Glendyne Inc.
Slate is one of the longest-lasting roofing and siding materials in the world. Because it is natural stone, it is truly the roofing material of the century – which is as long as it may last in a quality installation. Ideal for heirloom homes and institutional use, it is a roofing material that can be passed down to the next generation – literally.
But not just any slate is high enough quality for this type of installation. Slate from Glendyne’s quarry – which is dark gray in color with tones of blue – is free from pyrite and metallic intrusions, thereby making it rustproof, the company maintains. Using natural slate for roofing offers numerous advantages. It requires no special maintenance and can last more than 75 years if applied according to prescribed standards, the company estimates.
Slate also is resistant to weather conditions, freezing and acid rain, and is environmentally friendly and safe because it is fireproof, the company says. It does not fade under the sun and ultraviolet rays. All Glendyne roofing slates are first selection slates. La Canadienne and Glendyne Slate are first selection “top choice” products.
Glendyne’s premium roofing slate is consistently flat and easy to install, the company declares, thereby eliminating the need to sort the pieces. One reason for that is the company’s open-cut deposit, which is located along a dark gray slate bed that is part of a vast mineral assemblage of gray slate, dark gray siltstone and quartzite found in the Temiscouata formation. This formation dates back approximately 350 million to 400 million years ago during the Devonian period.
Due to the Nordic climate at the company’s quarry in Quebec, surface alteration is very low. “The deposit was preserved from meteorological alterations typical of temperate and hot climates,” the company says. “The Glendyne quarry is thus proud to produce stones of very high quality.”
Hands-on Production
Glendyne Inc. mainly produces roofing slate for institutional and residential buildings and for landscaping purposes. The company’s manufacturing processes combine tradition and expertise passed down from master quarry workers in France with high technology.
“Glendyne applies the highest quality standards of the industry using the best management systems for production, quality, health and safety as well as the environment,” the company states. “Strict controls applied from the beginning to the end of the transformation process ensure clients obtain slate complying with their quality requirements.”
Slate Discovery
The slate deposit at Saint-Marc-du-Lac-Long was discovered when the transcontinental railway was built at the beginning of the 20th century. It was first operated by Europeans, who had to stop production a few years later due to World War I and the Canadian government’s war effort to support European allies. In 1995, a group of local businessmen resumed operations at the quarry.
Glendyne has three sedimentation ponds for the treatment of sawing water originating from the plant to meet quality standards required by the Quebec Department of the Environment. Water samples are analyzed regularly by a certified laboratory.
Glendyne’s commitment to environmental issues also includes revegetation of slopes. Since 2003, the company has implemented a shrub-planting program to control soil erosion and improve the visual aspect of the landscape.
Finally, Glendyne is concerned about the health of its workers and has invested in the installation of a dust collector to improve the quality of air inside the plant and to comply with effective standards.
Air quality control is conducted on a regular basis. At Glendyne, the environment is treated with respect and is an integral part of its fundamental values, the company says.