Company History

Doctor Louis Philippe Legendre, Siméon Auger, foreman, milkman Norbert Garneau, general merchant Joseph Henri Larouche and industrialist Joseph Delphis Houde. Their letters patent at that time mentioned a wide variety of activities; construct, acquire, operate, sell or lease several factories for manufacture of mill machinery, carpentry machinery, agricultural machines and instruments, electrical machines and appliances, pulp mill machinery, elevator machinery, water, steam, gas, air and oil operated machinery, appliances, aircraft equipment and tools of all sort. The letters patent mentioned without a doubt the future activities of the plant. With over 90 years of existence, Bibby-Ste-Croix Foundry is still going strong. .

Foundry Laperle, as long as it was founded in 1800 by Mr. Pierre Grégoire. During this period, old wooden plows began to be replaced by cast iron plows. Originally located in Ruisseau, The foundry moved to St-Ours in the mid 1800s. In 1904, the Laperle family bought the foundry and operated it under the name of Louis Laperle Enrg. In 1930, the Laperle brothers became co-owners and began to manufacture even more types of farm machinery. In 1957, the foundry became incorporated as Laperle Foundry Ltd. It was not longer after that the foundry began to specialize in making castings for sewers and waterworks.

Below is a brief timeline about the main activities of the Bibby-Ste-Croix and Laperle Foundry:

1921
Fonderie-Ste-Croix is founded in Ste-Croix de Lotbinière, Quebec, and mainly produces castings for the agriculture sector.

1933
Bibby Foundry in Galt, Ontario, is founded by Ed Bibby and produces soil pipes and soil pipe fittings for plumbing in buildings.

1939 to 1945
Fonderie-Ste-Croix slowly gets into the soil pipe market, and mass production begins in 1947.

1962
An unfortunate fire completely destroyed the Laperle Foundry. The Laperle family rebuilt their foundry and since then, their company has experienced a considerable boom with their products being sold throughout the provinces of Quebec, Ontario and the Maritimes.

1965
Purchasing and installation of the first centrifugal machine.
The Spomatic is purchased and installed. This machine replaced the molding lines called "squeezers".

1969
Ste-Croix bought the presses from another automated green sand casting machine, the Osborn. This machine alloys the foundry to dispose of the permanent two-part molds which closed using hydraulic cylinders.

1970
Ste-Croix Foundry is completely destroyed by a fire. The provincial government awards a grant, which permitted the reconstruction of the foundry, maintaining the 145 worker's jobs at the plant.

1971
Ste-Croix celebrates its 50th anniversary.

1974
First double centrifugal machine producing two pipe lengths per production cycle is built.

1977
Bibby Foundry purchases Fonderie-Ste-Croix, and the company is called Bibby-Ste-Croix Foundries.
Installation of the Disamatic, a high-tech, green sand molding machine purchased in Denmark.

1980
Installation of a dust collector on the cupola chimney. The first foundry in Canada to have installed such equipment.

1982
A Vancouver, B.C. businessman purchases Bibby-Ste-Croix.

1985
Foundry Laperle located in St-Ours, Quebec, becomes part of the Bibby-Ste-Croix group and primarily produces street castings.

1990
Fonderie Grand-Mère becomes a member of the Bibby-Ste-Croix group. Its main products are waterworks fittings and street castings. Operations cease at this plant in 2003.

1997
Bibby-Ste-Croix is purchased and becomes a division of Canada Pipe Co. Ltd., a company owned by McWane, Inc., located in Birmingham, Alabama. Major investments are made to modernize the Bibby-Ste-Croix plant.

2000
A multitude of expansions brings the surface area of the plant to 38,212 m² (123,367 ft²) on a land area of 190,755 m² (625,836 ft²).

2001
Bibby-Ste-Croix purchases two new low-frequency induction furnaces each with a 15-ton hearth. These furnaces allow the production of several grades of cast iron.

2002
Bibby-Ste-Croix adds a new chemical molding system to produce a broader range of products.

2003
The installation of a no bake sand molding line requires another expansion of 2,133 m² (7,000 ft²)

2007
Beginning of a partnership with Entraide Sainte-Croix, an organization that helps and support individuals and families temporarily in need.
Implantation of a new ERP System - NAVISION

2009
OHSAS-18001 - Occupational Health & Assessment Series.

2010
Addition of a release agent (wollastonite) to expand life of 4" molds.

2011
Bibby-Ste-Croix 90th Anniversary - September 10th, Foundry open door and families party
December - Wade specification drainage launch

2012
Construction of the Centrifugal Machine no. 5

2013
Implementation of a recognition program for Bibby-Ste-Croix and Laperle team members.

2014
New house product: Detectable Warning Plates for the visually impaired.
Stabiloc System: Superior locking manhole system providing secure utilities access.
Update of our ERP System - NAV
ISO18001:2004 - Management of Environment - Re-Certification from the registered firm BNQ
Addition and replacement of air make-up for sand system
Core wire treatment for spherordizing and inoculating ductile iron
New cupola and dehumidification process at Bibby-Ste-Croix

2015
OHSAS-18001:2007 - Management of Health & Safety at work - Re-Certification from the registered firm BNQ
A bench is created at Laperle capable of measuring the hydraulic capacity of our products
At Laperle, replacement of the cupola by two induction furnaces and construction of a new building to accept the new furnaces.
Project confirmed to replace our Disamatic molding machine at Ste-Croix after 45 years in operation

2016
Implementation of an archiving solution to scan and store documents electronically.
Our new Disamatic molding machine starts its production in August.
Redevelopment of the finishing department, which includes three phases:
a)  Study and optimization of the displacement of parts through various grinding and machining sectors;
b)  Replacement of the two vertical borings;
c)  Installation of a robotic unit.
Bibby-Ste-Croix 95th Anniversary - September 10th, families party