Millennium Marine

Our Story

Forever Evolving

Our Story

Forever Evolving

From one wooden lobster boat in 1940 to a modern global operation, our timeline reflects continuous innovation across generations.

  1. 1940
    1940Milestone

    The First Guimond Boat

    • Philias Guimond built his own wooden boat for fishing lobster.
    • Back in those days, there was no electricity in Escuminac. Philias engineered and built many of his own tools and equipment, such as a band saw that ran off a 6-cylinder Chevy engine.
    1940 - The First Guimond Boat
    1940 • The First Guimond Boat
  2. 1950
    1950Milestone

    Growing Interest

    • Philias' craftsmanship triggered strong interest from local fishermen.
    • For a few years, he built boats each summer in a field behind the homestead. In the early 1950s, he built a boat shed.
    1950 - Growing Interest
    1950 • Growing Interest
  3. 1959
    1959Milestone

    Escuminac Disaster

    • Escuminac and neighboring villages were deeply saddened when the lives of 35 brave salmon fishermen were lost at sea.
    • The Escuminac Disaster occurred due to the extra-tropical remnants of an Atlantic hurricane and remains one of the worst fishing-related disasters in the history of Atlantic Canada.
    1959 - Escuminac Disaster
    1959 • Escuminac Disaster
  4. 1960
    1960Milestone

    Building Boats at a Young Age

    • At only 13 years old, Philias Jr. (Phil) began building boats with his father.
    1960 - Building Boats at a Young Age
    1960 • Building Boats at a Young Age
  5. 1963
    1963Milestone

    Phil Quit School in Grade 9

    • To help support a household with five younger siblings, Phil fished in the summer and built boats in the winter.
    1963 - Phil Quit School in Grade 9
    1963 • Phil Quit School in Grade 9
  6. 1968
    1968Milestone

    The Second Generation

    • At 20, Phil took over the boatbuilding business.
    • Phil now had his own licenses to fish lobster, salmon, and ground fish. He built boats in the evenings, on storm days, and throughout the winter.
    Phil Guimond
    Phil Guimond
  7. 1972
    1972Milestone

    Miramichi Pride

    • In the winter of 71/72, Phil built one of the largest boats in the fleet at 45'. Uncommon to the area at the time, the V-bottom Miramichi Pride was powered by twin 454 Chevy gas engines.
    • Miramichi Pride became the first wooden boat in Atlantic Canada to have a flared-out bow stem. The design quickly caught attention and became a Guimond trademark.
  8. 1973
    1973Milestone

    Crooked Bow

    • In spring 1972, Charlie Deagle and Stevie Gallant of Miminegash, PEI each placed a $300 deposit for a boat with the carved-out 'Crooked Bow.' They took delivery in spring 1973.
    1973 - Crooked Bow
    1973 • Crooked Bow
  9. 1980
    1980Milestone

    To Fish or Build

    • Canadian law forced Phil, the fisherman and entrepreneur, to choose whether to fish or own a business. He could not do both.
    • It was hard to let go, but his decision soon became clear.
    1980 - To Fish or Build
    1980 • To Fish or Build
  10. 1981
    1981Milestone

    Phil's First Fiberglass Boat - Miramichi 40

    • Phil not only chose to continue building boats, he took it to the next level by launching the Miramichi 40 fiberglass hull in 1981.
    • Loyal employees and friends Ade Martin, Tim Durelle, Greg Durelle, and Ted Manuel also learned the fiberglass trade during this transition.
    1981 - Phil's First Fiberglass Boat - Miramichi 40
    1981 • Phil's First Fiberglass Boat - Miramichi 40
  11. 1983
    1983Milestone

    Miramchi 38

    • The 40' hull proved too large for many local fishermen. The Miramichi 38 hull mold was designed with a sleeker entry and more flare. With sharp turning and shallow draft, it was excellent for fishing shoals and sold quickly.
  12. 1984
    1984Milestone

