CDL in the Forest: Solutions That Make a Difference, Maple Producers Who Benefit
Behind every sugarbush lies careful planning and expert guidance. At CDL, we turn your maple syrup projects into lasting successes through comprehensive support, from land analysis to final installation.
OUR MISSION
To simplify your work, optimize your yields, and provide tailored solutions, whether your project is just starting, expanding, or undergoing modernization.
Dive into the experiences of six maple producers who trusted our expertise. Each one benefited from personalized service, whether it was a full installation, network optimization, or equipment upgrade. While our approach is always turnkey, every project comes with its own specific needs and unique challenges. Discover how CDL met their expectations and helped turn their sugarbush into a model of efficiency.
MAIN LINE AND TUBING INSTALLATION AT MATHIEU AND DENIS THERRIEN’S SUGARBUSH, SAINT-APOLLINE-DE-PATTON
For over 35 years, the Therrien sugarbush has embodied family passion and continuity. Founded in 1989 by Georges Therrien and passed to his son Denis in 2000, the business welcomed a third generation in 2014 when Mathieu became co-owner.
Thanks to their daily commitment, the operation grew from 2,500 to 26,000 taps. Coming from the butcher industry, Mathieu is fully invested in this family business, closely collaborating with his father to modernize the entire network for greater efficiency.
Their old mainline was replaced with an Air-Water system and a buried return, improving both durability and performance. After a detailed site analysis, new lynched mainlines were laid out and installed with 15-year blue 5/16” Flex tubing and SpinSeal fittings, ensuring a reliable, efficient network.
This major project was completed in just one month by a four-person team from CDL Saint-Lazare, led by representative Pierre-Simon Morin. It also included underground piping and a new pump station.
Loyal CDL customers for seven years, Denis and Mathieu have also upgraded their equipment, including an Intens-O-Fire 5’ x 16’ evaporator. But beyond the products, it’s the service that impressed them. “A good sugarbush means good equipment, but most importantly, good service. With CDL, I know I can count on a responsive team when I need them,” says Mathieu.
With their redesigned network, Therrien’s family entered the 2025 season more efficient than ever, ready to write the next chapter of their family adventure.
COMPLETE FOREST INSTALLATION AT FERME G.E.C, SAINT-FRÉDÉRIQUE
Rocky Lessard entrusted CDL with an ambitious project: installing and optimizing four separate sugarbushes, one of which was developed entirely from virgin forest. This challenge required meticulous planning and on-site work to create a high-performing and sustainable maple network.
Coming from a family passionate about enhancing farmland and forests, Rocky always had a deep attachment to maple. His father started the first sugarbush using buckets, and in 2013 Rocky modernized the operation by installing tubing. Since then, maple syrup production has become a natural extension of their pig farming, with a clear vision: make the most of every forest parcel.
With a dedicated team of four CDL Sainte-Marie experts, over 4,500 taps were installed with precision. From equipment sales and installation to detailed network mapping and complete tubing setup, every step was carried out with exemplary attention to detail. One existing sugarbush was also optimized for better yields.
After thoroughly assessing the needs, Maxime Audet and the Sainte-Marie team recommended black Spinseal main lines combined with 5/16” dark blue 15-year Flex tubing and MaxFlow spouts. This high-end installation ensures maximum performance and increased network longevity. In March 2025, Rocky began his first season with a sugarbush equipped with the best technology available.
“We wanted a reliable and high-performing network, and CDL delivered exactly what we needed. With Maxime and Ghislain Poulin, we know we can count on fast service and unmatched expertise. Their phones are always on, seven days a week, and that makes all the difference,” says Rocky.
GPS MAPPING AT FRANÇOIS BOLDUC’S SUGARBUSH, LA GUADELOUPE
Expanding a sugarbush is a major challenge requiring careful planning, precise execution, and trusted partners. For François Bolduc, working with Loïc Plante and the Mégantic team was essential to his project’s success.
From the very beginning, Loïc used his mapping expertise to optimize the placement of the main lines, ensuring a structured and efficient network. His thorough terrain analysis led to a strategic layout that eased both management and productivity. Alongside his brother Carl, he played a crucial role in the setup, ensuring a logical, sustainable, and well-thought-out installation.
The groundwork demanded both expertise and active participation in excavation and burial of the collection networks, an essential step to ensure durability and efficiency. Thanks to their responsiveness and rigor, Loïc and his team adapted to the unexpected and responded effectively to needs. “What I appreciate most about Loïc and CDL is their availability and efficiency. Whenever I need help in the field, there’s always someone there to respond and find a solution. It’s a valuable partnership that lets me move forward with confidence.”
Thanks to this technical and human support, François continues to build a forwardthinking maple operation, with optimization and performance at the heart of every decision.
