About twenty years ago, Fenplast equipped itself with a groundbreaking technological tool for its time: an Extranet.

This portal, designed to connect the factory with its vast network of distributors, quickly became the backbone of its operations.

For many years, it supported the growth of the Quebec-based manufacturer. But over time, the system began to lag behind modern technologies. Each browser update became a source of concern.

This perfectly illustrates the importance of evolving a digital product over time and having the right tools to support its growth. A maintenance plan then becomes the key to ensuring its sustainability.

That’s what Dominic Fontaine, Digital Strategy Lead at Fenplast, shared with our team during his interview. His insights and reflections mark each stage of this story — one that shows how a technological challenge evolved into a project of lasting collaboration and innovation.

An Extranet at the Heart of the Fenplast Ecosystem

More than just a web platform, the Extranet represents the gateway to the entire Fenplast universe.

For distributors, it was the essential tool to:

• generate quotes using the in-house Solumax Web software;
• turn those quotes into direct orders sent to the factory;
• view prices, promotions, and new products;
• access ready-to-use marketing materials;
• even consult partner price lists to complete their offering.

In short, it served as the daily touchpoint between Fenplast and its distributors.

Without it, maintaining the smooth flow of sales and communication would have been impossible.

Meeting Thirdbridge: Building With and For the Users

True to its approach, our team made sure to begin the collaboration with transparency and attentive listening — two essential ingredients for any successful digital partnership.

Rather than simply executing a requirements document, the team took the time to understand the real-life context of distributors and representatives.

“What we appreciated most was the transparency. We always knew where things stood and who was working on what. It wasn’t just a supplier — it was a true partner.”

From the very beginning, Thirdbridge wanted to ensure that the new Extranet would perfectly meet the needs of those who use it every day.

To achieve this, a series of user interviews and surveys were conducted to identify genuine pain points. The result: small adjustments on paper, but decisive improvements in the distributors’ daily experience.

This process helped uncover needs that were sometimes underestimated — such as the search tool, managing multiple retailer accounts under one profile, or the ability to update contact information independently without having to reach out to Extranet administrators. Details that may seem minor, but make a world of difference day to day.

The New Extranet: A Transformed Daily Experience

Launched in January 2025, the new Extranet quickly established itself as a modern, intuitive, and scalable tool.

Distributors can now manage their own access, navigate seamlessly thanks to an improved search experience, and handle multiple business locations from a single account.

Behind the scenes, this translates to fewer support calls, freeing up both distributors and Fenplast’s internal teams. Instead of spending time troubleshooting technical issues, everyone can focus on what really matters: better serving customers, optimizing sales, and driving innovation.

The new Extranet restores autonomy to the network and once again becomes a true engine of performance for the organization.

More Than Code: A True Connection

What truly set this collaboration apart was the shared culture that naturally emerged.

Thirdbridge didn’t just deliver a technical solution — the team knew when to say “no” if an idea might cause harm, and when to say “let’s go” if it brought genuine added value.

“We could tell that Thirdbridge understood our reality. They didn’t just code — they wanted to create a tool that reflects who Fenplast is and evolves alongside us.”

The Future Already in Motion

For Fenplast, this new Extranet is only one step on a much larger journey toward its ambitions.

The company is already looking ahead: integrating new features, conducting regular surveys with distributors, and even exploring bold new projects — like online visualization tools.

“We don’t want to wait for our competitors to innovate before we do. We want to stay one step ahead.”

A Story of Partnership

The story between Fenplast and Thirdbridge isn’t just about a modernized portal. It’s the story of a risk turned into opportunity, a collaboration built on trust, and a shared vision.

Because beyond the code, it’s relationships and genuine listening that make the difference — and that enable a company to keep growing, year after year.

At Thirdbridge, we believe the best solutions are born from truly listening to users and moving forward with complete transparency alongside our clients.

A heartfelt thank you to Fenplast for their trust — and for the opportunity to build, together, the digital future of Quebec’s manufacturing industry.