    Miramichi 24/25

    • Fishermen from New Brunswick's North Shore wanted smaller boats with outboard power. The Miramichi 24 was formed and later increased in length and freeboard to become the Miramichi 25.
    1984 - Miramichi 24/25
    1984 • Miramichi 24/25
  13. 1985
    1985Milestone

    Miramichi 31

    • To fill the gap between the 25' and 38', Phil designed a beamy 31' hull with nearly 13' of beam and a 10' transom.
    • It was available both in lobster style and as a pleasure cruiser.
    1985 - Miramichi 31
    1985 • Miramichi 31
  14. 1986
    1986Milestone

    Pumping them Out

    • In a combination of 25', 31', 38', and 40' hulls, the crew built a total of 50 boats in only 48 weeks.
    1986 - Pumping them Out
    1986 • Pumping them Out
  15. 1987
    1987Milestone

    Miramichi 43 - The Next Evolution

    • This model introduced built-in spray rails, a molded rooftop, and a fiberglass spoiler.
    • The first unit was demoed in Miminegash Harbour and seven orders were placed that day. The new look paved the way into the 1990s.
    1987 - Miramichi 43 - The Next Evolution
    1987 • Miramichi 43 - The Next Evolution
  16. 1990
    1990Milestone

    The 300th Fiberglass Boat Was Built

    • A major production milestone: the 300th fiberglass boat was completed.
    man in a boat
    1990 • The 300th Fiberglass Boat Was Built
  17. 1991
    1991Milestone

    Selling The Business

    • After years battling chemical sensitivity illness, Phil decided to sell the boat business and begin building modular homes where he would be less exposed to fumes and odors.
    • He finished his last fiberglass boat to run charters on the Miramichi River - a modified Miramichi 31 measuring 39' named Miss Miramichi.
    1991 - Selling The Business
    1991 • Selling The Business
  18. 1994
    1994Milestone

    Full Circle

    • Phil often described his journey as full circle: wooden boats, then fiberglass boats, then homes, and back to wooden boats.
    • Local fisherman Jackie Gregan persistently requested a new wooden boat, and Phil eventually agreed to return to what he knew best.
    1994 - Full Circle
    1994 • Full Circle
  19. 1994
    1994Milestone

    Next Generation

    • This is when the third generation took flight. Phil's youngest son Cory, age 19 and fresh out of electrical college, chose to follow in his father's footsteps.
    • Cory remained focused on hull structure and cabins. Together, Phil and Cory finished two boats and started two more.
    1994 - Next Generation
    1994 • Next Generation
  20. 1995
    1995Milestone

    Tragic Loss

    • On January 21, 1995, at age 46, Phil died suddenly after being struck by a dump trailer at the workplace.
    • The loss of one of the finest and most respected builders and fishermen was felt throughout the industry. Cory and Randy carried on by finishing existing builds and taking new orders.
  21. 1996
    1996Milestone

    Continuing the Legacy

    • After 18 months of building wooden boats, the brothers agreed that long-term success required returning to fiberglass production. Within eight months, the wooden plug was finished, the mold was cast, and the first hull was built.
    1996 - Continuing the Legacy
    1996 • Continuing the Legacy
  22. 1997
    1997Milestone

    First Guimond 45s

    • Roland Thibodeau took delivery of the first new Guimond 45, built with speed rails and dual front windshields. Ken Doucet took the second later that year while improvements continued.
    1997 - First Guimond 45s
    1997 • First Guimond 45s
  23. 1999
    1999Milestone

    First Export

    • The first Guimond 45 sold south of the border went to Paul Herrick, who fished for conch, blue crab, and croaker out of Virginia Beach, VA.
    • On route, the vessel Sunrise stopped in Boston for display at the Boston Atlantic Fish Expo.
    1999 - First Export
    1999 • First Export
  24. 2000
    2000Milestone

