Wichard: Precision forging
The Wichard Company was founded by Henri Wichard in Thiers in 1919. The company is both a world leader in marine fittings and a dominant industrial actor in various other industrial sectors: aeronautics, medical, automotive, cutlery, parachute…
Some key dates
- 1919: Repurchase of a cutlery works and founding of the company by Henri Wichard
- 1919 to 1972: Drop forging sub-contractor
- 1972: creation of a second works and installation of an automatic forging line
- 1973: Michel Boissonnet, General Manager of the company, produces the first fittings in stainless steel and titanium and has them tested by Bernard Moitessier, Eric Tabarly, Alain Colas and Philippe Jeantot
- 1978: Perfection of titanium forge for medical applications
- 1973 to 1988: Development of the fittings range and creation of an international distribution network
- 1984: Nouvel Economiste – Europe 1: Design Oscar: carabiner (under load)
- 1989: Repurchase of the company by Jean-Loup Becquevort
- 1992: Opening of a subsidiary in the U.S.A. Wichard Inc.
- 1994: Acquisition of the Maillard company of St. Malo and launching of the first range of Wichard pulleys
- 1998: 1st Prix au Dame Award: Wichard double-safety carabiner
- 2002: Buy out of the Wichard company by a group of shareholders and creation of the Accasting holding company. Acquisition of Profurl, manufacturer of sail furlers
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Some key dates (suite)
- 2003: Opening of an agency in Saint Nazaire regrouping marine engineering and design, sales, marketing and after-sales service. Opening of a subsidiary in Australia: Wichard Pacific
- 2003: Acquisition of the Simond company of Chamonix: manufacturer of climbing equipment
- 2005: Acquisition of Forginox, a cutlery forge in Thiers.
- 2006: Closing of original works and consolidation of activities at one site in an industrial park. Installation of a new forging press.
- 2006: Installation of a high-speed machining facility for manufacture of production tooling.
Key figures:
- Sales for 2006: 23 million euros
- Export: 60%
- Number of employees: 190
- Over 700 references in the marine catalogue
- Over 500 industrial clients
- A growing international presence:
2 subsidiaries and 40 distributors
Wichard is an ISO 9000 version 2001
certified company
Contact precision forging
Alain Néron
Tel: +33 (0) 4 73 51 65 11
Fax: +33(0) 4 73 80 96 10
Adress: Wichard, ZI de Felet,
63307 Thiers cedex, France
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