BURIED COLLECTION SYSTEM AT FIVE BROOK MAPLE, NORTON, VERMONT
Driven by a family passion for maple, Maxime Poulin embarked on an ambitious project: developing a nearly 100,000-tap sugarbush in the U.S. After managing up to 30,000 taps in Quebec, he seized an opportunity in Vermont in 2020, joined by childhood friends Alexandre Turcotte and Jean-Nicolas Lessard, who also had similar experience.
Thanks to close collaboration with sales rep Éric Guay from CDL Sainte-Aurélie, a prime virgin forest site was identified in Norton, Vermont. A major highlight of this project is its impressive underground network, designed for optimal efficiency and protection from weather and wildlife. Over 50 km of buried tubing and 600,000 feet of 1-inch pipe were installed over four years. Specialized software guided the strategic layout of pump stations and infrastructure.
The Sainte-Aurélie team played a key role in every phase, from site selection to equipment installation, bringing both on-site and planning expertise.
From the first year, the sugarbush had 20,000 taps, then reached 54,000, 70,800, and now nearly 99,000 ready for 2025. This rapid development proves both the profitability and sustainability of the project.
“Turning a virgin forest into a 100,000-tap sugarbush is more than a project, it’s a huge challenge! Without CDL’s expertise and support at every step, this vision wouldn’t have become reality,” mentions Maxime.
CDL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM SETUP AT RÉJEAN LACASSE’S SUGARBUSH, LAMBTON
Réjean Lacasse’s 8,000-tap sugarbush is a shining example of successfully integrating CDL Intelligence technology. With 27 years of experience and a deep passion for maple, he recently decided to elevate his operations through innovation.
After comparing offers from several competitors, Réjean chose CDL, impressed by the quality of technical support and personalized service. The outstanding professionalism and expertise of sales rep Jean-François Robert from La Guadeloupe greatly simplified the process. His thorough guidance made the monitoring system setup smooth and efficient.
The CDL Intelligence system has transformed Réjean’s daily operations with realtime data, boosting both ease and production performance. “Once you start using monitoring, you can’t go back!”, he says enthusiastically.
This trust in CDL and its representative resulted in an outstanding customer experience. Already convinced by the technology’s benefits, Réjean plans to expand its use to further optimize his operations.
OPTIMIZATION AND NEW SETUP AT JEAN-FRANÇOIS PELLETIER AND MAGALIE RIVARD’S SUGARBUSH, EASTMAN
Jean-François Pelletier’s maple sugaring adventure began five years ago with the purchase of his first 115-acre lot, which had no existing infrastructure. Thanks to the expertise of Jérémie Lebel from the Shefford team, the land was optimized to accommodate 4,200 taps. Two years later, Jean-François and his partner Magalie Rivard seized the opportunity to purchase the adjacent 62.5-acre lot, where an additional 3,800 taps were installed, again with Jérémie’s support. Today, their sugarbush has 8,000 taps in production, with a total potential of over 10,000. The remaining 2,000 taps will be installed following the next quota issuance. “We believed in the potential of this land, even though everything had to be built from scratch, and we’re driven by the desire to create a family-run sugarbush that reflects who we are,” says Jean-François.
One of the main challenges was rethinking the initial placement of the vacuum stations, a problem that significantly impacted the efficiency of the network. As Jean-François explains: “After a thorough analysis conducted in close collaboration with Jérémie Lebel from CDL Shefford, a passionate expert who genuinely understands and shares the challenges faced by producers, the vacuum stations were strategically repositioned.” This overhaul greatly improved vacuum efficiency and significantly enhanced sap flow throughout the system.
The complete redesign also included a fully rethought tubing network, using 5/16” lines and Spinseal fittings installed throughout the sugarbush. “Although we encountered a few challenges at first, the nearby positive recommendations and CDL’s outstanding service reputation were key factors in our decision to work with Jérémie,” adds Jean-François.
Thanks to these optimizations, the sap collection network is now perfectly adapted to the terrain, ensuring efficient and reliable harvesting. Last summer, over 1 km of underground piping was installed, including a buried water return line, during the upgrade of the existing infrastructure. The CDL Intelligence monitoring system is nearing completion, allowing for real-time monitoring of the new section. Future project steps also include planning for an expansion to tap an additional 2,000 trees. The couple intends to manage everything independently, with easy access to the various stations in the woods for thorough and efficient technical oversight.
CONCLUSION
Every sugarbush is unique, and it’s this uniqueness that guides CDL’s on-the-ground approach. Whether for expansion, strategic modernization, or a brand-new start, our team puts its expertise to work to turn challenges into success stories. These inspiring stories highlight the diversity of maple projects and the added value of personalized support.
