“Our challenge is to constantly innovate to create products that are one step ahead,” says Mathieu Drolet, the new president of TeraXion. His takeover was officially announced on Monday.
Founded in 2000, the Quebec company specializes in the manufacture of lasers and photonic devices for the industrial and medical, aerospace, defense and energy sectors.
Since 2017, Mr. Drolet has found his way within the TeraXion team. From head of a research group to technical director to vice president of operations and technology, he was seen by one of the company’s co-founders and until recently president, Ghislain France.
The latter “wanted to make room for another generation of managers. That is the context in which I arrive,” says Mr. Drolet.
Whoever will be at the helm of the company with more than 200 employees wants to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor. “Last year we created a strategic plan for the next three years with Ghislain and the management team. My job is to make it happen,” he says.
The main goals of their plan are to expand their product offering, provide more complete modules to their customers and innovate in laser remote sensing (LiDAR) technologies.
In order to grow, it is not ruled out that TeraXion will make acquisitions, says Mr. Drolet, without wanting to reveal more. He doesn’t want to say more about the important contract that the company has just won.
In American hands
In 2021, TeraXion was acquired by the independent company Semiconductor, which specializes in automotive technology, be it infotainment systems, electrification or autonomy.
Despite everything, the company based in the Metropolitan Quebec Technology Park remained autonomous. “We continued our business model with our customers. What has changed is that they have invested to accelerate the development of laser and photonic integration technologies,” concludes Mr. Drolet.
“The result is that we have hired more than fifteen people. »
— Mathieu Drolet, President of TeraXion
TeraXion’s portfolio includes LiDAR technology, which is popular with the American company. Its benefit includes, among other things, the fact that assisted and autonomous cars can find their way in space and avoid obstacles.
Indie Semiconductor’s investments in research and development have already paid off. More than 80 optical, mechanical and electronic engineers worked on the development of a new laser product line that TeraXion is preparing to launch.
Made here, exported everywhere
Quebec is an important hub for optics, according to Drolet, with the Center for Optics, Photonics and Lasers at Laval University, the INO Center for Innovation and the few dozen optics companies investing in various markets.
95% of TeraXion’s products are exported to Asia, Europe and the United States, its main markets.
Its optical components are in the ALMA telescope in Chile and in surgical equipment. “In wind turbines, components record the speed and direction of the wind. “We also have components in lasers that are used to make cell phones,” says Mr. Drolet, citing the variety of applications.
His goal for the next decade is to bring an optical component to market that will have a global impact. “I want one of our technologies to be used for multiple applications to show that we are having an impact on the planet. »