The founder of J.U. Houle ltée, Mr. Joseph Uzéric Houle, was born in Victoriaville, Quebec on June 4, 1894. As he came from a rather modest background, he finished school at the age of sixteen and started working as an apprentice for Mr. Dénéri Richard, a plumber established in the village of Sainte-Eulalie.

After two years of apprenticeship, Mr. Houle worked successively for Octave Gaudet, Albert Beauchesne, and Arthur Gaudet. He was then hired on by Jutras ltée where he worked for twelve consecutive years.

In 1930, Mr. Houle opened a plumbing and tinsmithing shop which was located at 110 Notre-Dame Street West in Victoriaville and bore his name, J.U. Houle.

In spite of the economic crisis which persisted until 1938, he continued to operate his business which even managed to grow. In 1939, he increased his staff and conquered a large share of the market. J.U. Houle had just become the largest business of its kind in the Bois-Francs region.