Sebastien Fortier, President of Manuchar, Inc. Photo Provided
By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA
NEAFA had the chance to catch up with Sebastien Fortier, President of Manuchar Inc., the Canadian branch of Manuchar, for this month’s member highlight. “Manuchar is a very old company,” said Fortier. “It was founded in 1880 in Antwerp, Belgium, about 35 miles north of Brussels. We started as a logistics company, and then add the chemical portion as time went on. Manuchar sold 2 years ago to Lonestar Fund, so while we operate internationally, we are now an American owned company. We started operating in Canada in 2015. I used to be a customer of Manuchar at my former job from 2005 to 2015. When I saw the quality of the products and the professionalism that Manuchar had, I said to my boss that it would be a good idea to partner with them, but the company I worked for didn’t want to make that commitment. I saw the opportunity, and had to take the leap myself. I own 20% of the company. We work in Canada and the US, and handle 10.4 million tons of product per year. Throughout the world, Manuchar employs 2800, and works in 140 countries, doing approximately $2.4 Billion per year business. In the agricultural sector, we work primarily in animal nutrition and feed additives.”
For Fortier, agriculture is a lifelong love. “My grandmother had a farm, my mother was raised on the farm, and that farm is still owned by family members,” said Fortier. “They had a dairy, but now focus on corn, oats, etc. under the Semican name. My uncle, Jacques Beauchesne, was president, but he sold recently to retire. When I finished University in Commercial Marketing, I did my MBA in International Business, and I started to cover Semican territory in New England. At that time, it was more for bird seed and animal feed. My background wasn’t there though, and my uncle suggested that I switch to a company where I could work in animal nutrition and with feed additive chemicals. I did, but I’ve also wanted to be an entrepreneur since I was born. I enjoyed the industry, but wanted to do it on my own terms. When the opportunity with Manuchar came up, it was an easy decision to partner with them.”
Location plays a large role in how Fortier and his company work throughout Canada and the Northeastern region of the US. “We are blessed to be surrounded by water here in Trois-Rivieres Quebec, Canada,” said Fortier. “It is an easy and low-cost transportation mode for chemical products; it links us to all over the world. I wanted to take advantage of that opportunity, which I think is underutilized. Rail and truck can be expensive, but by using the river, we can reduce the need to rely on those modes of transportation, and keep our carbon footprint lower as well. This is why we established ourselves here in Trois-Rivieres. we have the port readily available. Our offices are surrounded by water, and I can see the activity at the port every day. Cargo carried by boat is very cost effective. While you may be able to move 44,000 lbs with a truck, a vessel can carry 44,000 tons.”
Part of what has made Manuchar so successful is their hands on approach to working with their clients. “These days, a lot of chemical companies are massive,” said Fortier. “We’re a boutique service. We’ll be able to answer a phone call, so that you’re talking with a person, and with someone that knows what you need. We work hard to make it easy for our customers to get a product to their specifications. We have a large capacity to purchase, but we’re a small enough company that you can always get the person you’re used to working with. We’re flexible, local to the Northeast, reliable, and professional. We try to do everything with a smile to make it easier on everyone. I haven’t lost a customer in 10 years. There is nothing more rewarding than working in agriculture. I’m just a small player trying my best to help feed the word. It helps drive me every day. I’m not saying I’m changing the world, but we keep your production running, anytime, anywhere, because we know the importance of what agriculture is. In agribusiness, you see families working together more often than in other fields. It makes for better relationships, because at the end of the day, your customer becomes your friend. And that makes it less like a job, and more enjoyable.”
Manuchar’s interest in NEAFA came from their relationship to the northeast. “NEAFA provides an enjoyable atmosphere for us to meet our clients face to face with events like their annual meeting,” said Fortier. “I enjoy getting to meet people in person, and NEAFA helps us do that. The St. Lawrence River lets us get goods throughout the Northeast and New England. It provides a natural route for us to serve so many of the membership that NEAFA caters to.”
For more information about Manuchar, visit www.Manuchar.com