French foam insulation maker Soprema building Quebec manufacturing plant

French foam insulation maker Soprema Group is building a new plant in Sherbrooke, Que., that will produce extruded polystyrene insulation panels and create 56 new jobs.

The governments of Quebec and Canada have granted a total of $8.5 million in financial assistance for the plant, which has a total investment value of $42 million.

Founded in 1908 in Strasbourg, France, Soprema specializes in the production of waterproofing, insulation, soundproofing and revegetation products for the construction and civil engineering sectors. Its North American head office and research centre are located in Drummondville, Que. Other manufacturing locations – all located in Quebec – are in Quebec City, Richmond, and Drummondville.

“This is the first plant in North America to manufacture extruded polystyrene panels, and we are proud that the company has chosen Quebec, and the Estrie region, to carry out this major project,” Dominique Anglade, Minister of the Economy, Science and Innovation and Minister Responsible for the Digital Strategy, said in a statement. “The initiative will have positive economic benefits, specifically as part of exports and job creation, and as concerns the global reach of Quebec’s expertise in the production of insulation products.”

In 2014, Soprema acquired Topox-Foam SL, a specialist in EPS insulation based in Vallmoll, Spain.