A Short History of Loucon Metal Limited
John McAdam
|
Trudel & McAdam Limited was incorporated in 1902 in Ottawa as a metal fabrication company, initially servicing the needs of the lumber trade as a
manufacturer of various tools and equipment. Soon, with the introduction of
motorcars, it was specializing in automotive springs and then its focus changed to the business of architectural metals fabricator. The first shop was located on Sparks Street, then relocated to Laurier Ave. near Kent St. through the first half of the 20th century. Finally, in 1961, the company moved to Grenfell Crescent in Nepean.
Napoleon Trudel |
Loucon Metal Limited was incorporated in December of 1966 when Robert S.
Armstrong, the owner of Trudel & McAdam Limited, teamed with his friend,
Robert Stinson, to form a metal warehousing company.
Sparks St. ca. 1902-1910 |
Armstrong had the idea to form the company when he noticed that more and
more people were appearing at the Trudel & McAdam fabrication shop looking
for pieces of raw material. Armstrong and Stinson named the new company
after their wives, Louise Gertrude (Gert) Armstrong and Constance (Connie)
Stinson.
Kent St. location ca. 1910-20 |
The front half of the warehouse was completed in 1966 and then its size was
doubled in 1972 when the company invested in a 12-foot Cincinnati plate
shear. The company continued to operate and build on its industry ties in
the Ottawa area. In 1992 Stinson retired and was bought out by Armstrong.
In 1993 the company purchased a twelve-foot, 250-ton press brake and began
to focus solely on the pre-processing services that we still offer today. A
good portion of our business now involves plate and sheet shearing and forming.
In 1998, Armstrong retired and the company was bought by employee Ken
Glover. Loucon Metal Ltd. continues to adopt changes that enhance our
ability to serve our customers. Most recently, in 2004, the company adopted
business system software that is tailored specifically to the metal service
centre industry. This system allows us to better track our inventory and
manage our business. The company today continues to focus on the supply of
raw materials and to provide value-added services to our customers.
Kent St. ca. 1920's |
|
