Investing in Growth & Innovation
SP to acquire and develop a new state of the art production facility in St-Hyacinthe
- Major $20-Million Investment Will Drive Growth In the United States and Europe
SP, one of the most trusted names in custom sports apparel is investing $20 million to acquire a new production facility in St-Hyacinthe. As a result, the company will be able to satisfy demand for its high-quality athletic apparel.
"With this substantial investment, we will be able to further expand our presence, especially in the United States and Europe, and move forward with high-profile projects that will strengthen our leadership in this rapidly expanding sector," said Steve Bérard, owner and CEO of SP. “We will also leverage this opportunity to accelerate our transition to industry 4.0 by introducing cutting-edge technologies and manufacturing equipment that integrates digital tools in order to improve productivity and efficiency.”
"With this substantial investment, we will be able to further expand our presence, especially in the United States and Europe, and move forward with high-profile projects that will strengthen our leadership in this rapidly expanding sector," said Steve Bérard, owner and CEO of SP. “We will also leverage this opportunity to accelerate our transition to industry 4.0 by introducing cutting-edge technologies and manufacturing equipment that integrates digital tools in order to improve productivity and efficiency.”
The company, which already owns a plant on Avenue Hubert in St-Hyacinthe, plans to launch production activities at its new establishment, located at 6935 Rue Picard beside Highway 20, in the fall of 2022. The process of transferring activities from one plant to the other is scheduled to end in early 2023, once renovation work has been completed.
This announcement will lead to the creation of 40 new manufacturing jobs. SP currently employs 260 workers at its three facilities, located in St-Hyacinthe, Granby and Val-des-Sources.
An Ultra-Modern Manufacturing Environment
In the coming months, SP will focus its efforts on bringing its new facility up to the required standards and setting up its production shop. Spaces for office personnel will also be constructed. The new building, which occupies 115,000 square feet, will offer 65% more space—an essential asset for a company that’s expanding rapidly.
“We have big ambitions for this new plant. The move will enable us to update our automation and robotization strategy in order to significantly improve our long-term capacity for production and innovation, as well as optimizing the processing of our products,” stated Daniel Goyette, Director of Operations.
SP will leverage its new space to reinvent the traditional plant concept. “We’ve decided to create an exceptional work and living environment linked to the needs of our employees. The new facility will have more windows, relaxation areas, several patios and a community garden. We have other initiatives planned to make our environment inviting and unique. We care about the well-being of our people, and we are taking the steps needed to retain our employees and attract new talent. Our growth depends on having a strong, passionate, fully engaged team,” explained Tania Berlinguette, Director, Strategic Development and Culture.
The design of the new site was entrusted to architect Éric Champagne and the firm EXA Design. The work will be carried out by general contractor NGA Construction.
The announcement reflects the success of this family business, which has carved out a prominent place in the world of sports. The company's remarkable growth can be attributed to the expertise it has in developing and manufacturing high-quality technical clothing. Many of the world's biggest teams, including the Montreal Canadiens, wear uniforms made in Canada by SP.
Major Initiatives Driving Growth
“After two years of upheaval, we are emerging from this turbulent time stronger than ever. Given the success of our collaboration with Nike at the 2022 Winter Olympics and the launch of the NHL’s new uniforms, manufactured with Adidas from recycled materials, this is the ideal moment to undertake major strategic projects with our future in mind,” noted Bérard.
Passion for sports and business is part of Steve Bérard’s DNA. He took over the reins of the family company in 2018 to continue the work begun by his father. “Today’s announcement brings us another step closer to achieving our vision, which is to be recognized as North America’s leading maker of hockey uniforms. The support of Investissement Québec, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), Desjardins Business, the Business Development Bank of Canada (DBC) and Desjardins Capital for this project is essential to maintaining our competitiveness at the international level. I thank them for their invaluable support,” remarked Bérard.
“Our team based in the Montérégie is proud to contribute to SP’s major growth initiative by providing a $5-million loan from our own funds. For almost 25 years, this family business has distinguished itself in a highly competitive global market by leveraging R&D, innovation and customized service. In St-Hyacinthe, as in all regions of Quebec, our experts have the financing and support tools needed to assist entrepreneurs seeking to grow their business in Quebec and abroad,” said Guy Leblanc, president and CEO, Investissement Québec.
