On June 4, 2024, Touchette Retail & Commercial entered a strategic partnership with Pneus Bélisle, a leading tire company in Quebec specializing in passenger, commercial, civil engineering, industrial, and agricultural tires. This alliance aimed to combine their shared vision of growth and long-term success, enhancing their position in the evolving Canadian market.

Touchette Retail & Commercial, known for its structured growth, saw this partnership as an opportunity to expand its horizons through Pneus Bélisle’s operational model, expertise, and entrepreneurial structure. The collaboration was also bolstered by Pneus Bélisle’s alliance with Michelin. Mikaël Desmarais, Vice President of Retail at Groupe Touchette, emphasized the potential for process optimization and growth, reinforcing their market leadership and commitment to innovative, high-quality solutions.

Mr. Bélisle, President of Pneus Bélisle, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, noting its role in supporting the growth of their family business and establishing a robust national service network. Pneus Bélisle will maintain its operations through its fourteen branches, four distribution centers, and Michelin franchise retreading plant.

In the transaction, Prévost Fortin D’Aoust LLP acted as legal advisor for Groupe Touchette, with Ernst and Young as financial advisor, KPMG as tax advisor, and Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP for financing. Gowling WLG (Marc Tremblay) was the legal advisor for Pneus Bélisle, with Vision 360 Management (Marc Filion) as M&A advisor, and Deloitte (Benoit Desjardins and Miguel Boissonneault) as tax advisors.