35 Years of History, Passion and Vision, Driven by Our Team
At a time when the average lifespan of a business is often limited, celebrating a 35th anniversary
represents much more than a simple milestone. For CDL, this anniversary is closely tied to the journeys
of the people who, over the years, have helped build the company we know today.
To revisit our history and look toward the future, I had the opportunity to speak
with two colleagues who embody this continuity: Vallier Chabot, General
Manager and co-owner of CDL, and Serge Tanguay, Executive Director of Business Development. Both have accumulatedmore than 30 years of experience withinthe organization.
GROWING ALONGSIDE THE COMPANY
An engineer by training, Vallier Chabot joined the family business in 1995, when CDL acquired Évaporateurs Dallaire in the
Beauce region.
“My father had strongly suggested that I continue my studies in English and when I say strongly suggested, he had already
enrolled me!” he recalls with a laugh. “Our father always encouraged us to develop
our skills. Among the most important values our parents instilled in us was the importance of learning other languages.”
Tasked with managing this new division, Vallier took his first steps as a manager. Over the years, he held the positions of
Plant Manager and Sales Director before becoming General Manager, a role he continues to hold today.
“Deep down, I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur. I therefore made the conscious decision to become involved
the family business.”
Today, he also serves as General Manager of PRESTIGE Maple products, acquired in February 2024, and as Chair of the Board
of Directors of CDL Corporate Group.
Despite his many responsibilities, Vallier remains deeply rooted in the maple industry. Together with his brothers, Martin
and Marc-André, and their parents, he operates nearly 80,000 taps each spring.
“I often say that I am a maple producer on my iPhone and iPad!” he jokes. The family sugarbush also regularly serves
as a testing ground for new technologies developed by CDL. “Before offering a technology to our customers, we like to
test it ourselves so that we fully understand its benefits, as well as the challenges that may come with implementing it.”
FROM SWEEPING FLOORS TO
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
Serge Tanguay’s journey is equally inspiring.
Originally from the Beauce region, heremembers his early days with humour:
“I arrived at the Beauce plant on a fourwheeler.” I was a darn good floor sweeper!”
On February 16, 1996, he joined Évaporateurs Dallaire as a student responsible for building maintenance.
After studying mechanical engineering technology, he hoped to join the drafting team. Since all the positions had already
been filled, he instead spent two years welding equipment on the production floor.
This experience allowed him to develop an in-depth understanding of the products and manufacturing processes, knowledge
that would prove invaluable throughout his career.
Over the years, Serge moved from purchasing to continuous improvement and eventually became Plant Manager. His
career would later intersect with one of the most significant events in CDL’s history:
the fire at the Beauce plant in March 2009. “We had to redesign the plant layout,
integrate new machinery and restart production within only a few months,” he
recalls.
The challenge was enormous. In six months, the team had to produce nearly
what would normally have required a full year of work.
“We introduced both day and night shifts. After several months at that pace, I remember falling asleep at my desk at
2:30 in the morning.”
This period clearly illustrates the resilience and adaptability of CDL’s teams.
Today, Serge leads business development. The year 2012 also marked an important
turning point in his life. As he became a father, he purchased La Coulée d’Élixir, a 35,000-tap sugarbush located in Marsoui,
in the Gaspé Peninsula.
This personal project quickly became much more than a maple operation. It became a true development laboratory
for CDL. The challenges created by the distance pushed him to rethink traditional methods and imagine new ways to
monitor, control and optimize operations.
Fourteen seasons later, the sugarbush has grown to nearly 90,000 taps and continues
to play a key role in the development of CDL’s equipment and software. It is a
concrete example of how the best ideas often take root in real needs experienced directly in the field.
A VISION FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE
While the past 35 years have been marked by innovation, Vallier and Serge believe the greatest innovations are still to come.
“Serge is a true leader,” Vallier says. “Automation was not part of our reality or our generation, but he continued to believe
in it and push it forward. If Serge had not been there, we would not be where we are today.”
For both leaders, innovation remains at the heart of CDL’s DNA. Artificial intelligence, automation and emerging technologies
all represent opportunities to advance the industry while simplifying the work of maple producers.
“Even though we have made significant progress, we are still at the beginning of
something with tremendous potential,” Serge believes. “We are planting the seeds of the next maple industry revolution.”
However, this vision extends far beyond technology. Both share the same commitment: to keep maple production
accessible and encourage new generations of producers to enter the industry.
“Maple production is one of the few industries where it is still possible to startfrom nothing,” Vallier points out. “We need
to protect that reality.”
Serge adds, “Once you experience the maple industry, whether you have five taps or 50,000, you discover a passion.”
A STORY THAT CONTINUES
Behind every innovation, acquisition and major milestone of the past 35 years are passionate women and men.
Today, nearly 500 employees across North America are helping to write CDL’s story and prepare the next chapters of
this entrepreneurial journey.
After 35 years of history, one thing remains unchanged: the desire to movethe industry forward while ensuring that
everyone, customers and employees alike, can find their place within it.
