Our Guiding Principles

About us

The company has more than forty years of experience in the assembly of geosynthetics on varying job sites around the globe.

Our history

1981
1998
2009
2011
2019
2021

The company traces its origin to the founding in 1981 of Matériaux Techniques Côté (MTC) by Jacques Côté, a young engineer concerned about the efflux of toxic materials resulting from human activities and about the protection of the environment. The pioneering company quickly evolved under the Solmax banner and went from distribution to installation to the manufacturing of geomembrane entirely designed and developed in Quebec.

 

In 1998, Solmax merged its installation operations with Texel, another pioneer in its field. Texel, founded in 1967 in Sainte-Marie de Beauce, began by manufacturing covers. By 1975, it had become the largest manufacturer and distributor of geotextiles in Quebec and Canada.

With this merger, the new installation company, Solmax-Texel, offered its customers a turnkey service, from installation expertise to a complete range of geosynthetic products to fit any job.

In 2009, by mutual agreement, Solmax divested its installation activities to Texel to focus solely on the manufacture and distribution of geomembranes. Solmax, now the world’s leading manufacturer, produces its innovative products in a dozen plants around the world and operates in the Americas, the EMEA zone (Europe, Middle East, Africa), and the APAC (Asia-Pacific).

The newly formed installation company, Texel-Géosol, focused on the installation of geosynthetics in Quebec, now sourced its products from Solmax and Texel. The latter company continued to invest in research and development, particularly in geotextile manufacturing platforms for market segments such as geosynthetics, filtration, transportation, industrial, medical wipes and the automotive industry.

In 2011, seeing an opportunity to do business outside of Quebec and endowed with entrepreneurial DNA, Jacques Côté’s son, Francis, left his job at Texel Geosol to found his own installation company — FC Liners. His younger brother, Gabriel and a band of faithful childhood companions joined him in this new adventure.

The youthful team soon took the installation market by storm, establishing solid partnerships in the Canadian provinces and Northwest Territories as well as in South America, notably in the oil and mining sectors.

In 2019, after a foray into Quebec and in a context of globalization and increased competition, FC Liners merged its installation forces with those of Texel-Géosol to found FC Geosynthetics. As a result, Texel gave up its installation activities and concentrated its operations on the manufacture and distribution of geotextiles, as Solmax had done with geomembrane some years earlier.

So it is that forty years of pioneering work in geomembrane and geotextile installation has led to the inception of this new company, marked by the enthusiasm and ambition of youth: FC Geosynthetics. Our multidisciplinary team is the true leader in geosynthetics installation in Quebec and a determined champion of our planet’s soil and water ecosystems.

History never stands still!

Sign up for our newsletter and keep abreast of developments.

Our reason for being

Save the planet – Protect the earth for future generations.

Protect soils by creating sustainable value for our customers and employees. We are committed to operational excellence in each of our actions. We take responsibility for the creation of a better world by exceeding expectations and applying the highest standards.

Vision

To be the undisputed leader in the sale and installation of geosynthetic products in Quebec.

To develop our position as a Canadian leader in geosynthetic installation projects while maintaining our human and family values.

To be recognized as THE PREMIUM SERVICE REFERENCE by valuing our employees, customers and suppliers and always striving to surpass ourselves.

Values

Expertise

We draw our success from our people’s expertise. It’s why we hire professionals with recognized know-how and why we rally our teams to continuously update and improve their skills.

Quality

Our success has always rested on the quality of our installations, as demonstrated daily by our IAGI-certified technicians and our tight quality control on job sites.

Respect

Our words and actions are marked with our consideration for our employees, our customers, our partners and the environment. This attitude allows us to develop win-win relationships.

Teamwork

Collaboration remains the cornerstone of all our successes. We draw on each other’s strengths and are always there for each other, even in the most difficult times. We are a stronger team because of it.

Integrity

We are honest and authentic and believe that our word is our bond. Probity in business is at the heart of who we are and of how we serve at all levels.

Success

We have a responsibility to crown every project with success. The rigor of a job well done translates into customer satisfaction.

Our team

A competent, multidisciplinary team!

President

Francis Côté

Francis was 14 when he first worked in the field of geomembrane installation at Solmax, the company founded by his father. Over the years, he has practiced numerous trades, from welder-technician to foreman. With entrepreneurship in his blood, he founded FC Liners and understood from the start that the success of a company leader is to know how to tap into talent by surrounding himself with the right people. For Francis, FC Géosynthétiques is the continuation of a family dream that aims for excellence, with a team focused on innovation and committed to soil protection and safeguarding of the environment for future generations.

