In a village of 3,000 inhabitants, giving work to 65 families is giving life.
Peggy Duquet has been aware of this since childhood, while her father was always proud to bring projects back to St-Côme-Linière, in Beauce, to support his community.
She was six years old when he founded Métal Duquet, a manufacturer of stainless steel systems for commercial and institutional foodservice. Together with her father, she painted the first company sign in 1986.
Peggy thought a lot about him when she recently acquired Atelier du chef, a distributor of restaurant equipment and items. Its goal is the sustainability of the company and with the Atelier, it gains in solidity because it integrates manufacturing and distribution, from the oven to the table. The combined companies have combined sales of $40 million and 100 employees.
“My dad would be pretty proud. During the first signature at the notary, I thought of him. I was surrounded by the same professionals who had been around him before, ”says the one who would have liked to live the moment with the man who gave him the confidence to lead.
Death of the founder
Jean-Marie Duquet died suddenly in December 2018. He left a big hole in the hearts of his children Peggy and Johnny, who had already taken over from Métal Duquet, but who lost a mentor in addition to a parent. What Peggy didn’t fully appreciate was the strength of the togetherness he had built.
“When I announced his death to the team, there were 50 guys who came to hug me. And at the funeral home, the whole team showed up with our logo placed in a heart on their clothes. »
The emotion rises when Peggy remembers this moment. She will never forget. Because this team also took over when, weakened by mourning, it needed to rest.
“It’s a great example of what business can be done with the heart. You have the right to say it when things are not going well, ”considers the leader.
You understand by reading this that Metal Duquet is precious for Peggy and her brother. Because it’s like a family. So acting for continuity means a lot to them. And even more since they understood the relief of the employees of the Atelier du Chef, when the transaction was announced.
These are entrepreneurs from Quebec who continue with them, when they were sure to switch to Ontario or even American interests.
The Duquets have every intention of taking care of the new Quebec team with the same values as that of Beauce. They will act as a “good father”, as Jean-Marie taught them.
What excites Peggy is watching welders and polishers create an oven or counter from a flat piece of metal, then leave a mark on large job sites.
hero workers
People who work with their hands are her heroes, those she wants to shine. Young woman in a man’s world when she went to negotiate, she was made to feel small, sometimes. She wants people to feel great.
Whatever they do. Because everyone’s work counts to achieve results. And because a worker is first and foremost a human being and it is the heart of the company founded by his father.
PEGGY DUQUET PROFILE
