The path taken by the Bleu.eco company since its creation in 2006 can be measured in an economy of several thousand kilometers. By moving from importing Brazilian pillows to producing and supplying mattresses and bedding products locally, the Saint-Hyacinthe company has completely changed its value system.
Bleu.eco’s ecological and local commitment is built into its name. However, the SME with 45 employees did not always have these concerns. Three years after its opening, the young company that mainly sold pillows imported from Brazil to retailers decided to manufacture some of its products. “We looked for a local supply for our raw materials. One thing led to another, and the market opened up,” says the vice-president of sales and marketing, René Lacerte. Two years later, the team started manufacturing mattresses, which today make up 70% of its sales, ahead of box springs (20%), articulated beds (10%) and pillows.
A radius of 60 kilometers
89% of Bleu.eco's suppliers are located within a 60-kilometre radius. Saint-Hyacinthe's geographical location is ideal for this. "The Montreal region is a magnet for businesses, which allows us to find the majority of our suppliers there," acknowledges René Lacerte. That said, the SME is pursuing a "continuous improvement approach" in order to fill its order book ever closer to home.
The majority of its suppliers (54%) produce the goods it buys locally. Foams, for example, are made in Montreal. But some materials are not available in Quebec. “Our latex supplier, located less than 60 km away, performs secondary transformations – such as cutting – on the material it imports from its plant in Connecticut, in the United States. It is the only one to produce latex on the continent,” explains Richard Lapointe, owner of Bleu.eco.
“Always winners”
By conducting in-store and online surveys, Bleu.eco quickly saw its customers' interest in the local origin of its products. "This allows us to avoid getting into a competition with our competitors that would be reduced to price," says René Lacerte. The company, which instead focuses on quality made in Quebec, is using this argument to sell its new " 100% Quebec articulated bed " online. "When we target the right customers, they are ready to pay the small premium that encourages local people," assures the vice-president.
Richard Lapointe even believes that his company has “always won by seeking out local suppliers.” Since 2018, it has recorded growth of 50 to 80% each year, with annual sales of between $5 and $10 million. “The rise of cocooning products and the publicity around buying local during the pandemic have benefited us,” he believes.
The interest of the SME's procurement policy, however, goes beyond sales and marketing. "On a functional and operational level, it makes sense to do business with people who are close to us," says René Lacerte. Thanks to this proximity, "problems are quickly resolved," notes the man who only has to travel a few kilometers to check quality at his suppliers. Not to mention that transport times and costs are reduced.
Bleu.eco's local roots are part of a synergy of eco-responsible values and social commitment "that naturally come together," according to its vice-president. The company has just launched the "Je Grandis" program to give a second life to children's mattresses that have grown up.
The sleep products entrepreneur can also sleep soundly in the current context of labour shortage. “We have no difficulty recruiting, because our employees bring their family and friends to our company,” rejoices Richard Lapointe. “Our staff is very sensitive to our values.”
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Geographic distribution of Bleu.eco suppliers in 2021
- 54% are located less than 60 km away and produce themselves
- 35% are within 60 km, but produce and purchase beyond this radius
- 11% are more than 60 km away
Source: Bleu.eco