[History]

The original vision for Fordia Group was simple. Develop state of the art manufacturing facilities, produce superior products, and provide responsive customer service.

For Fordia's founder, Clement Paquet, making that vision reality was a challenge that spanned several years. It required the help of global contacts within the diamond drilling industry and significant capital infusion.

From that early operation, where Clement wore many hats supported only by his assistant and a furnace operator, the manufacturing and quality control processes were established that were a foundation for today’s global business.

Clement worked tirelessly promoting his products. He crossed the mineral-rich mining areas of central Canada, knocking on doors, calling in old favors and insisting that his products be accepted. They finally were.

But he didn’t stop. Fordia products were constantly refined and improved based on information from the field.

As sales increased, Clement recognized the need to expand Fordia’s management base. A new generation of the Paquet family - Clement's sons, Alain and Luc - entered the business. Alain shared his father's love of sales and promotion, while Luc mastered the management and manufacturing functions. After a transition period which showed that the company's future was in good hands under the direction of Alain and Luc, Clement went on to other challenges.

The mining boom of the late 1980s, fuelled by flow-through share funding, created an enormous demand for diamond drilling products. As the industry grew in size and competitiveness, Alain and Luc came to a crossroads: they could remain a small, specialized company or invest aggressively to expand distribution in Canada and overseas. They chose to expand, opening their first distribution centre in Val D'Or, which is still in operation today.

Fordia also invested heavily in advanced Research & Development, producing the highest quality, high performance diamond tools for their expanding customer base. They were the first Canadian manufacturer to implement the production precision of a controlled-atmosphere furnace. This sophisticated technology elevated Fordia into the ranks of world leaders in the production of impregnated diamond bits.

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To ensure consistent quality output, the company achieved ISO 9001:00 certification.

In 1993, the company expanded into South America, with the opening of Fordia SA Chile, and later grew into eleven other foreign markets.

That aggressive global expansion continues today. The little enterprise that began with one man's dream has become a world-wide force.

Today, Fordia proudly represents the ideals of its founder and stands at the pinnacle of the industry.