Open in full screen mode On April 14, 2008, the Crocs sandal factory in Quebec closed its doors. Radio-Canada 15 years ago, on April 14, 2008, sandal manufacturer Crocs announced the closure of its Quebec factory. The fruit of a Quebec invention, the famous sandals are still successful throughout the world today. Our archives look back at the history of this colorful plastic shoe that leaves no one indifferent. On August 14, 2008, it was a shock for the employees of the Crocs factory located on rue des Tanneurs in Quebec. The company announces the closure of its only factory in the country which manufactured its popular plastic sandals. Crocs are a very local creation. It is the company Créations Foam which imagined and designed the shoe. August 29, 2006 on the show Des kiwis et des men, Francis Reddy and Jean-Nicolas Verreault receive Marie-Claude de Billy, co-founder of Créations Foam in Quebec. At that time, the Crocs factory in Quebec has the wind in its sails.
During the 1990s, engineers in chemistry Marie-Claude de Billy and her partner Andrew Reddyhoff invented the plastic called Croslite which is used to make Crocs.
Marie-Claude de Billy explains that the sandal is molded with plastic foam. The material used has the advantage of being very light, resistant and antibacterial.
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Foam Creations, which was founded in 1995, wishes to develop unique products with unique materials.
In 2004, a group of businessmen from Colorado decided to acquire the invention of the Quebec company to give it an international marketing plan.
On October 12, 2007 on the show C'est ça la vie, researcher Rachel Dugas interviews passers-by on the street in Gatineau to ask them what they think des Crocs.
If some people appreciate their comfort and useful, especially for water sports, others do not understand the craze for shoes.
There are definitely Crocs fans. I went to Old Quebec on the weekend and there was a lady who got married with Crocs on her feet.
A quote from A passerby
I don't understand why people like them. Are insignificant, are plastic, it's ugly, it's round, there are holes in it.
A quote from A passerby
Between 2004 and 2007, the workforce at the Crocs factory in Quebec increased from 400 to 1,200 employees.
But at the beginning of 2008, the series of layoffs begins and never stops. In mid-April, Crocs de Québec closed its doors.
The closure of the Crocs factory in Quebec is a story worthy of irony. The famous plastic sandals were invented by Quebecers. They have had enormous success all over the world. They were sold to the Americans in 2004, and now the first factory that the Americans decided to close was the one in Quebec.
A quote from Anne-Marie Dussault, Téléjournal midi, April 14 2008
The Quebec factory is relocated to Mexico where the employees' salaries correspond to a third of those of Quebec employees.
In addition, 600 employees are to be relocated, and a third of the workforce consists of citizens with immigrant backgrounds. In its glorious years, the Crocs factory in Quebec counted on workers of around thirty different nationalities.
The cuts began a few weeks ago due to the sluggish economy. From October 31, 2007 to April 2008, the company's stock lost two-thirds of its value.
January 24, 2018 at National, journalist Guylaine Bussière looks back on the history of Crocs sandals.
The Crocs were manufactured in Mexico, Italy, in Romania, Bosnia, China, Brazil and Vietnam.
In 2018, Crocs closed its last two factories in Mexico and Italy. The company now subcontracts its entire production.
The company Créations Foam is still established in Quebec and markets several products from injected foam.
In 2022, sales of the American shoe brand Crocs jumped 54% compared to 2021 to reach 3.5 billion dollars.
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