with customer-centric practices to deliver highquality products and exceptional service. Before Leiko Equipment’s founding, Francis Desjardins spent over a decade working in construction and excavation, developing a deep understanding of trench safety needs. Recognizing a gap in the market for highperformance, durable, and cost-effective trench safety equipment, he decided to channel his expertise into entrepreneurship. “In 2020, I decided to start a fabrication business, and that’s where Leiko Equipment began. Our focus was on manufacturing trench safety products. So, trench boxes, aluminum trench boxes, modular trench boxes, and other trench safety products,” explains Owner Francis Desjardins. Despite its young age,Leiko Equipment has dominated the market, garnering industry recognition. Less than a year after its creation, the company won the Lauriers d’Or award from the Montcalm Chamber of Commerce in the Young Entrepreneur category and a Young Entrepreneur grant from the Montcalm MRC. This is all thanks to its specialization in the design and manufacture of its shoring equipment, which emphasizes quality and performance. From the beginning, the company committed to using Canadian and American materials for its products. Fortunately, by relying on local suppliers for steel and aluminum, Leiko Equipment supports domestic industries while ensuring consistent quality in its output. As the company enters its fourth year of operation, it’s looking to expand in various ways. “Everything is made in-house. So, for now, we have 12 employees, and we are looking to expand within the next year to about 20 so we can serve major clients and increase our production capacity,” Desjardins explains. 4 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 01
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx