HISTORY OF THE THE TROIS-RIVIÈRES FACTORY
Founded in 1948, Béton Laurentide Inc., then known as Laurentide Ready-mix and Equipment, was incorporated in 1951. Based in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, the company waited until 1968 before relocating to its new factory in Trois-Rivières.
The factory's architecture is decidedly avant-garde, built in a style never before seen in Canada. A specialized American magazine even wrote a piece about the building.
Unlike other concrete factories, there are no visible silos, aggregates or conveyors. The site is housed entirely within a 40-foot-high concrete structure embedded in the mountain side.
The factory is equipped with six aggregate storage units and two cement units. Each has a 100-ton storage capacity. Aggregates are transported to a mill that can process 4.5 cubic metres per conveyor. The factory's mixing system is controlled by a Selectron computer capable of handling approximately 125 cubic metres per hour.
The factory is also home to a 100 H.P. boiler used to heat water from an 18,000-gallon tank. Steam from the boiler is used to heat the aggregates, as well as the mechanical garage.
