From Adrien Ratté's repair shop to the international Point S banner, each generation added its stone to the foundation without ever moving far from 103, 3ᵉ Avenue.
A tire repair shop on boulevard Charest, then the largest retreading workshop in Québec.
Adrien Ratté opens his very first tire shop, Ratté Tire Shop, at 108, boul. Charest Est near rue du Pont in Québec. Specializing in tire repair and installation, he distributes Dunlop and Goodyear.
World War II begins. Tires are rationed. Adrien Ratté travels to Florida to buy retreading molds and equipment. At peak production, the Rattés manufactured more than 12,000 house-brand tires per year, the largest retreading workshop in Québec.
Lacking parking at the first address, Ratté Tire Shop moves to 830, boul. Charest Est. This shop will later be expropriated for the construction of the Dufferin-Montmorency highway.
The company settles at 103, 3ᵉ Avenue. It never leaves.
Ratté Tire Shop settles at 103, 3ᵉ Avenue in Québec, where the headquarters still sits today. François, Paul and Maurice Ratté, Adrien's sons, take over.
François Ratté's sons, Claude and his brother Jacques, join the family business.
Francization, distribution, mechanics, the first branches: the workshop becomes a network.
Claude and Jacques Ratté become owners. Jacques, in charge of administration, dies accidentally a year later. Claude is left alone to lead all operations.
Bill 101 is adopted. Ratté Tire Shop francizes its name and becomes Pneus Ratté.
Unimax is created through the merger of the Unipneu and Maxipneu banners. Claude Ratté, founding member of Unipneu, chairs the board for more than four consecutive years.
Pneus Ratté enters the distribution market. The division will adopt the name Distribu-Pneus. More than 150,000 tires in inventory today.
Pneus Ratté diversifies by opening a general mechanics department. Two of Claude's three children, Charlyne and Stéphane, join the company.
The acquisition of a building on boulevard Hamel marks the start of the branch network.
After eight months of work, Pneus Ratté inaugurates its new customer-service-oriented headquarters. 23 service bays and a bistro, a Québec first. $2.2M investment.
From regional network to a group of six divisions, from Québec to Montréal and Sherbrooke.
Claude Ratté hands over the future of Pneus Ratté to his children Charlyne and Stéphane.
The Ratté family acquires a Unipneu dealer in Grand-Mère then invests $1.6M to build a branch in the heart of Shawinigan, inaugurated in July 2004.
The Limoilou warehouse expands with a $2.6M investment and enters the computerized distribution era. The Hamel branch grows to 11 service bays.
Groupe Pneus Ratté enters the south shore with the acquisition of a Unipneu dealer in Lévis. Six months later, a move to boulevard de la Rive-Sud, $1.2M.
Habel Service de Pneus on route Kennedy in Lévis becomes Habel Pneus et Mécanique, a subsidiary of Pneus Ratté.
Pneus Ratté celebrates its 75th anniversary. Four branches and one subsidiary, more than 160 employees, peaks at 260.
Pneus Ratté acquires the Dupont industries warehouse on 3ᵉ Rue in Québec, solving a major space problem.
The four branches go green. Limoilou, Hamel and Shawinigan are accredited Clé Verte by CAA.
Construction begins at Habel Pneus et Mécanique. 10 service bays and capacity for 75,000 tires with a new integrated distribution center.
Pneus Ratté acquires Pneus et Mécanique Ste-Foy on boulevard Hochelaga, bringing the branch count to six.
Official inauguration of the new Habel Pneus et Mécanique premises. The branch will adopt the Pneus Ratté name in August 2014.
Growth on boulevard des Récollets in Trois-Rivières, $3.3M. Simultaneous acquisition of Pneus St-Marc in St-Marc-des-Carrières.
Stéphane and Charlyne Ratté create Groupe Ratté with a distinct portal to optimize synergy between their establishments and divisions.
Groupe Ratté invests in a centralized distribution center in Trois-Rivières, ensuring outstanding service in Mauricie.
Pneus Ratté celebrates its 80th anniversary: EV charging stations in 6 locations, customer draws, gala evening.
Stéphane and Charlyne Ratté make the cover of Magazine Prestige. The fourth generation establishes itself as a reference in Québec business.
Major turning point: the Group announces the acquisition of Autopneu Auclair, Réchapage Québec Metro and Pneus Colosse. Entry into civil engineering.
Free-to-use EV chargers installed in employee parking lots. The Group extends the sustainability turn that began in 2012.
The freshly acquired Pneus RQM is renamed Pneus Colosse. The division specializes in tires for civil engineering, mining and construction and becomes the Group's fastest-growing arm.
Eleven retail stores join the international Point S banner, bringing a new catalog and a new image.
The Groupe Ratté Foundation supports the Carnaval de Québec queen's philanthropic cause by topping up the funds raised. The Group's philanthropic arm grows.
Pneus Ratté opens an 85-day pop-up boutique at Laurier Québec shopping centre to mark its 85th anniversary. Tire shopping, advice and appointment-booking right in the mall - a first for the Quebec tire industry.
Acquisition of the two Pneus SP locations in Anjou, at the entrance of the Island of Montréal. First Montréal foothold for the Group, now serving a 400+ km territory with 24/7 roadside service.
Groupe Ratté announces a partnership with Le Semoir to finance outdoor green classrooms in primary schools across the greater Québec City, Trois-Rivières and Shawinigan regions. Pneus Ratté becomes the largest private funder of outdoor classrooms in Quebec.
To mark its 90th anniversary, the Group acquires Pneus et rechapage Southward near Montréal-Trudeau Airport. The addition of a Bandag retreading shop and industrial-tire services pushes revenue above $100M. The network now numbers 13 auto centres, 6 truck centres, 4 OTR centres and 1 retreading shop.
Acquisition of Pneu Estrimont and Pneus et mécanique Wellington, two Point S dealers in the Sherbrooke region. Pneu Estrimont becomes Pneus Ratté Sherbrooke; Wellington keeps its name. The network reaches 29 service points and targets \$150M in revenue.
Six divisions, 29 service points, more than 250 employees. The company grew from Québec to Montréal and Sherbrooke without leaving 103, 3ᵉ Avenue.