“Our government is proud to support SP by granting it $2 million to enable it enhance its productivity and increase its production capacity. Helping businesses grow and innovate so they can create good-quality jobs is a core priority for us. That is why we are providing assistance to this manufacturing business, which generates significant economic spin-offs for the Montérégie region, as well as the entire Canadian economy,” indicated the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Member of Parliament for Brome–Missisquoi, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for CED.
This announcement will lead to the creation of 40 new manufacturing jobs. SP currently employs 260 workers at its three facilities, located in St-Hyacinthe, Granby and Val-des-Sources.
An Ultra-Modern Manufacturing Environment
In the coming months, SP will focus its efforts on bringing its new facility up to the required standards and setting up its production shop. Spaces for office personnel will also be constructed. The new building, which occupies 115,000 square feet, will offer 65% more space—an essential asset for a company that’s expanding rapidly.
“We have big ambitions for this new plant. The move will enable us to update our automation and robotization strategy in order to significantly improve our long-term capacity for production and innovation, as well as optimizing the processing of our products,” stated Daniel Goyette, Director of Operations.
SP will leverage its new space to reinvent the traditional plant concept. “We’ve decided to create an exceptional work and living environment linked to the needs of our employees. The new facility will have more windows, relaxation areas, several patios and a community garden. We have other initiatives planned to make our environment inviting and unique. We care about the well-being of our people, and we are taking the steps needed to retain our employees and attract new talent. Our growth depends on having a strong, passionate, fully engaged team,” explained Tania Berlinguette, Director, Strategic Development and Culture.
The design of the new site was entrusted to architect Éric Champagne and the firm EXA Design. The work will be carried out by general contractor NGA Construction.
The announcement reflects the success of this family business, which has carved out a prominent place in the world of sports. The company's remarkable growth can be attributed to the expertise it has in developing and manufacturing high-quality technical clothing. Many of the world's biggest teams, including the Montreal Canadiens, wear uniforms made in Canada by SP.
Major Initiatives Driving Growth
“After two years of upheaval, we are emerging from this turbulent time stronger than ever. Given the success of our collaboration with Nike at the 2022 Winter Olympics and the launch of the NHL’s new uniforms, manufactured with Adidas from recycled materials, this is the ideal moment to undertake major strategic projects with our future in mind,” noted Bérard.
Passion for sports and business is part of Steve Bérard’s DNA. He took over the reins of the family company in 2018 to continue the work begun by his father. “Today’s announcement brings us another step closer to achieving our vision, which is to be recognized as North America’s leading maker of hockey uniforms. The support of Investissement Québec, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), Desjardins Business, the Business Development Bank of Canada (DBC) and Desjardins Capital for this project is essential to maintaining our competitiveness at the international level. I thank them for their invaluable support,” remarked Bérard.
“Our team based in the Montérégie is proud to contribute to SP’s major growth initiative by providing a $5-million loan from our own funds. For almost 25 years, this family business has distinguished itself in a highly competitive global market by leveraging R&D, innovation and customized service. In St-Hyacinthe, as in all regions of Quebec, our experts have the financing and support tools needed to assist entrepreneurs seeking to grow their business in Quebec and abroad,” said Guy Leblanc, president and CEO, Investissement Québec.
“Our government is proud to support SP by granting it $2 million to enable it enhance its productivity and increase its production capacity. Helping businesses grow and innovate so they can create good-quality jobs is a core priority for us. That is why we are providing assistance to this manufacturing business, which generates significant economic spin-offs for the Montérégie region, as well as the entire Canadian economy,” indicated the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Member of Parliament for Brome–Missisquoi, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for CED.
About SP
Founded in 1999, SP Apparel is the most trusted name in custom sports apparel. Our uniforms are worn by thousands of professional and amateur teams of every size and sport across the globe, including all 32 NHL teams and the Olympic ice hockey teams of every nation.
Located in Granby and St-Hyacinthe Quebec, SP Apparel currently occupies more than 180,000 square feet and has a total annual production capacity of approximately 1,000,000 units (jerseys, socks, shells, pants, bags).
A total of 260 employees contribute to the success of our company, and our clients include some of the most important brands in the industry such as Nike, Adidas, CCM and Bauer amongst others.