Interstar international leader

The Sherbrooke-based company Interstar is an international leader in the production of products and in the creation of innovative solutions that help to maintain the development efforts of the concrete industry.

The company produces pigments, admixtures and fibres used to increase the performance, resistance and decorative qualities of concrete as well as finishing products designed for entrepreneurs, such as acid stains, stamping releases and sealers.

“Our approach surpasses the pure and simple sale of a product, added Richard Gaudette, marketing director. We have developed a wide range of solutions for each segment of the concrete industry: ready mix, precast, mortar as well as the brick, block, paver and tile manufacturers. These solutions help to improve the way our customers work, securing the quality control of the products they are using.”

The engineering division of Interstar has also created two machines, the Granastar and the Megastar, which allow concrete and precast producers to dispense with no handling and with great precision the color of choice into their products with formulas developed within the Interstar laboratories. “These machines are rented out for a small fee, according to the production capacity of each company.”

At the end of 2005, Interstar received the Prize for Excellence in Export – Research and Development. “This award crowns our efforts to constantly improve our products and insures our increasing presence on the international market,” added Richard Gaudette.

Since 1994, year when the company no longer distributed products but became a manufacturer, the company has demonstrated a strong rivalry with important world-renown companies on the international markets. “The export markets account for 53 percent of Interstar’s total sales”, stipulated the founding president Zachary Gillman.

As well as the Sherbrooke head office, in the Eastern Townships, the company also has locations in Toronto; Calgary; Syracuse, New York; Tampa, Florida; Cantralia, Illinois; Mexico City and Santa Catarina, Mexico as well as a new division in Sao Paulo, Brazil in order to expand into the south American market. The Interstar products are developed in a modern facility, built in 2003 in the Sherbrooke industrial park. “We have our own research laboratories, added Richard Gaudette. We are working in direct collaboration with the concrete industry as well as with the centers for research excellence of the University of Sherbrooke.”

In 2005, Interstar acquired a facility in Illinois to better meet the needs of their American customers for certain products. “In 2006, we plan to expand our Sherbrooke facility by 25,000 sq. ft., added Richard Gaudette, as well as increasing administrative office space by 5000 sq.ft. This will allow us to support our international expansion.”

La Réussite (Québec, CN)
February 7th 2006, p.14
Marcel Huguet