For Eric Lemire, a passion for the iron trade ignited early. When his previous employer closed its structural steel division in 1991, Eric and his partner, Sylvie Lemire, saw an opportunity.
Armed with ambition and determination, they founded Lemire Inc., a company that, alongside its talented team, has spent the last three decades shaping some of Ottawa’s most recognizable landmarks.
“Looking at the landscape we have helped build, it’s incredible to see what we have accomplished over the last 35 years. Our proudest achievement is the growth of our team,” says Eric.
Forging a reputation through hard economic times
The early 1990s brought economic hardship, scarce contracts and fierce competition. At that time the company took on any job available, focusing relentlessly on building a trusted reputation for quality, speed and reliability.
“Those were tough, lean years,” notes Sylvie, whose finance background proved invaluable as Lemire grew.
It wasn’t long, however, until business picked up. To meet rapidly growing demand, Lemire signed a union agreement in 1995 with the Ironworkers Local 765. The company had just secured its first big project to install miscellaneous steel at the Corel Center, and not long after landed another contract to install temporary structural steel around the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill.
Since then, Lemire’s mantra has remained clear: The company is “Determined to move higher.”
Mastering diversified projects, tight schedules and innovation
As the business grew, Lemire’s diverse and innovative teams enabled them to take on multiple complex projects, such as large scale distribution centers, prefabricated Murox buildings, Novum Wall systems, and ornamental projects while keeping safety at the forefront. It has been entrusted with historical buildings including the Peace Tower, Library of Parliament, East Block and West Block on Parliament, the Canadian Museum of Nature, and the Bank of Canada Building. More recently, it has been involved in the current Centre Block renovations on Parliament Hill – one of Lemire’s biggest accomplishments in the National Capital Region.
The trust Lemire has cultivated with clients and general contractors has enabled it to execute other great projects such as Amazon distribution centers, the Shaw Center’s massive glass facade, the National Arts Centre, Lansdowne Park, Ādisōke Ottawa Public Library, and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa.
Planning for the future with refreshed leadership
Thirty-five years in business brings both reflection and transition as the company plans for the future.
As Eric and Sylvie transition the company’s operations to the next generation, they continue to provide management and mentorship where required, while Mélissa Lemire oversees day-to-day operations as general manager.
“By modernizing our core operations and leveraging technologies, I look forward to empowering our team at Lemire to take on new complex projects that drive innovation,” says Mélissa.
With new leadership in place, Lemire’s long-term plan remains straightforward. The company is locked in on executing major structural projects, and determined to move higher.
