep Mario. He leaves the project three years later to work in the field of supervision and machining. Meanwhile, Luc’s wife joins him to take care of the accounting. She stays by his side throughout the development of

the company.

Only two years later, that we were five-six employees.

Luc is swimming in the unknown: he is making bold choices without really knowing in which direction they will take him. “It wasn’t a field I knew much about – foundry per se. I studied architectural design.”

He then learns how to cast parts “on the job” and he takes on the challenges whenever they come his way.

In 1986, a first major contract with a lighting and urban furniture company allows Luc and Diane to spread the wings of their young company. This project is even honoured at a ceremony organized by the Cap-Saint-Ignace Chamber of Commerce.

The couple takes a major step forward in 1991 by moving to a considerably larger building.

François Couillard joins Paber as the company is being transferred. The family feels it is time to have onsite someone to take care of the administration and accounting. “They really created a new position for me here.”

Already a friend of both Geneviève and Bryan, François becomes vice-president of finance and has the desire to become an entrepreneur. “They felt comfortable with me joining the succession.”

At the École d’entrepreneurship de Beauce, François participates in a bootcamp while Bryan, Geneviève and their parents are involved in various programs leading to the transfer of the business. This school is very significant for the family as it represents a pivotal step in the progression of the transfer process.

MERCURIADE Award for Entrepreneuriat, relève et transfert d’entreprise Raymond Chabot 
Grant Thornton from the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec – 2017
Photo credit: Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de la MRC de Montmagny – CCIM

Putting aside the rhetoric

There is no perfect recipe for a successful transfer of business. If the Paris family’s transfer runs smoothly, it’s because they set some very strict rules from the start: no talking about work at family dinners.

We take this very seriously.

This arrangement prevents work-related family disputes. By joining the company, François knows things can get a little risky.

Part of the success of the transfer is establishing and maintaining strict rules throughout the process.

Local flagship

From the very beginning, Luc’s motivation is to make the company evolve, first and foremost to create and maintain jobs in Cap-Saint-Ignace, a small village of less than 4000 inhabitants.

These are people, these are families that we put to work and who rely on us.

On top of that, he wants Paber to be transferred to his children precisely to ensure that jobs remain in the region and that human values are preserved.

“We could have sold it to Americans on occasions but today, Paber would have then gone somewhere else and probably wouldn’t carry that name anymore.”

The ambitious dreamer

After high school, Bryan spends a year in Vancouver to learn English. He then goes to Hamilton, Ontario, to study industrial engineering before coming back to Quebec to complete a year in industrial relations. While working part-time at Paber, he earns a bachelor’s degree in administration. A dreamer, he thrives on challenges.

“I love to see projects and imagine them in the future, even though they’re not always straightforward projects.”

Bryan, who is afraid of nothing, takes great pleasure in going for had to get clients.

The organized planner

Geneviève holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Université Laval in Quebec City. At Paber, she began her career in customer service and then moved into production planning where she held a number of positions. Geneviève then started a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) in foundry in order to learn the inner workings of the various trades in the plant.

“It allowed me to get a technical expertise in foundry I didn’t have in order to support my administrative skills.”

Geneviève is a structured, well organized person. She knows how to apply the rules and build an organizational structure.

“I don’t have as much vision for the market as Bryan. I trust him completely on that. For my part, I look at how we’re going to proceed in order to make it work.”