Our story
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(Source : Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec)
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(Source : Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec)
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M.J.R. Vigneault
JRV: Four Generations of Bold Entrepreneurship
Founded in 1946 by Joseph-Rosario Vigneault, JRV is the oldest company to emerge from the Côte-Nord region, and its history embodies the industrial boldness of Eastern Canada. Starting out as a simple retail hardware store, we seized the opportunity offered by the arrival of the mining companies in the 1950s to transform ourselves into a pillar of industrial distribution.
Our history, shaped by four generations of family leadership, demonstrates our ability to innovate and adapt to the challenges of the industry. Today, under the leadership of Daniel Larouche, the founder's great-grandson, JRV continues to reinvent itself, combining its Eastern Canadian heritage with a resolutely future-oriented vision.
75 Years of History - Key Moments
| 1946 | Foundation of JRV - Joseph-Rosario Vigneault founds the company. |
| 1952 | Strategic shift - The arrival of mining companies on the Côte-Nord opens up new opportunities for JRV. |
| 1990 | Local expansion - JRV expands its premises to support its growth and initiate its shift towards industrial distribution. |
| 1991 | First acquisition - JRV expands its regional presence by acquiring the Port-Cartier branch. |
| 1996 | Interprovincial expansion - The Labrador City branch opens, marking JRV's entry into Newfoundland and Labrador. |
| 1998 | Regional reinforcement - JRV continues its expansion on the Côte-Nord with the opening of the Havre-Saint-Pierre branch. |
| 2000 | Major consolidation - All branches merge under the single banner of Distributions J.R.V. Inc. |
| 2007 | Strategic expansion - JRV extends its geographical reach with the acquisition of the Sorel-Tracy branch. |
| 2009 | New era - Daniel Larouche, representing the 4thᵉ generation, assumes the presidency of the family business. |
| 2011 | Corporate structure - The head office is set up and a management team is put in place. |
| 2015 | Technological shift - JRV is making major investments in technology to modernize its operations. |
| 2019 | Operational optimization - Sept-Îles and Port-Cartier operations are merged into a major distribution centre in Sept-Îles. |
| 2020 | Digital transformation - JRV undertakes a major technological migration. |
| 2024 | Brand update and digital expansion - JRV unveils its new brand image, inaugurates its e-commerce platform and enhances its digital services offering. |
Logo Evolution
Over the decades, our logo has followed the evolution of JRV, reflecting our corporate values, our team and our objectives.
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1993
The first version of JRV's “Magasin de fer” logo, inspired by a work of art in the town of Sept-Îles, where our story began.
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2000
The logo was redesigned with more refined contours. The “Magasin de fer” designation has been replaced by “Distribution”.
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2013
The logo is modernized with a blue background and the mention of the website URL.
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2019
The logo has been simplified and streamlined, reflecting our vision of growth and our leading position in distribution.
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2024
The logo has been updated with the addition of green to our historic blue, symbolizing our leadership and growth in industrial distribution.