    Export Became the Business

    • Since 1997, business had grown tenfold. Sales were now 75% export, with boats shipped across the USA, including Alaska and Hawaii.
    • With additional sales to Puerto Rico, Tobago, and Portugal, over 80 Guimond 45s had already been built and sold in-house.
    2000 - Export Became the Business
    2000 • Export Became the Business
  25. 2003
    2003Milestone

    The New MILLENNIUM

    • Growing demand for larger boats required new molds and facilities. The brothers chose to part ways on direction and ownership decisions.
    • Cory became 100% owner of the boatbuilding operation, known from this point onward as Millennium Marine.
    2003 - The New MILLENNIUM
    2003 • The New MILLENNIUM
  26. 2004
    2004Milestone

    Expanding Markets

    • During this era, Millennium Marine became one of the largest exporters of fishing boats in Atlantic Canada.
    • Boats were sold into the North Atlantic (Greenland and Faroe Islands), the UK, Bermuda, and for government use in several US states.
    2004 - Expanding Markets
    2004 • Expanding Markets
  27. 2008
    2008Milestone

    Recession

    • For many boatbuilders, sales came to a grinding halt, followed by two years of economic recession.
    • By 2010, most boatyards had closed, but Guimond continued to profit and grow the business and product line.
    2008 - Recession
    2008 • Recession
  28. 2011
    2011Milestone

    Keeper - 46' Patrol Boat

    • Keeper, one of our most watched vessels, was built as a patrol boat for the state of Rhode Island. In one passage, Cory sailed Keeper from Escuminac, NB to Warwick, RI.
    • Cory said: 'She held a true 20 knots from Clarks Harbour, NS to Cape Cod, sailing through rough seas stirred up by Hurricane Igor.'
    2011 - Keeper - 46' Patrol Boat
    2011 • Keeper - 46' Patrol Boat
  29. 2013
    2013Milestone

    Move to the U.S.

    • Facing ongoing labor shortages in Canada and a vision to grow charter-boat demand requiring a US-built hull, Cory ceased Canadian operations and incorporated Millennium Marine USA.
    2013 - Move to the U.S.
    2013 • Move to the U.S.
  30. 2014
    2014Milestone

    Millennium Marine USA - Grand Opening

    • Despite delays and unforeseen setbacks, Millennium Marine USA grew to 30 employees and produced 50 hulls in less than two years.
    2014 - Millennium Marine USA - Grand Opening
    2014 • Millennium Marine USA - Grand Opening
  31. 2015
    2015Milestone

    Canadian Facilities Re-open

    • A growing Canadian market led to the re-opening of Guimond's Canadian facilities, where kit boats sold from the US company would be outfitted.
    2015 - Canadian Facilities Re-open
    2015 • Canadian Facilities Re-open
  32. 2017
    2017Milestone

    Back to Canada

    • Disagreement with a new city manager and council resulted in Guimond packing up and moving all operations back to Canada.
    2017 - Back to Canada
    2017 • Back to Canada
  33. 2018
    2018Milestone

    First Foreign Workers

    • To build needed workforce capacity, Guimond traveled to the Philippines and recruited the company's first 10 foreign workers.
    2018 - First Foreign Workers
    2018 • First Foreign Workers
  34. 2019
    2019Milestone

    A Banner Year

    • Sales reached an all-time high.
    • We launched our first MEGA 50 and returned all Donelle models to full production.
    2019 - A Banner Year
    2019 • A Banner Year
  35. 2019
    2019Milestone

    New Building

    • An additional 10,000 square foot facility was erected to house large vessels up to 28 feet wide.
    2019 - New Building
    2019 • New Building
  36. 2019
    2019Milestone

    40 Employees

    • By the end of 2019, staff had doubled to nearly 40 full-time employees.
    Employees seeting on a round table
  37. 2020
    2020Milestone

    Eyesight 20/20

    • Our focus remains on product development, new markets, increased workforce, and new production locations around the globe.
    2020 - Eyesight 20/20
    2020 • Eyesight 20/20