History

Solarium de Paris, an idea that grew out of the 1998 ice storm ?

In 1998, the year of the famous ice storm, the founder of Solarium de Paris, Mr. Jean St-Amour, headed a construction firm named Paris Construction inc. That firm specialized in renovations following disasters and dealt primarily with major insurance companies such as Allstate of Canada. The ice storm was a major disaster for Quebec but a revelation for Mr. St-Amour. In the very middle of the disaster, the news reported the collapse of pools, house roofs and solariums. Conclusion: no rigid surface had withstood the ice. That observation reminded Mr. St-Amour about La Fontaine�s fable, �The Oak and the Reed�, which commented on the reality of the uprooted oak that could not withstand the wind.

At that time, he came up with the idea of finding a material that was more solid than glass yet flexible, like the reed in the fable. It had to be able to withstand the wind, and bear up under the weight of snow, another essential factor. Yet, could the ability to bend go hand in hand with the ability to withstand tearing ?

Jean St-Amour did a great deal of research into materials and one in particular caught his attention: a space-age material used by NASA which had proven to be light, yet resistant. A unique formulation, a new type of vinyl called polymer, combined resistance to the cold, elasticity, memory and light weight. The first step in creating our solarium was taken.

Once this polymer film was combined with an aluminum structure, the product was patented and marketed. The Solarium de Paris polymer solarium is unique in the world. It was invented and manufactured in Quebec. The first solarium was launched on the Quebec market in January 1999. Today, after 10 years of operation, it has brought pleasure to more than 25,000 families in Quebec, France and the United States.

Here are a few important dates :

1998 :	Purchase of premises in which to start mass production of the polymer solariums.
2002 :	Solarium de Paris builds a plant with an area greater than 30,000 sq. ft. in Terrebonne.
2004 :	Solarium de Paris adds a section with an area of 6500 sq. ft. to its existing plant.
2005 :	Solarium de Paris adds a new section with an area of 18,000 sq. ft. to store all the solariums ordered.
2006 :	Solarium de Paris acquires a polymer extruder to improve the quality of its polymer.
2007 :	Once again, Solarium de Paris expands its aluminum warehouse by more than 40,000 sq. ft.