The mining industry has long been at the heart of Quebec’s economic activity and it is even more so with the development of the critical minerals sector and their exploitation on our territory. A reality that does not escape Manon Rouillier, who founded a communications company dedicated to the mining industry.
In 2009, Manon Rouillier founded the communications firm Manon Rouillier Stratégie Marketing, which quickly specialized in companies in the mining sector, as well as the forestry and manufacturing sectors in the region.
“I started my career as a communicator in Quebec at Louis Garneau, then in companies in the information technology sector as director of communications, but in 2009, in the middle of maternity leave, I decided to launch my own box,” explains the entrepreneur from Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
His father, Marcel Rouillier, founded the company Forages Rouillier in Amos, which was taken over by his son Mario 25 years ago, and the group today has more than 300 employees spread across several divisions, including MBI Global , a manufacturer and distributor of complete coring solutions.
“When I started, I supported my brother in the launch of new products and I obtained the mandate to carry out the entire communications strategy for Royal Nickel.
We subsequently grew by carrying out marketing communications mandates for manufacturers who serve mining companies and also for exploration and exploitation mining companies.
Manon Rouillier
Today, the company generates 60% of its revenues with its clientele of more than 30 Quebec manufacturing companies working for the mining industry and the other 40% directly from mining companies.
“There are always new developments and new product lines. We create their communication and marketing strategy, which we implement on several platforms.
“Our companies export all over the world and we support them. We still remain very active in person, participating in industry fairs with kiosks from our companies on site,” explains the communicator.
Manon Rouillier is also accompanying several of her clients to Toronto this week at the annual conference of prospectors and entrepreneurs in the Canadian exploration and mining industry. The industry’s major annual convention.
The CEO points out in passing that her company Rouillier was named Service Company of the Year last year at the annual congress of the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association, thus becoming the first company outside the mining sector to win this price.
In May, she will participate in the annual conference of the Canadian Mining Industry in Vancouver, which takes place each year alternately in Montreal and Vancouver.
Largest female presence in the industry
Rouillier’s support is not limited to manufacturing companies in the sector. The company carries out several mandates from established mining companies.
“We carried out, for example, the entire communication campaign for the Sayona company and its lithium processing complex in La Corne, in Abitibi.
“It was an outreach campaign to make local lithium known to the general public. We built their website and managed their social networks as well as the employer brand and their recruitment,” submits Manon Rouillier.
The Rouillier company, with its twenty employees based in Quebec, will also support the Windfall mining project, 50% owned by Osisko and 50% by the Gold Fields group, in the launch of its new gold mine in the north. from Lebel-sur-Quévillon.
“They will have to recruit 200 employees next year to launch their project. We are going to do the entire communication campaign for this new project,” underlines the entrepreneur, who will go there next week and live for four days in the camp to coordinate everything.
Manon Rouillier’s involvement in the mining sector is not limited to the marketing communications mandates that her team obtains from industry players; she also campaigns for greater diversity in the mining world.
“Women only represent 12% of jobs in the mining sector, compared to 48% in other sectors of activity. These are well-paid jobs at more than $50 an hour, and new technologies have made operations much easier and should allow for greater diversity,” observes the CEO.
Manon Rouillier has joined the ranks of Women in Mining Canada, a group founded in 2009 which works to better represent women in the industry.
“We have three chapters in Quebec, I created the one in Abitibi-Témiscamingue and I am its president and I am president of the Quebec chapter. There is another one in Montreal.
“We seek to develop a better sense of belonging by organizing events to inspire our members. We also set up a mentoring platform in Abitibi,” specifies the CEO.
Even if new investments in the mining sector are slightly slowing down, Manon Rouillier does not expect to be unemployed over the coming years, while we do not expect a rise in gold prices in 2024.
“Innovation always continues. There are going to be new product launches, there is still going to be a lot of consolidation in the sector. I grew up in this industry and it continues to grow,” anticipates the communicator.