Carmikel Canada and Mike’s Automotive are owned and operated by Michel H. Grignon. Mike’s business career began at an early age working for the family electronics sales & repair business. That’s where he learned that if you treat your customer right and give them the best possible service, you would gain their loyalty. By 1971, mike got tired of chasing electrons around circuit boards and decided to turn his sports car hobby into his business. He rented a small 2 bay garage on the main street in Cornwall and began repairing and rebuilding MGs, Triumps, Jaguars and anything that could be rolled or pushed in the shop.
In 1977, Mike purchased and rebuilt a 1953 Fargo Tow truck and added a towing and boosting service to his business. By 1978, he had saved enough money to buy a property in Long Sault and built a new shop specializing in automotive welding & bodywork.
In 1981 John Racine was hired & has been shop foreman ever since. 1982, the shop was expanded to accommodate four frame straightening systems. These systems were built & designed by Mike & John to service area body shops.
1985, the body shop operation was terminated in order to concentrate on the fabrication part of the business; primarily tow trucks wheelift systems and later complete hydraulic tow truck & flatbeds.
In 1990, a new shop was built in the South Stormont Industrial Park and has grown from 1000 sqf to over 4000 sqf of workspace. Today, the business involves the sale & installation of truck equipment.
The goal of the company has always been to “be the best, not the biggest”.
In 2010, Mike decided that due to the continued growth of both the snow removal euipment division and the fabrication and welding division it was time for a change. The fabrication and welding division was sold to long time employee JF Racine along with the existing location. A new property has been purchased by Mike, also in the south stormont industrial park, where a new shop has recently been built.
