Beau-Roc Inc.
In 1985, Jean-Marie Bibeau and Partner Andre Rochelleau opened the doors to their own steel dump body manufacturing company, based in Saint-Damien-de-Brandon, Que. Over the years, the company has emerged as a leading premium dump body manufacturer that specializes in a range of steel body builds from dump bodies to chipper bodies.
Given the growth the company has experienced, two years after its establishment Beau-Roc shifted its operations to a larger facility, based in Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon, Que. The site supports the growing demands of Beau-Roc, which has today expanded its primary markets into Ontario, Western Canada, and the United States.
Products
In addition to dump truck bodies, Beau-Roc also builds contractor bodies, landscaper bodies, tree service bodies, chipper bodies, and a multi-purpose body design. The company produces heavy duty but lightweight containers, all constructed in renal 450 steel, which gives the body a stronger structure without the additional weight.
Beau-Roc’s Diamond Line is the most versatile dump body on the market. Its body is ideal for a truck dealer to stock, plus its folded side profile is designed to be resistant to warping while also prolonging its exterior appearance. The lineup includes a side opening tailgate, air option, hydraulic high lift, automatic opening gates, tapered sides, preinstalled cradles and cylinders, or the option of a pin-to-pin cylinder.
Business Challenges
According to the National Truck Equipment Association, 70 per cent of new dump truck bodies are placed on new trucks, while the remaining 30 per cent are older model replacements.
In fact, through the recent recession, about 60 per cent of Beau-Roc shipments were for new truck builds. As it happened the collapse of the U.S. housing market, that led to fewer roads and homes in construction, and a lesser demand for dump trucks and dump truck builds.
Fortunately, the Canadian economy was much more insulated from the recessionary pressures, which allowed Beau-Roc to see steady production and dump body shipments in Canada through the economic downturn.
Competitive Edge
The quality of its products is what Beau-Roc holds dear. Glenn Coffin, Regional Sales Manager with Beau-Roc, told The Canadian Business Journal, “We are not a price point company, we are a product company. We are totally oriented toward building a high quality product and getting a fair price for it. If you buy a dump truck that lasts 15 years, our body will match it for 15 years.”
Jeremy D’Brox, Regional Sales Manager, added, “We sell based on value. You may pay a little more, but you’re getting the best quality product that is on the market. No matter what a person buys – from shoes to dump trucks – wear and tear is natural through regular usage. The better quality the product, the longer it will last.”
Another key aspect of the company is its focus on building strong relationships with its customer base. On the cutting-edge of dump body design, Beau-Roc preaches the importance of quality and recognizes this as a critical element in its relationship with its customers as well as its suppliers. Beau-Roc focuses on developing working partnerships with its customers and suppliers in order to ensure success in the market for all involved.
Future Goals
Beau-Roc plans to continue market expansion and acquire new customers, and find new personnel to work alongside for the long-term. The company also aspires to work on aerodynamic dump truck bodies in the future, and further its product in terms of weight reduction in both the design and body weight categories. Beau-Roc is confident that it can reduce the level of steel and material used in its dump body builds while still achieving the same product strength and mobility. Additionally, as dump trucks are not considered reputable for their fuel economy, the company is also looking at air resistance to deal with the constant stopping and starting of the vehicles.
“We’re improving a lot for the purchaser of our products,” Coffin summarized. “It’s what we do to separate ourselves from the rest of our competition.”
