MONTREAL, July 25, 2022 – Nanuk, makers of premium waterproof protective cases for professionals and consumers alike, unveiled their Innovation and Creativity Center on the campus of their headquarters in Terrebonne, Quebec.
Home to their Marketing and Design/Development teams, the new facility completes the second phase of Nanuk’s expansion plans with additional phases to follow in the coming years. The offices and warehouse space were custom-built for the 14-year-old brand who has grown 250% over the last three years despite the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and global supply chain crises.
The project started in August 2021, and it prioritized the engagement and collaboration between teams as well as Nanuk’s goal of minimizing their carbon footprint and placing a premium on materials and fixtures that are sustainable and earth-friendly.
“We were inspired by the creators, explorers, adventures, and lovers of nature of use Nanuk products to go farther, take on the elements, and always find a better way,” said Nanuk President and CEO, José Chagnon. “We were also inspired by the power and creativity of our people who are on track to elevate the brand to incredible new heights. Together, we wanted to fast-track our sustainability program which gives us purpose well beyond just the world-class products we produce. We were also very intentional about the importance of the health and well-being of our most precious resource: our people.”
Nanuk’s new 19,000 square foot Innovation and Creativity Center set a goal of favoring locally, produced, earth-friendly, low carbon footprint materials. Textures and materials that evoke nature, contrasting rough, rocky terrain and landscapes with crafter materials, polished stone, and planed wood were prioritized. These would ultimately create an inviting and comfortable environment for teams and guests with neutral and warm colors and bases.
Nanuk waterproof protective cases are distributed in 50 countries and used by photo/video/drone, medical, technology, industrial, marine, outdoor sports, law enforcement, and military professionals and enthusiasts.
With a line of more than 30 sizes, and quickly growing the brand has more than 1,200 SKUs through accessories, custom-cut inserts, internal protection, and more.
The Nanuk brand is owned and operates corporately as Plasticase Inc. of Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada. Plasticase’s mission is to design, engineer, and manufacture high-quality injection molded cases that protect valuable equipment. Nanuk waterproof protective cases are trusted by professionals worldwide to organize, protect and mobilize mission-critical gear, instrumentation, and equipment in unforgiving environments. For more information go to: www.Nanuk.com.
CONTACT :
Dennis Piretra - VP Marketing
dpiretra@nanuk.com
(450) 628-1006, ext. 225 or 1-800-783-6883, ext. 225
twitter: @nanukcase
Q: How did you get started in the drone business?
A: I have always had a passion for flying objects, especially drones. In 2016, my company was the first DJI Enterprise dealer in Canada. The DJI Phantom 3 was the first drone with which I was able to start living this passion which has now become a vocation!
Q: What is your favorite travel destination and why?
A: It’s definitely the Dominican Republic! For its warmth, its bright sunshine and its breathtaking landscapes.
Q: What is your favorite song:
A: Living on a prayer by Bon Jovi.
Q: What does Nanuk mean to you?
A: NANUK offers quality products that meet the standards of professionals. It is a large, established company, with a small company mentality, which means being close to its customers and taking the time to understand their needs. Quite simply, this is a local company that makes the best products in the world!
PHOTO PIERRE-PAUL POULIN
José Chagnon, President, and CEO of Plasticase inc. in its offices in Terrebonne.
JEAN-MICHEL GENOIS GAGNON
Saturday, November 7, 2020, 1:00 AM
(This post was translated from the original French article by the NANUK Team)
Last spring, Plasticase saw its main business markets collapse due to the impacts of the pandemic. "We had to take the bull by the horns and reorient our focus", their management told The Journal, which has taken advantage of the explosion in demand for medical equipment.
Plasticase is a Terrebonne-based company specializing in the manufacture of molded plastic cases to protect equipment.
The company counts among its customers, military organizations like Lockheed Martin and Cadex Defense, manufacturers, and companies in the health field like Medtronic or GE Healthcare.
In the first few weeks of the pandemic, as with many other businesses here, the number of purchase orders dropped almost immediately for Plasticase. In fact, the group's revenues have plunged between 50% and 60%.
Management then decided to approach various North American and European manufacturers of high-demand medical equipment due to COVID-19, such as artificial respirators.
"This is fragile equipment that often needs protection during transport. We won contracts in the United States, and that gave us a boost," said President and Chief Executive Officer José Chagnon in an interview. "We were able to rehire our people," he continues.
Increase in turnover
Today, mainly thanks to the medical industry which represents between 7% and 10% of the group's sales, Plasticase is experiencing growth in its turnover of about 13%, compared to last year.
"We already had a few medical clients. Our goal in the spring was really to contact manufacturers and distributors to lend a hand to the cause and we saw opportunities," explains the CEO, who wants to grow his company even more over the next few years in this business sector.
He emphasizes that he is working on a project with a partner to decontaminate many different types of objects. Since the contract has not yet been signed, he prefers not to mention the partner's name.
"It's a mobile ultraviolet decontamination system. We have several products in development," the man who leads a team of around 100 people provided as an example.
Acquisition
In May, a transaction with one of its dealers allowed the company to launch a transactional website and increase its sales by 60%.
Plasticase is the manufacturer of NANUK professional protective cases and offers its products in around 40 countries.
Within a year, management hopes to have a first warehouse in the United States. However, the company is not thinking, at least for the moment, of building a new production plant there.
As business sectors, the company targets recreational activities and professional requirements, particularly the protection of firearms, drones, cameras, commercial industrial, military, and medical equipment.
Walter Capital is the majority shareholder of Plasticase.