As his towering specialty saw slices through a giant stone slab, Ken Lauzon of Lauzon Stoneworks is thankful to be part of a growing trend of self-starters and expansions in the City of Temiskaming Shores.
After 15 years of doing custom stone for walls, houses and driveways through Lauzon Landscaping, he expanded into the realm of custom stone for interiors last fall, effectively taking his exterior stoneworks business indoors.
"It's something I've always had a lot of passion for," says Lauzon, who moved to the area nearly two decades ago out of admiration for the region's natural splendor.
"It was kinda the time to take it to the next level, and it seemed like there was a market for it. We're definitely doing well, given the recession and the financial times we're seeing."
The move has allowed Lauzon to move his stoneworks shop from his home to a 4,000-square-foot former welding facility. The move also includes a 1,000-square-foot showroom, a step up from the outdoor brickyard he had previously used as a makeshift storefront in Haileybury.
Staff numbers have jumped from seven full-time jobs to 11, with the added crew coming from the former Quebec business Lauzon bought out to create his new division.
The new space also helps to house a crane and various specialty equipment, such as a computer-controlled diamond-wire saw from Italy. Armed with a diamond chain, the 25-foot-wide, 20-foot-high device cuts slabs off larger blocks of stone. This allows the company to create "profile cuts," where individual images and company logos can be etched into the stone, a technique largely used in monuments.
This and smaller computerized cutting equipment allows for the creation of granite countertops and other specialty cuts for kitchens, bathrooms and shower stalls.
These have already meant big business for the company, says Lauzon, as the company now does work from North Bay to Kapuskasing, from Timmins to Kirkland Lake and Temiskaming Shores and into Rouyn-Noranda.
While much of the stone used in his landscaping arm largely consist of pre-cast stone, his new business makes use of granite and marble imported from all over the world, including Brazil, Italy, India, and Saudi Arabia.
Working with such materials means a great deal more precision and a considerably higher level of craftsmanship, "which is a lot of fun."
Regional economic development officials are equally pleased with Lauzon's work, as Enterprise Temiskaming Manager Ken Laffrenier says the expansion is a positive step for the city.
"The business he's doing is incredible," says Laffrenier. "You don't see many companies in the North, and certainly not around here, doing the kinds of things he's doing. It's a big plus and it's definitely emblematic of the entrepreneurial spirit you're seeing lately."
Lauzon represents just one of the many businesses getting off the ground or growing in Temiskaming Shores, which has seen a surge in new business starts over the last year, says Laffrenier. An average of four to seven new businesses are launched in the city every month, not including numerous expansions to existing businesses. This might not seem like a high number, but it's significant for the city of 10,442, he adds.
The last week of June alone saw four new businesses open their doors, including Yves' Prime Cut Meats, a butcher shop, and Slate Creek Running Academy, an equestrian school. Although this hardly represents an average week, Laffrenier says it's a sign as to the considerable local confidence, particularly in smaller businesses and even home-based efforts.
"More and more independent people are seeing opportunities here in the city," he says. "The region seems not to be depending as much on any one big business to be the central driver of the economy."
www.lauzonstoneworks.com
www.enterprisetemiskaming.ca
