Equipement St-Germain, with the participation of Fondaction, has acquired heavy-equipment rental business operator Location Alary, giving the purchaser three new locations spanning Greater Montreal and Brockville, Ont.

The acquisition of the Terrebonne, Que.-based company expands Equipement St-Germain’s fleet to nearly 740 units and strengthens its position as one of the largest independent heavy-equipment rental operators in Quebec and Eastern Ontario.

Location Alary, founded in 1971, has operated for more than 50 years on Montreal’s North Shore, providing heavy-equipment rentals with and without operators. Its fleet of more than 175 machines complements Equipement St-Germain’s existing operations and adds operated-rental services to the company’s offering.

Equipement St-Germain falls under the ownership umbrella of private-equity investor Champlain Financial Corporation. Equipement St-Germain said the combined business now operates from three Quebec locations — Sainte-Julie, Terrebonne and Levis — as well as Brockville through sister company KD Construction.

“This transaction is part of Champlain’s strategy to build the largest independent heavy equipment rental platform in Eastern Canada,” said Terry Enepekides, partner at Champlain and chairman of the board of Equipement St-Germain. “Given the scale of the platform, our clients will benefit from a broader range of equipment, an enhanced service offering and stronger expertise, in both Quebec and Ontario,”

Steve Viau, general manager of Equipement St-Germain, indicated that the company has retained all Location Alary employees.

Location Alary was acquired by Groupe JMV in 2020 and expanded its fleet threefold while participating in major infrastructure projects across the Greater Montreal area, said Equipement St.-Germain.

“When we acquired Location Alary in 2020, we saw a solid company with exceptional potential,” said Vincent Boulay, president of Groupe JMV. “Six years later, with a fleet three times as large and a presence on all the major job sites in the Greater Montreal area, that vision has come to fruition beyond our expectations,

“We owe this success first and foremost to Location Alary’s employees, whose commitment and know-how have driven this growth day after day. We are confident that we have chosen the ideal buyer to propel the company into its next phase of development.”

Equipement St-Germain is one of the largest independent heavy-equipment rental companies in Quebec and Eastern Ontario, serving the construction, infrastructure, civil engineering, mining, energy and forestry sectors through locations in Quebec and Ontario.

Location Alary is a Quebec-based heavy-equipment rental company serving the construction and infrastructure sectors, with a fleet operating on major projects throughout the Greater Montreal Area.

Champlain Financial Corporation is a Canadian private-equity firm that invests in and helps grow small and medium-sized businesses through long-term partnerships and operational support.

Fondaction is a Quebec-based labour-sponsored investment fund with more than $4.5 billion in net assets that finances businesses and projects focused on sustainable economic growth, job creation and positive social and environmental outcomes.

Pictured: Location Alary outlet in Terrebonne, Que.

Photo: Location Alary