Canplex Turns 25 - Chapter 1: From the Factory to Entrepreneurship: Lorenzo's Early Years

Discovering a Career That Becomes a Passion

Certaines personnes trouvent leur vocation très tôt. Pour Lorenzo, cette révélation se produit lorsqu’il découvre le monde du plastique. Ce qui le séduit immédiatement, c’est le caractère créatif du métier. Contrairement à ce que plusieurs pourraient penser, l’extrusion n’est pas simplement une question de machines et de production. C’est un domaine où l’expérience, l’observation et l’imagination jouent un rôle essentiel. « J’ai aimé le métier parce que c’est un métier imaginatif », explique-t-il. Chaque produit représente un nouveau défi. Chaque profilé demande des ajustements, des essais et une compréhension fine de la matière.

Over the years, Lorenzo has developed real expertise. But above all, he has come to believe that when you believe in your ideas and are willing to work hard, it’s possible to build something of your own.

The First Big Leap into Entrepreneurship

This conviction eventually led to an important decision. Together with four partners, Lorenzo helped found his first company.
Like many entrepreneurs who start their projects from scratch, the early days were far from easy. Resources were limited. The risks were high. The days were long. To keep the company moving forward, the founders made a decision that speaks volumes about their level of commitment: they chose not to pay themselves a salary “We didn’t even pay ourselves a salary.”

Available funds are reinvested in the company’s growth. Every dollar counts. Even today, this reality reminds us of a value that remains at the heart of our organization: nothing can replace hard work, perseverance, and the determination to build something lasting.

The Success of the 1980s

The following years brought their share of opportunities. In 1982, a major boom in vertical blinds created strong market demand. The company was well-positioned to meet this need and experienced a period of significant growth. The success was such that in 1986, a competitor acquired the company. For many people, this step might have marked the end of the entrepreneurial journey. For Lorenzo, it was just a new beginning.

A return to his roots in 1993.

His passion for plastics never left him. In 1993, Lorenzo returned to the industry with a new company: Profitplast.

Once again, he put his experience to work in the development of extruded products and continued on his entrepreneurial journey. As is often the case with growing companies, challenges were plentiful. Relationships among partners became more complex, and another transition was necessary. Profitplast was eventually sold. But despite the changes, one thing remained constant: the desire to continue creating, innovating, and passing on his expertise.

That determination would soon pave the way for a new, much more personal chapter.

A Father-Son Adventure

In the late 1990s, as Lorenzo continued his career, his son Marco began to think about his future. One day, he shared an idea with his father that would change everything. He wanted to start his own business. Better yet, he wanted to build it with his father. For Lorenzo, this proposal represented much more than a business opportunity. It represented the chance to pass on decades of experience to the next generation.

And so, in 2000, the journey that would lead to the founding of Canplex began.
From the very start, our company has been built on a unique combination: the experience gained over several decades and the energy of a new generation ready to write its own story.

Building Canplex, One Profile at a Time

When we launched Canplex in Mascouche, our goal was simple: to put our expertise in extrusion to work for local manufacturers. We wanted to offer reliable solutions, develop lasting relationships with our customers, and build a company we could be proud of. Over the years, we have expanded our expertise in the extrusion of PVC, TPV, and other extruded polymers.

Today, our profiles are used in a wide range of commercial and industrial applications, particularly in the door and window, swimming pool, and several other specialized markets. But beyond the products we manufacture, it is above all the relationships we have built that define our journey.

More than twenty-five years after Canplex was founded, many of our clients have placed their trust in us for many years. For us, this loyalty is the greatest recognition of our work.

The values that still guide us today

When we look back at our history, we realize that some things have changed a great deal.

• Equipment has evolved.
• Technology has advanced.
• The markets have changed.
• But the values that guided Lorenzo when he arrived in Quebec in 1960 are still alive and well at Canplex.
• Curiosity.
• Initiative.
• Perseverance.
• And above all, a passion for the craft.

A quote from Lorenzo perfectly sums up this mindset:
“It’s an initiative—either you have it, or you don’t.”
This philosophy continues to shape the way we work today.
We approach every new project with the same desire to find the best solution. We welcome every new client with the same commitment to long-term collaboration. And every new challenge represents an opportunity to continue learning and improving.

A story that continues to unfold

Since our founding in 2000, we’ve come a long way. But we believe our story is still being written.

Every profile we produce, every project we undertake, and every partnership we develop contributes to the continuation of this family adventure that began more than 65 years ago, when a 17-and-a-half-year-old Italian boy decided to cross the ocean to build his future in Quebec.

Today, that same drive to build, create, and innovate continues to inspire our team. And it is with this pride that we carry on the Canplex journey, one project at a time.