Pete dealer exhibits prosperity from the ground up

LAVAL, Que. — Four decades ago, Gabriel Lussier started selling used truck parts in Ste. Julie, Que. Then, in 1997, he opened a Pete dealership. Between then and now, he has sold an awful lot of trucks, many of them models 330, 335 and 340, manufactured nearby in Paccar’s St. Therese factory.

This week, in Laval, Groupe Lussier opened its second and newest “Camion Excellence” facility with a team of 100 employees on 29,803-sq-meter piece of land in a new 4,000-sq-meter building.

We’re talking an $8-million investment. And almost $2 million of it went towards a geothermic conversion so the place is heated using no fossil fuels.

Geothermics uses the constant temperature of the earth’s sub-surface to produce energy. Piping installed underground is used to circulate liquid to heat and cool buildings. Some 40 shafts 500 feet deep had to be dug to reap the full benefits of geothermal energy.

“Geothermics will allow us to save 1.3 kWh per year, which is equivalent to heating and cooling 64 homes for a full year,” said Lussier.

At the opening ceremonies, Laval Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt noted the extraordinary initiative of the company.

“Geothermics is becoming increasingly popular as it holds distinct environmental advantages,” he stated. “The day will come soon enough when traditional energy reserves will be exhausted, so now is the time to think about sustainable development. Geothermics provides us with an excellent option.”

Groupe Lussier’s energy saving measures earned the company a subsidy from Hydro-Québec as part of its Empower Program for Building Optimization.

Lussier’s expertise now goes far beyond selling Petes. The company has become a Canadian leader in the heavy vehicle industry. Each year, Groupe Lussier handles over 2,500 new and used heavy vehicles.

Groupe Lussier has close to 400 employees and three subsidiaries in St. Julie on the South Shore: Lussier Centre du camion (used, dismantled and reconditioned parts for resale), Camions Lussicam (used trucks, truck trailers and machinery), and Camions Excellence Peterbilt (trucks, parts, service, welding, bodywork and leasing). Groupe Lussier exports to more than 32 countries around the world.