It's 1934, during the Great Depression. At the edge of the Eastern Townships, in a small village bordering Lac Drolet (Quebec, Canada). Times are hard. The climate is arid. People are forced to work the land to make ends meet. Faced with the challenge of sheltering and feeding his family, Louis-Philippe Royer is undaunted by the task at hand.

Having learned the art of shoemaking and being a resourceful inventor, the entrepreneur and overall tinkerer of things opens a small workshop and begins crafting boots by hand, one by one, in a toolshed intended for field hands.

Acknowledging the shortage of work in his town, he invited his brothers and sisters to join forces and band together to survive.

Becoming cramped in his small makeshift workshop, Louis-Philippe decided it was time to expand. One brick at a time, he began laying the foundation for what would be the walls for his new factory.

Unable to afford the expensive tools only found in New England, Louis-Philippe sets a precedent and begins inventing his very own production equipment. Unable to source quality leather, he taught himself tanning and opened his tannery. A man of character, with an independent spirit and no quit in him.

Faced with the challenges of life, he believes in the ability of people to roll up their sleeves and do things for themselves. If others can do it, so can we. His values are foundational to what ROYER is today: inventiveness and ingenuity, determination and tenacity, discipline and rigour, attention to detail and respect for a job well done.

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In 1965, Henri Royer, Louis-Philippe's son, takes over the reins of the company. He improves operations and products to make ROYER even more competitive in the market. Having developed a leather compatible with the direct vulcanization process, he extends this process to nearly all production. The company also takes its first steps foot into the industrial sector and begins manufacturing boots that meet the specific needs of different trades.

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Continuing the tradition of innovation in the Royer family, Yves Royer, the grandson of Louis-Philippe and son of Henry, took control of the company in 1986. By focusing on the quality of its human resources department and the expertise of all the members of his team, he continues to expand the business, preparing to better face the global markets.

Yves integrates the concept of lean thinking into management, oversees the implementation of the ISO 9001 quality management system and develops XPAN® technology, which allows for dual-density rubber soles injection moulding. This innovative and exclusive ROYER technology propels the sales of speciality safety boots manufactured specifically for the most demanding industries worldwide.

ROYER becomes synonymous with "specialized products".

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In 2007, to remain competitive in an industry dominated by foreign manufacturers, ROYER has no choice but to accept the challenge and innovate. Drawing on the expertise acquired over the past 70 years, ROYER releases the "Mother of all Boots" and establishes a strategic alliance to produce a new range of products in South-East Asia.

This marks ROYER’s return to the “mainstream” market segment.

"The mother of all boots" quickly gains ground and becomes one of the most popular models among North-American workers. It doesn't take long before other ROYER models round out the collection.

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In 2013, ROYER announces its association with Georges St-Pierre (GSP), the mixed martial arts world champion. GSP would go on to become the iconic spokesperson for the ROYER brand. ROYER is very proud to be associated with an athlete who is recognized for his strength, discipline and tenacity.

ROYER is a true survivor of the Canadian footwear industry. Founded in 1934 by Louis-Philippe Royer, the company still manufactures boots and shoes, for those who work in the most extreme conditions.

ROYER and GSP is a natural fit. As such, we both share the same values: discipline, determination and respect for a job well done.

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