Biron's history: key dates
The 1950s - The realization of a young scientist’s dream
In June, Denis Biron completes a one-year internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore after earning a bachelor’s degree in medical technology.
In October of the same year, he realizes the dream that he nurtured throughout his years of study by founding Laboratoire Biron Ltée. He opens a small head office on Pie-IX Boulevard in Montreal as its sole service centre.
Denis chooses to leave the island of Montreal to set up a new office on Quinn Boulevard in Longueuil, on Montreal’s South Shore.
He would be the sole employee of his company for nearly six years.
The 1970s - Regulatory changes alter the Quebec landscape
The arrival of health insurance in Quebec takes a toll on the company. With great sadness, Denis is forced to lay off two employees while he reviews his business strategy. Fortunately, after only a few months, both employees return to the company. Ève Biron, Denis’ wife, also joins the company and contributes greatly to its growth.
Following a fire that destroys the Bio-Endo building, Biron acquires the company.
Almost 25 years after setting up his business in Longueuil, Denis decides to move his head office, at 6955 Taschereau Boulevard.
The 1980s - Preparing the next generation
From a young age, the three daughters of Denis and Ève would be immersed in the family business, gradually absorbing their father’s passion and grand ambitions for the company. It would simply be a matter of time, then, before each of them joined the company to contribute to its growth.
Ève-Lyne Biron, the eldest daughter, is the first to join the ranks of the company created by her father and assumes the role of Sales and Marketing Manager, a position she would occupy for six years. A few months later, Geneviève, the youngest, also enters the family business. With the arrival of new labour standards in Quebec, Geneviève begins organizing the company’s human resources before focusing on operations management. Caroline, an engineer by trade, also joins the team and focuses her efforts on developing the information technology that will drive the business forward.
The 1990s - The transfer to the second generation
Biron becomes the first laboratory in Canada to receive ISO 9002 certification.
After more than six years of involvement in the various spheres of the family business, Ève-Lyne succeeds her father as President of the company, ensuring the transition to the second generation. The young president wishes to inject new energy into the company while maintaining the excellent foundation laid by her father over the past 40 years. To do so, she surrounds herself with a qualified team that shares her desire to take the company further.
Biron acquires PolyDiagnostic.
This year marks the beginning of diagnostic services in sleep care. The company also takes a more “client-centric” approach by installing a new computer system (FoxLab) that facilitates appointment scheduling.
The company expands further, acquiring Laboratoire OML.
The 2000s - Diversification, consolidation and intrapreneurship
Biron improves its range of sleep care services by opening – in Brossard – the first service centre dedicated exclusively to sleep apnea diagnosis.
An official division is created for sleep care, called Apnair. In addition to continuing the diagnostic services provided over the past ten years, this new business unit has a mandate to offer therapeutic services so that patients can benefit from personalized treatment.
After several years evaluating the market and growth prospects, Geneviève Biron launches her intrapreneurial project, Imagix-Medical Imaging, alongside her business partner, Dr. Maurice Dufresne. Imagix becomes the first network of medical imaging clinics in Quebec. The first clinic to appear under this banner is Clinique de Radiologie Laval-Laurentides in Chomedey, which would be renamed “Imagix-Radiologie Chomedey.”
The company continues to acquire clinics to build the Imagix network, including those of Groupe Rive-Sud in Brossard, Boucherville, Saint-Hubert and Longueuil as well as a clinic in Saint-Laurent the following year. The Sleep Care unit also obtains its first certification from Accreditation Canada.
The medical laboratory is visited for the first time by Accreditation Canada. After a complete analysis of the quality of its services and processes, the company obtains its first certification, which would be continuously renewed thereafter.
Significant changes are made to the brand, including a new logo and new official names for the business units. As a result, Laboratoire médical Biron becomes “Biron-Medical Laboratory". Laboratoire du sommeil Biron and Apnair become “Biron-Sleep Care”. Imagix-Medical Imaging, meanwhile, remains unchanged, but its logo now incorporates the Biron “B” and adopts the grey and orange colour scheme.
Also this year, Biron launches the Portail des professionnels, a tool that allows the company to win an OCTAS award.
