Taking something familiar and seeing its untapped potential requires vision and confidence. Turning that vision into a successful product takes equal measures of determination, persistence, and the ability to convince others to see what you see. Luckily, Luc Haché possesses all these qualities, and more.
Ebox Containers takes shipping containers and transforms them into whatever you may need—a home, a mobile office, a restaurant, or a moveable village of social housing. But there was a time when people could not see these containers as anything more than large metal rectangles.
Luc’s father was a prominent entrepreneur in the area. He would occasionally buy and sell shipping containers. When Luc started his first business, Elevation Enterprises, he realized he had construction equipment and space to also buy and sell containers.
“One night I had a good dream,” Luc said. “Let’s build a house out of it!”
To Luc, the benefits were immediately obvious. It would look modern. It would make for an extremely durable structure. Containers could be stacked and combined to meet diverse needs. And they would be easy to build in the shop, and then deliver onsite, fully finished. Luc thought it would be an effective way to fill in any gaps and keep his employees busy during slower periods. They built the first one and put it on display in front of the business. It took a year to sell.
“It was kind of a slow burn,” Luc said. “A lot of curious people that couldn’t imagine we had built it with a container.”
But once that first one sold, the momentum kept growing. The first commercial application was a friend’s new business, La Quai—an outdoor restaurant and venue beside the picturesque wharf in Petit-Rocher. These containers were particularly great for the salt air.
“Maintenance-wise, it’s steel and it’s all epoxy paint,” Luc said. “You’re not going to be touching that for many years.”
Each new project reinforces the benefits Luc imagined at the beginning. The commercial aspects are exciting. One of the first was office space for a company in Stewiacke, Nova Scotia.
“We built that all inside at our shop, so by the time we get there, it’s all ready and everything’s finished inside,” Luc said. “So, for onsite—it’s the quickest way.”
The combination of speed, durability, and customization options has resonated strongly with clients. These qualities allowed Luc to win a project, in his home region, of which he is particularly proud. “Harbour of Hope” is a moveable site of eleven containers, with thirty-two pods for people experiencing homelessness. It also has containers equipped as kitchens and laundry rooms, and an office. They won the contract early in December and delivered the final unit at the end of February.
“They were all finished inside,” Luc said. “To me, it really highlights the strengths of the containers. It can be moved and set up and moved around.”
These projects have proved the value of using shipping containers so well that when an opportunity came up to build and operate an ice cream store, bar and restaurant on prime waterfront property in Belle-Baie, Luc and his wife, Chantal jumped at the opportunity. In order to finance the project, they turned to CBDC Chaleur.
“Most of the time, I usually call Denis,” Luc said. “We’ve got a good relationship. And honesty goes a long way for me. And respect.”
Denis Roy, the Executive Director of CBDC Chaleur, remembers hearing about the idea, and liking the versatility and applications. But he also knew Luc, his reputation, and his work ethic.
“When I say he’s ‘hands-on,’ it’s because he’s always on the job site, with his hands dirty,” Denis said. “He’s really making sure that the client gets what he needs and what he wants.”
Luc and Chantal now have twenty-three people on the payroll and are responsible for the first impression tourists get of the region at some of the most iconic places. All the success has just made their lives busier. But that is the way Luc likes it.
“The adrenaline, the rush, the accomplishment. Once you finish a job, shake hands and you see that the client is happy—that’s a big thing for me.”