Lionel Girardin founded the Girardin company in the 1940?s.  He first established his used car sales and general mechanics business in St-Felix-de-Kingsey, Quebec, Canada.

Few years later, in 1958, Mr. Girardin and his sons obtained their first contract to transport students and moved into the sale of school buses.

Business grew rapidily and in 1965, needing larger premises, they moved the company to its present location in Drummondville, alongside the Trans-Canada Highway. Parts and service departments were later annexed to meet the growing needs of customers.

Two years later, girardin will get a blue bird dealership, the most important bus manufacturer in North America, well-known for the quality of its products.

In 1991, a modern assembly plant was built beside the corporate office to launch the new MB-II and MB-IV minibuses. The MB series minibuses (MB-II and MB-IV) have made their mark in Canada and the United States and are sold through the network of Blue Bird distributors.

Today Girardin holds a dominant position in the Quebec school bus market and a envious position in the commercial and specialized vehicle markets.

The experience Girardin has acquired in the school bus contracting business in Quebec with its harsh climate conditions and rough roads has enabled Girardin to better understand customer needs and supply a vehicle engineered and built to meet their expectations. Girardin believes the success of the company and all its divisions is based on three principles :