Built to last - a piece of Canadian history
Updated: 2 days ago
Once upon a time Boyd Bros Concrete in Osgoode were just two brothers who wanted to build a home for their father.
Now they’re a well-established 120-year-old company in Eastern Ontario, and this year they were a silver sponsor at the Lagois charity golf tournament.
They’re also an interesting part of Canadian history.
Back in 1907, William and Harry Boyd bought an Ideal Block Machine. They began making concrete blocks, one at a time, for their father’s house. Almost before they knew it, they were rapidly developing what would become an immensely successful company.
In 1914 the brothers introduced an exposed aggregate block. They became well known throughout the Ottawa Valley as Boyd Block.
During the Second World War, when cement was in short supply, customers brought their own cement for the body of the blocks. The company reserved its supply of Canada Cement powder for the exposed faces to maintain their distinctive colour.
By the 1960s, the slow labour-intensive block-making process was becoming unprofitable, and the brothers turned their attention to precast concrete septic tanks and related products.
A whole new chapter began in 1978 when the Schoenfeld family purchased the business. Peter Schoenfeld and his son, Peter Jr., expanded the business to septic tank manufacturing and septic pumping.
Peter Schoenfeld Sr. died in 1990, and Peter Jr., along with his son, Jason, continued the business. Over the following 15 years, the company kept growing, and the younger Peter’s son-in-law, Rob Sanna, an engineering graduate, joined them. Not too long afterwards, Peter’s youngest son, Geoff, also joined once he completed his Tool and Die Making certificate.
Now, with four generations and wide skillsets among them, they began in yet another direction. They started fabricating their own forms and molds, always using the latest technologies – incorporating pneumatics and hydraulics.
Eventually they designed and built their own state-of-the-art batching plant, part of a new 8,200-square-foot facility completed in 2011–2012.
And now one more generation has come on board: Jason’s sons, who are involved in the company’s septic, fire tank and Recon Wall supplies and sales.
What began as a one-block-at-a-time house-building venture 120 years ago is now a “one-stop-shop” for everything “septic” in Eastern Ontario.
Not surprisingly, this is a proud family and a proud company, dedicated to the people and communities they serve.
Lagois is proud, too, to be partnered with such longevity, quality, and commitment.
For more stories about the exciting people, events and places in Ottawa and surrounding communities, please sign up for The Art of Living, our monthly newsletter, here.