Finally, the Radiologie 2000 clinic in Blainville joins the Imagix network.
The 2010s - Growth and succession
The company makes another organizational change, with Biron becoming “Biron Health Group.” The role of this new entity is to oversee autonomous business units that share common services.
The same year, the radiology clinics in Longueuil, Châteauguay and Granby join the Imagix network.
Biron Health Group acquires Médiavis and expands its operations into clinic management, occupational medicine and medical expertise services.
Clinique Radiologie Laennec joins Imagix along with two other radiology clinics in Montréal-Nord and Rivière-des-Prairies. The two Imagix clinics located in Longueuil merge and move to renovated premises.
Biron Health Group is named among the best employers in Quebec by Aon Hewitt.
The Radiologie Momed clinic joins Imagix under the name “Imagix-Radiologie Cabrini”.
Biron diversifies its services once again by opening medical clinics at Quartier DIX30 and a service centre specializing in corporate services. It is the birth of a brand new business unit: Biron-Corporate Health.
Geneviève Biron takes the helm of the company, succeeding her sister Ève-Lyne who leaves after 25 years of service, 20 of which were served as Biron’s President. This change breathes new life into the company as Geneviève begins her role by implementing her strategic and long-term vision.
During the same year, Imagix-Medical Imaging obtains its first certification from Accreditation Canada and the Radiologie des Récollets clinic in Trois-Rivières joins the network.
Biron signs a Canada-wide partnership agreement with MedSleep and AvantSleep for sleep care.
The company also makes its first investment in BiogeniQ, a start-up company specializing in genetic services.
The same year, Biron wins an OCTAS award for customized or internally developed business solutions in the SME category for its innovative AMI Portal.
The company celebrates its 65th anniversary with a gala that highlights the tremendous work of its teams and the loyalty of its employees.
For the first time, Biron is named one of Canada’s best managed companies by Deloitte.
The AMI Portal continues to stand out with respect to innovation, with the company winning a Telus Health award at the ACMQ’s front-line services conference for its implementation of an innovative technology.
Finally, the company acquires the Medvue network of private radiology clinics.
In February, the company announces that it has completed the acquisition of BiogeniQ.
The transfer and growth strategy implemented by Geneviève since becoming President enables the company to distinguish itself at prestigious business competitions. Biron receives a Mercure award in the entrepreneurship, succession and business transfer category at the 38th edition of Les Mercuriades, organized by the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ). As well, it is awarded the Gold Medal in the Family Transfer category at the 12th edition of the Business Transfer Awards organized by PwC.
Construction and opening of a new Imagix's clinic in Ste-Dorothée.
Acquisition of PathAssistant Laboratory located in New Brunswick. This private laboratory is a pioneer in the use of digital pathology which represents the future of this type of analysis.
For the fourth consecutive year, Biron qualifies for Canada’s Best Managed Companies business awards and attains the Gold Standard category in this prestigious competition.
Construction and opening of a new Imagix's clinic in Laval.
For the fifth consecutive year, Biron qualifies for Canada’s Best Managed Companies business awards.
Biron wins the Prix Excellence awarded by the South Shore Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the "Company of the Year 2021" and "Service company of 20 employees or more" categories.
After 25 years with Biron, including seven years at the helm, Geneviève Biron bequeaths the solid and growing enterprise to her sister, Caroline Biron, who arrives as Executive Chair alongside Jean-François Rioux who will serve as acting President and Chief Executive Officer.
Biron celebrates the 70th anniversary of the family business and commemorates the major moments of its history. The organization is taking advantage of this celebration to thank its customers and to highlight the contribution of all its employees, some of whom have worked for the company for over 40 years.
After succeeding her sister Geneviève in July 2021 as Executive President, Caroline Biron officially became President and Chief Executive Officer in the summer of 2022. She intends to pursue the company's activities with as much ambition as the members of her family who preceded her, an ambition that has been instrumental to Biron's success since its foundation.
Biron's laboratory receives its first ISO 15189 certification from the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). The process essentially evaluates the quality of laboratory activities and everything that surrounds and supports them.
Biron is a 2023 winner of the Canada’s Best Managed Companies Platinum Club designation, having retained its Best Managed designation for seven consecutive years.