In 2007, MSE formed MSE Drilling and
Grouting, an Ontario-based company
serving Toronto and Western Canada.
In 2013, MSE Group bought ICANDA
Corporation from Laval, Que., a company
specializing in foundation work,
retaining walls and driven piles.
In 2016, MSE Group bought Solfix
from Chicoutimi, Que., a company specializing
in foundation work, retaining
walls and driven piles.
Today, MSE Group has 105
employees.
“Last year, we brought in $40 million
in revenue. That’s not bad for what
started as a small company in a very
small market in Quebec. I’m very proud
of our history,” said Marco.
The PRECO story
PRECO-MSE vice-president David
Théorêt also brings an esteemed family
business to the merger. His grandfather,
Jean-Guy Théorêt, founded Roxboro
Excavation Inc. in 1972 in Montreal’s
West Island. He and his five sons went
on to grow the business to become one
of the biggest excavation companies in
Quebec today, with 700 employees and
$200 million in annual revenue.
They founded PRECO Foundations
four years ago, specializing in the design
and execution of deep foundations,
underpinning and repairs, installing
piles, anchors and retaining walls.
Like MSE Group, Roxboro also
owns a number of other companies
in the equipment and maintenance,
real estate, roofing and soil rehabilitation
and remediation industries. The
company is in the midst of transitioning
from a second to third-generation
operation as the sons and daughters
take over for their fathers, the original
five sons who helped grow the business
to what it is today.
When two companies
come together
As PRECO-MSE, the two companies
are equipped to provide a full range of
services, from piling to excavation to
soil remediation to drilling and installing
rock anchors.
“Now we can offer a turnkey solution.
Customers can decide to hire us
for an entire project or just certain
components,” said Marco.
Altogether, PRECO-MSE has 165
dedicated employees and is a $50-
million-plus company. MSE Group
brings 105 employees; PRECO brought
60. MSE employees will focus mainly
on engineering, management and
operation of the foundation work and
Roxboro staff will take care of equipment
maintenance and transportation,
IT, HR and legal matters.
To start, PRECO-MSE headquarters
is in Lachine, Que. By summer 2018,
they hope to have found a central location
where a large shop and office space
will be their more permanent home.
The new company expects to be
involved in industrial, commercial,
institutional (ICI) and civil work
and looks forward to bidding on big
projects such as condominium buildings,
overpasses and bridges. Marco
already has his sights set on the REM
train project in Montreal, a public
transportation initiative purportedly
worth $5 to $6 billion. Roxboro
Excavation is already involved in the
bidding process of that big project
with its partners.
“As PRECO-MSE, we now have triple
and quadruple the capacity for foundation
work than we had before. We bring
a lot to the table – opening doors for
our business but also the industry. The
future is bright!” said Marco.
Building infrastructure from the
“Ground up” for over 50 years
Heavy Construction
Building Construction
Restoration Repair
• Highways
• Bridges
• Wells/ Geothermals
• Dams
• Tunnels
• Mines
708-354-7112 www.chemgrout.com
COMPANY PROFILE
“Now we can offer a
turnkey solution.
Customers can decide
to hire us for an entire
project or just certain
components.”
– Marco Lessard, PRECO-MSE
58 Q4 2017 www.pilingcanada.ca
/www.chemgrout.com
/www.pilingcanada.ca
