Youth Entrepreneur of the Year

Yvon Doiron
Bardeaux Acadieville Shingle Inc.

Yvon Doiron was born in Acadieville and graduated in 1993. He worked as a mechanic for some time with his father, Lucien, and then for Kent Homes in Bouctouche for one year. During all that time, the idea of starting his own business started to take root. With the help of his father, who was a mechanic, Yvon first had the idea of opening a machine shop, but he soon realized that he did not like working with metal. After reading a newspaper article, the father and son bought a cedar sawmill and transported it from Allardville to Acadieville

When they started in 1995, there were three employees, including Yvon and his father. “We didn’t know anything then about making shingles. We learned on our own. My father and I are both jacks of all trades.” Yvon adds that there was never any shingle mill in the region, only one guy who made shingles for himself. “At first, I was the one doing the sawing and I then trained my sawyers myself - three machines and three sawyers. At the end of the day, it is the sawyers who decide if the company made money or not, because there are four qualities of shingles and we must sort the good quality shingles from those that are not as good.

Bardeaux Acadieville Shingle now employs 13 people, of which two are women, and all are from the region. His father still works with him and takes care of the mechanical aspects. Yvon is in charge of the production and also takes care of the administration, management, marketing, and new product development.

Approximately 70% of Acadieville Shingle’s products are shipped to the United States, particularly the New England States, to brokers and wholesalers. The only place in the United States where some shingles are made is in Maine. In the Maritimes, Yvon sells directly to stores and wholesalers. He tries not to do the same as others, looks to find different markets, because he realizes that there is a potential for larger markets.

In 1998, he decided to expand his business. He bought three new machines and expanded and modernized his sawmill. He participated in ACOA’s Export Partnering Program. In 2004, he went to France with a group of international marketing students from l’Université de Moncton to complete a market study for his business. “It’s a good thing to go see what is going on elsewhere. You get good ideas and make important contacts.

Yvon just came back from another trip to France, to further develop business opportunities. For the past three or four years, the French government has invested money to promote wood usage as it is better for the environment. He also states that in the past two or three years, the demand for shingles has grown in North America. People either want to replace vinyl with shingles or construct new buildings with shingles or other wood products. “Shingles have existed for 100 years and people are starting to realize that it is one of the best choices. It insulates better; in the winter houses are easier to heat and in the summer, the houses stay cooler. Shingles look nice, are resistant, and are more economical.”

The wood that is not used is recycled and sent to a local company to make mulch. Yvon hires students during the summer to recuperate the left-over wood for firewood.

Yvon has been in business for 10 years and has encountered many challenges. At the beginning, the challenge was to find financing and staff. Finding and training sawyers was a big problem because it takes people who are skilled to work manually and can work fast doing the same thing all day on their feet. Today, the major challenge is the fierce competition with plants in Québec. It’s not easy competing against them.

Yvon plans to add another building and also has plans to develop a new shingle that is perfectly square. This shingle would look as nice as the one they produce now, but it’s easier to install. This means that he will have to invest in another machine. He is also thinking of developing other products. Yvon is also involved in the economic development of his region. He is president of the Rogersville Chamber of Commerce since 2002 and will complete his mandate in February 2006. He is also president for the Lac Després project committee in Pleasant Ridge. This committee is working towards the development of an eco-forest centre, including an interpretation centre that would encourage people to visit the forest, appreciate nature and see how to manage a forest. The project would also include cottages with trails around the lake.

Yvon admits that he is very proud to be recognized as Young Entrepreneur of the Year. “I am 30 years old; I started in business when I was 20. I don’t have any post-secondary education; everything I learned was from trial and error and I still have a lot to learn.” Asked what advice he would give to someone thinking of opening their own business, he does not hesitate to say, “One must be ready to take risks and have courage. It is very important not to get discouraged by anyone and listen to those who try to give good advice. I am lucky to have the support of my wife, Brenda, who encourages me to reach my objectives”.

On a personal note, his goal is to continue to share his love of nature with his wife and two children, Nadia and Jérémie.