MONTREAL, June 4, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - L'Oréal Canada, a leader in the cosmetics industry in Canada, proudly celebrated the expansion of its distribution center, located in Saint-Laurent, in the presence of the project's partners, namely Investissement Québec, the Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation du Québec and Montréal International. Present at the inauguration were Mr. Stéphane Paquet, President and CEO of Montréal International, Ms. Marwah Rizqy, Member of the National Assembly for Saint-Laurent, Mr. Alan DeSousa, Mayor of the borough of Saint-Laurent, Ms. Leesa Hodgson, Executive Director of Développement économique Saint-Laurent, Ms. Sylvie Séguin, Executive Director of the Saint-Laurent Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and its President, Mr. Kelvin K. Mo.
This expansion project, called Project PROGRESS, is a continuation of the investments that L'Oréal Canada has made in recent years at their downtown Montreal head office, their manufacturing plant in Saint-Laurent, and now at their distribution center, to better meet the changing needs of the business.
In 2020 alone, 1.25 million orders were prepared and shipped from L'Oréal Canada's distribution center, and of this number, 815,000 came from e-commerce, which represents a 90% growth in one year. In order to efficiently meet this demand and ensure agility in the face of this growth, an expansion of this site was necessary. PROGRESS offers a high-density warehousing capacity, allowing L'Oréal Canada to reach its ambitions for 2030.
PROGRESS allows L'Oréal Canada to add 20,000 pallets of storage capacity on a 95,000 square foot area, which represents a storage density 57% higher than what the L'Oréal Canadian subsidiary had until now.
"This expansion allows us to modernize our processes and equipment in order to continue to support L'Oréal Canada's growth, prepare for the addition of new brands and continue the operational excellence of our digital component, which is the major growth lever," said Frank Kollmar, President and CEO of L'Oréal Canada during the inauguration.
"The economic recovery is now well underway, and it is accelerating trends such as e-commerce. To remain competitive in the economy of tomorrow, companies of all sizes must accelerate their technological transformation. By investing in its infrastructures, L'Oréal Canada is ensuring that it remains successful and is consolidating its presence in Quebec," says Lucie Lecours, Minister for the Economy.
"Montreal is an active international metropolis with a varied economy, thanks in particular to innovative companies that implement projects that allow them to progress and stand out. L'Oréal Canada is one of them. The expansion of its facilities and the automation of its activities will guarantee long-term growth. As a government, we are delighted," added Chantal Rouleau, Minister of Transport and Minister responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal region.
"With this major investment, L'Oréal Canada confirms that Québec and its metropolis remain a destination of choice for major international players who wish to open up to new markets and take advantage of a constantly evolving ecosystem. Our team will continue to work to promote the advantages of investing here over the long term, while working alongside subsidiaries of foreign companies to help them prosper and continue to invest in Québec," said Hubert Bolduc, President of Investissement Québec International.
"Groupe L'Oréal, with its Canadian head office in Montréal, is a great example of a French multinational company with solid roots in the city and a drive to innovate. Montréal is an anchor point for L'Oréal to serve its clients across North America and accelerate its digital transformation, thanks to the support of a pool of qualified talent and a diverse business ecosystem," said Stéphane Paquet, CEO of Montréal International.
"Saint-Laurent is proud to welcome L'Oréal Canada's PROGRESS project to its territory! The expansion and modernization of the storage capacities of the only distribution center in Canada for the world leader in cosmetics will make it possible to respond to the growth of online commerce, which has been further increased by the pandemic. After having shown extraordinary resilience, Laurentian businesses continue to innovate for a strong and sustainable recovery!" declared Mr. Alan DeSousa, Mayor of the Borough of Saint-Laurent.
Finally, the realization of this project was made possible thanks to a collaboration with various local companies, notably DIVCO, GLS - Gestion Luciano Salvatore, Structurack, Toromont and Civelec Consultants.
About L'Oréal Canada
L'Oréal Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of L'Oréal Group, the largest cosmetics company in the world. Headquartered in Montreal, the company had sales of $1.18 billion in 2020 and employs more than 1,450 people. The company holds a portfolio of 36 brands, encompassing all aspects of beauty, and is present across all distribution networks: mass market, department stores, salons, pharmacies, drugstores, and branded retail. L'Oréal Canada, whose operations are carbon neutral, supports the L'Oréal Foundation's programs such as L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science, which has promoted the advancement of women in science in Canada since 2003, Beauty for a better life, a social reintegration program in hairdressing for immigrant women since 2017.
SOURCE L'Oréal Canada Inc.
Media contact: Virginie Hotte-Dupuis, Manager, External Relations & Philanthropy, [email protected], 514-287-4618; Claudia Loupret, Press Officer, Office of the Minister for the Economy, Tél. : 418 691-5650; Éric Laporte, Press Officer, Office of the Minister of Transport and Minister responsible for the Metropolis and the Montreal region, Tél. : 418 643-6980
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