Euclide Véronneau is 41 years old and, with his sister Célestine, he carries on his shoulders a 116-year history, that of Simplex, linked to their family roots for five generations.
To give it a new impetus, he has just signed the company’s largest acquisition, which allows him to attack the Ontario market.
“We have always been in the evolution. The invention of the floor sander was the spark plug, with sanding service and then machine rental. We try to keep up with our time. I have the responsibility and the pressure that it continues and the freedom in the way of making all that evolve”, says the CEO, who works together with one of his three sisters to advance Simplex towards the future.
The company still rents floor sanders, just like in the days of Euclid’s great-great-grandfather, and after more than a century the toolbox has grown to 55,000 pieces. . It goes from the demolition hammer to aerial platforms.
Sunday do-it-yourselfers are always there at Simplex, but most of the clientele is found with professional builders, in the world of cinema and events, and then in the industrial sector.
“We don’t make people dream with rentals, but we help people make dreams come true with the right effective tools”, likes to say the young CEO.
Célestine and Euclid Véronneau move Simplex towards Ontario.
Chantal Poirier / JdeM
Take his place
He did all the jobs in the company, before going to live experiences outside of it. He then gave cabinetmaking lessons and dabbled in the theater, before returning to Simplex in 2010.
The path to transition then gradually took shape.
“I have a completely different personality from my father, who I saw as a role model. It generated doubts at the beginning to feel different from him, ”says Euclid.
He found roots in a common vision and values, as well as in the freedom to make changes that his father gave him.
“My grandfather had given my father the keys to the business, telling him to make his decisions. He’s never had a monkey on his shoulder and I think he wanted my sister and me to have the same experience.”
Opportunities in Ontario
Today, Simplex has 35 branches in Quebec and 550 employees. The company continues to grow through acquisitions, and that of Skytec Rentals in Hamilton, Ontario, lays the groundwork for expanding the territory into Toronto, where construction is booming. Simplex also wants to take more of a place in the film industry, where it is already active in Montreal.
Euclid has the appetite for growth, but not at all costs. He wants to take his time to fully understand the market and seize the best opportunities.
When you carry such a long story with you, you obviously don’t want to be the one who signs the faux pas. And then, the father of three children has a thought for the employees, whose well-being is one of the priorities. Let’s understand that he does not want to place them in front of an unbridled growth which destabilizes everyone.
Since the 2000s, Simplex has been among the winners of Canada’s Best Managed Companies and is now included in the platinum club. Euclid is proud of this and enjoys seeing the team members take care of each other.
“One of our employees fell ill some time ago. A GoFundMe was created and our employees contributed strongly. It’s really nice to see this solidarity.”
Profile of Euclid Véronneau
Position: CEO of Simplex Tool Rental
Age: 41 years old