RIVIERE-DU-LOUP, Que. — An increasingly bigger player in the Rivire-du-Loup (Quebec) trucking industry, Transport F. Roussel has just invested more than $500,000 in its North American expansion efforts.

Less than three years after a major expansion in the town of Saint-Antonin, Transport F. Roussel is now located in its new building at 141 rue Louis-Philippe-Lebrun in the Rivire-du-Loup industrial park. The company has also purchased a new truck and three additional trailers, in addition to signing contracts with two new independent carriers (owner operators). These make up the core investments made in recent months.

The new Transport F. Roussel head office is the keystone of the companys growth strategy. Covering 7,250 square feet, it houses the administrative offices, the dispatch center, multipurpose rooms and drivers facilities, as well as a maintenance and repair shop. With 90,000 square feet of driveways and parking lots, there is ample space to simultaneously handle the companys fleet of nine trucks and eleven trailers.

Since its foundation in 1999, Transport F. Roussel has experienced remarkable success in this highly competitive sector. Neither the weak Canadian dollar nor the skyrocketing price of gas could halt the growth of this company, active in Quebec, New Brunswick, Ontario and the USA.

According to CEO Franois Roussel: “We started small, with just one truck. But high demand quickly fueled our expansion in 2001 and the negotiation of contracts with independent carriers (owner/operators) in 2002 in order to meet our commitments more effectively. In just six years, we have already gone through five truck and trailer acquisition phases and two moves to better meet our needs and those of our customers. Our most recent investments should allow us to consolidate our position and pursue our penetration of the North American market.”

Specializing in flatbed trucking, Transport F. Roussel currently employs nine drivers, two heavy vehicle mechanics, one maintenance worker, and four office and dispatch staff. Through its subsidiary, F. Roussel Transit, acting as a carrier broker since 2004, it also provides work to nine independent carriers (owner operators).