SHERBROOKE, P.Q. - Cuisine Ideale is undertaking a major expansion project to support its growth. This kitchen and bathroom cabinet manufacturer acquired a 60,000 sq. ft. building on Brodeur Street, in the Regional Industrial Park, to set up a second facility in Sherbrooke, Quebec, which will enable the company to double its production capacity.

This Sherbrooke company will invest $5 million in the project, which will generate 45 jobs over a three‐year time frame. A first round of hiring is planned for March, to train the workforce in anticipation of gradually launching operations in April 2016.

Cuisine Ideale received support from Sherbrooke Innopole in undertaking this major expansion project, and from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions who granted a repayable contribution of $500,000 under the Quebec Economic Development Program.

The 2008 financial crisis forced us to diversify

Cuisine Ideale has experienced sustained growth in its sales figures in the past few years, influenced by the recovery of the U.S. economy and the value of the Canadian dollar. Founded in 1971, Cuisine Idéale now has more than 300 distributors in Canada and the United States. The company exports 60 percent of its production to the American market.

“The 2008 financial crisis forced us to diversify our markets, especially in Western Canada and the Maritimes, so that today, the favorable economic climate in the United States and the overall recovery in Canada is fueling our current growth, with projects such as multi‐family residential properties in New York City, Boston, Atlanta, and Washington,” explained Yves Gagnon, president of Cuisine Idéale.

Gagnon acquired Cuisine Ideale in 2005. His two sons, Pierre‐Yves and Jean‐Bernard Gagnon, have since joined him at Groupe Cuisine Idéale, which also owns the Cuisine Ideale Design showroom, on Bourque Boulevard. The company currently employs more than 150 people. The company is ranked at 259 in the FDMC 300, as Cabcor.

According to the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development: “The manufacturing sector is a major component of a strong, dynamic economy. As the current project demonstrates, we can count on Canadian manufacturers to continue creating good‐quality jobs, thereby strengthening the middle class. The Government of Canada is proud to support Cuisine Ideale in purchasing and installing production equipment for a new factory.”

Cuisine Ideale is planning a second phase in its expansion project as Pierre‐Yves Gagnon, general manager of the company, explained: “By 2018, we plan to inject an extra $2 million to purchase new equipment that will enable us to further automate production in this second facility, which we would like to be state of the art. These investments will complement the $1 million we invested in 2015 to modernize the equipment at our facilities on Panneton Street. To remain competitive in our market, it is crucial that we follow the latest design and technological innovations, and our game plan is to support, with the help of our team of experts, an ambitious growth plan.”

According to Nathalie Prince, director, Business Development, Advanced Manufacturing at Sherbrooke Innopole: “Cuisine Ideale is a great example of sustainability in Sherbrooke’s manufacturing sector, in addition to growing in a highly competitive market. The company demonstrated agility and resilience in facing the challenges of recent years, while remaining focused on innovation and automation, key ingredients for standing out in the industry today and in the future. Family members are in the process of taking the reins, which suggests a promising future.” www.cuisineideale.com. Sources: Cuisine Ideale and Sherbrooke Innopole.