ST. PAUL – Caouette & Sons Implements is close to completing the construction of its new building. The construction is expected to be completed after the fall harvest, says owner Yvon Caouette.
The building is located at the corner of Highway 29 and Highway 881, east of St. Paul.
The building has been a long time coming, according to Yvon. It began six years ago, but the previous builder did not fulfill the contract, leading to delays, he says.
Further challenges also delayed the project including the pandemic and new building codes. “But we’re now getting close to the finish line,” Yvon says. “It’ll be probably in the next couple of months... and we should be moving in right after harvest.”
The old building will be vacated and he says they are actively looking for a buyer.
Yvon says the project means much to him. “My dad started this business in 1969, and we’ve outgrown the building,” he adds. "Our [work] shop alone... is two and a half times bigger than what we have,” which he says is inefficient, especially when they move equipment around like tractors.
The new building will decrease these challenges, and the bigger spaces will also allow for an expanded parts department, a showroom, and more business exposure due to being located by a highway. “It was a long time coming.”
Mark Caouette, assistant general manager, says the company’s customer base has dramatically increased since its founding. “Even our customers’ operations have grown, so we need to grow with them,” to be able to continue supporting them, he says.
Marc says the company supports farmers of all sizes, and he is excited and optimistic about the completion of the project.
Yvon agrees. Innovative technology is continually being developed in the farming industry. For example, the business just recently started selling drones. Developing as a business is crucial to accommodate those developments.
That is not to say that the business will stop providing the old services it has provided. “We’re taking care of the older farmers too with the old equipment. We’ve got tractors in the back that are sometimes 50 years old [under repair],” he says.
It’s a balance between the old and the new, adds Yvon.
