AMB Modulaire has built a legacy in the modular space. Known for its strength as a fleet owner and its construction and project management expertise, the company is looking to expand its services and reach beyond the Eastern Canadian market, where it has enjoyed decades of success, to become nationally recognized for its capabilities.
Now led by the second generation, co-Presidents Marc and Philippe Latreille, who have been at the forefront of the business for several years, are officially steering the company forward. With their proven expertise and hands-on leadership, they are well-prepared to expand the company’s reach and build on the strong legacy their parents began.
“The company has had multiple lives, multiple names, multiple owners through time, but this story starts for us in 2007, when my father Jacques gained minority ownership alongside my mother Lise,” explains Philippe Latreille of a company that, at the time, was focused solely on renting modular classrooms to a limited number of school boards in Quebec.
“In 2016, the shareholders got an offer to be bought out,” Latreille says, which was of no interest to the family, he adds. It was then that the decision was made to assume full family control of the company by buying out the majority shareholders and transforming the business. The family of four set forth to grow the company and its impact on the market.
New beginnings
Expertise in construction and project management means that the company provides turnkey solutions including the installation, dismantling, maintenance, and logistics of projects of all sizes and complexities for institutional clients. “That changed our growth rate through investing in the fleet, going after more projects, and really focusing on modular classrooms for institutional buildings, a market we knew well, at first,” says Latreille.
These niche capabilities serve as the foundation from which the company can seek out new market horizons, which it is doing through strategic partnerships like that with the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), a global investment fund that took a minority stake in the business in 2023.
“We’ve been realigning our strategy to enter new markets in North America and also expanding our product offering to different B2B and B2G segments. This marks a pivotal point in the history of the business as we initiate targeted marketing efforts for the first time, transitioning from our previous strategy of solely responding to public RFPs,” Latreille explains. “We are now focusing on actively shaping our presence and establishing our reputation in the industry with entities that know nothing about us.”
This year, under the new organizational and ownership structure, the company is continuing its expansion into Ontario and is redefining the company under its new name and ownership to expand its reach and potential.
Already the biggest installer and fleet owner of institutional products in Eastern Canada, AMB Modulaire is looking to leverage this momentum to spread its influence. The goal is about more than growth and brand recognition, however. It is personal for Philippe and his brother. “We’ve built that legacy with our parents. We had impressive growth over the last six years; now we need to build from that, and we want to make our mark in the industry,” says Latreille.
Making its mark
Part of making an impact on the industry includes the ability to leverage the wealth of expertise within its ranks, a corporate team which has grown from four family members to 30 people who share a commitment to company values.
“Part of the value proposition we offer is we have standardized modules, so we’re able to minimize our time on site and offer more competitive prices,” notes Latreille of AMB Modulaire’s efforts to ensure that budgets and timelines are met. The goal is always to “deliver an excellent product, an excellent service, and to deliver on time.”
As a licensed contractor that only does modular construction projects, AMB Modulaire brings a distinct advantage, employing a holistic approach that ensures precision and excellence from inception through completion. From classrooms, cafeterias, and gyms to sanitary blocks and prefabricated stairwells, the modular structures that it erects and dismantles go far beyond the expectations of modular. The company’s modular systems can form multi-story structures that serve as component parts of greater complexes. Even if only meant to be temporary, they’re built to last.
“Here in Quebec, we need to build like we’re building permanent buildings, even if we’re building temporary buildings. And that’s where we can really differentiate from the rest of the competition,” says Latreille.
Excellence in partnership
Beyond the standard advantages of modular construction, it is AMB Modulaire’s expertise and specialization that makes it a partner of choice for some of the biggest institutional clients in the market.
Indeed, partnership is the name of the game at every level at AMB Modulaire and extends beyond its clients to include manufacturers and subcontractors. “They treat us well by delivering projects on time, by maintaining their prices, and also by trusting us with their resources—making sure that we’re able to work together on bigger projects,” Latreille says, referencing the collective goal of “building possibilities.”
Employee relationships are also paramount to the Latreille and the AMB Modulaire team. There is strong buy-in by employees who jump feet first into the company’s culture of “work hard, play hard,” driven by values of relevance, agility, and engagement, which empower performance and employee retention.
“They really are the reason we’re still able to generate growth, and not only generate growth but have fun with the jobs we have. So, we’ve developed good relationships with them, and we want to make sure that they’re happy to work for us,” says Latreille. This certainly sounds attainable given that AMB Modulaire is an animal-friendly workplace that provides professional, personal, and charitable opportunities for people to be their best.
Start with “yes”
As a solutions-oriented operation, AMB Modulaire has a deep commitment to making “yes” possible and that’s because, unlike at some other firms, “modular” isn’t a buzzword; it is everything. And for Marc and Philippe, the goal continues to be to elevate the standards and viability of modular projects to demonstrate the value this solution can bring to the market.
“We firmly believe that every type of project is doable. That’s the best way we’ve seen to improve the offering we have and to find new challenges and new opportunities. That’s really where we want to make ourselves available to our clients. We start with yes. We will be realistic—if it’s not possible, it’s not possible. But we’ll at least try to make it possible before we say no.”
Further, as governments work to address the challenges of affordable housing, and at a time when high interest rates are slowing new construction starts, modular is part of the long-term solution.
“We are looking at different types of larger volume projects, always B2B or B2G, even residential projects for public entities or institutional entities. And we are looking at expanding into student housing and workforce accommodation, which is another type of lodging,” says Latreille. The Latreille brothers are committed to leveraging the company’s strengths and the expertise of its team to deliver exceptional modular experiences to a broader market, further enhancing the company’s reputation and reach.