Executive Vice-President

Francois Thivierge

Eng., M.Sc., MBA

Francois Thivierge holds an engineering degree in civil engineering, a master’s degree in geotechnics and an MBA from Université Laval. He joined Solmax-Texel as a construction manager in 2002 and continued in this position at Texel-Géosol from 2009 to 2019 before being appointed to his current position as general manager of FC Géosynthétiques. Rigorous, upright, with good listening skills and solid judgement, he sets and focuses on his targets and is results-oriented.

Finances and Administration Director

Sarah-Eve Germain

CPA auditor

Sarah-Eve Germain has loved numbers since childhood and her first piggy bank. After completing a bachelor’s degree in accounting sciences at UQAR in 2015, Sarah-Eve obtained her Specialized Graduate Diploma (DESS) in 2016 and became a member of the CPA Order that same year. Initially an intern with Groupe RDL, she was soon promoted to assurance engagement manager.
“A company’s performance analysis rests on the solidity of the numbers”, says Sarah-Eve, who thrives on rigorous and honest accounting.

Construction Director

Daniel Brousseau

Eng.

Daniel Brousseau holds a bachelor’s degree from École de technologie supérieure (2003). He joined Solmax Texel in 2001 as an intern and became a Project Authority. He was then promoted to Project Manager – a position he has held at Texel-Géosol since 2009. With the help and know-how of his team, Daniel has developed a rigorous project evaluation and bidding formula that meets the requirements for all types of geosynthetic structures.

Director of Operations

Jacques St-Gelais

Jacques St-Gelais is a pillar of the company. He has been managing teams and job sites since he joined Matériaux Techniques Côté (MTC) over 36 years ago. “Our workforce is what sets us apart”, says the man who manages more than 50 workers. The originator of efficient membrane installation methods, the specialist in the installation of geosynthetics under all conditions and in all environments, Jacques draws on a vast store of experience, foresight, ingenuity and creativity.

Quality Control Director

Éric Bourdages

QA/QC

Éric completed a DEC college degree in industrial maintenance at the CEGEP de Gaspésie in 1999 and was recruited as a quality controller at Solmax-Texel in 2001. While pursuing top quality control on job sites, he also applied himself to instructing trainees at Texel-Géosol. We owe him our reputation for excellence in geosynthetics installation – a reputation based on meticulous control and respect of deadlines. Eric is our standards specialist. Our standard-bearer for job quality.

Project Director

Francis Salois-Long

CPI

Francis set out on his career path with a technical degree in civil engineering at Dawson College, then a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Université de Sherbrooke. He completed several internships while in college and university, including two as a quality controller with the Texel Geosol installation company. Upon completion of his Bachelor’s, he joined the ranks of the organization as a project manager. Thanks to his job-site experience, his sense of measure, his knowledge of geosynthetics and of issues involving the bidding process, Francis has become an important part of the project estimate and management team at FC Géosynthétiques.

Project Manager, National And International Business Development

Phil Denis

Posted for two years in Malaysia to develop the Southeast Asian market for Solmax, Phil Denis joined FC Liners in 2013. He was called by a sense of adventure and by the entrepreneurial spirit of his comrade, Francis Côté. Nearly forty years earlier, their fathers, Jacques Côté and Bob Denis had joined forces to establish MTC, which became the current company – Solmax. Recipient of a scholarship at UQAM’s school of management, he completed a Bachelor’s degree in business administration with a specialty in international trade at Université de Paris 13 (2009).

Project Manager

François Legault

François Legault worked for almost ten years in the manufacturing sector as director of operations and production engineering manager. Subsequently, in 2008, François joined the ranks of HydroSol Construction as an estimator/project manager. He has held the same position with FC Geosynthetiques since 2021. Being an excellent communicator focused on the smooth running of the projects entrusted to him, François wishes above all to remain attentive to the needs of his customers and partners in order to develop working win-win relationships.

Worker on a job site

Meet Jack on the job site

A career with us means working with a team that commands unparalleled expertise in all aspects of the geosynthetics industry.

Submit your application

Subscribe to the newsletter
Please fill out the form below to download the document.
Thank you for completing the form. You can use the link below to download your document.
Download the document