1889
INK and rubber
Raymond-Célestin BERGOUGNAN has had a small workshop in Clermont-Ferrand for several years when he founded the BERGOUGNAN company at the age of 31, in 1889. It offers a whole range of articles for engravers. He quickly specialized in the manufacture of rubber stamps (ink pads).
At the end of 1889 he invented the "endless festooner", a device equipped with a wheel automatically refilled with ink to trace embroidery patterns on a fabric. He also patented a dialer. These different printing products will be very successful.
Prosperous, the company evolved into a general partnership in the name of BERGOUGNAN et Cie in 1894 with capital of 200,000 F.
1901
Le gaulois is coming !
In 1898, Michelin invented Bibendum to embody its brand. Raymond BERGOUGNAN, who is more of an industrialist than a communications genius like the Michelin brothers, also seeks to embody his brand.
In 1900, in Paris, a certain J.W. Perry founded a small company and launched into bicycle tires, with a great brand name: “Le Gaulois”, represented by a strong soldier in the army of Vercingetorix. Located just a few kilometers from the Gergovie plateau, famous site of victorious battle for Gaul, the BERGOUGNAN Establishments want to make “Le Gaulois” their mascot!
This was done in April 1901, the date on which the Société Générale des Établissements BERGOUGNAN & Cie bought the entire young company of J.W. Perry, its business as well as its workshop at 6 rue Poisson , which will become one of the brand's two parisian warehouses.
“Le Gaulois” becomes the name of the high-end tires initially, before designating the entire range of BERGOUGNAN tires. The image of the valiant warrior is essential on all commercial documents. J.W. Perry was employed by the BERGOUGNAN company until March 1903.
In May 1903, Raymond BERGOUGNAN was promoted to knight in the order of the Legion of Honor.
1904
Beginning of the era of Vulcanization
Until now, tires have been manufactured by cold gluing a rubber tread to layers of canvas which constitute the carcass of the tire. This manufacturing method has two major drawbacks. First, the fabric that remains exposed inside the tire retains moisture, rots and deteriorates quickly. And secondly, the tread which is stretched before being glued to the carcass is then made of rubber in tension. The result is that in the event of a cut, however small, the cover opens, thus exposing the canvas carcass to the external environment and punctures are frequent. This method, simple and inexpensive to carry out, is used by a multitude of small manufacturers.
On the other hand, in the case of producing a moulded vulcanized tire, the canvas carcass is enclosed between different layers of rubber which fuse together during vulcanization, which takes place under very powerful hydraulic presses at high temperature. In addition to having made the canvas impenetrable and rot-proof, we also obtain more freedom of shape in the production of the tire. This is how a major development appears, when we begin to mold tires in a more “crushed” shape than that obtained after inflation. Once inflated, the exterior of the tread is then made of rubber in compression and no more in tension as in the case of a glued envelope. The slightest cut then instantly closes on itself and can no longer expand.
This manufacturing process, superior in quality, requires sophisticated and expensive tools, as well as know-how that few manufacturers will be able to acquire. This is why most of the small tire manufacturers of the 19th century will disappear in turn, leaving room only for very large manufacturers.
The capital was increased to 2,200,000 F in 1902 then 4,000,000 F in 1904.
1906
BERGOUGNAN leader in heavy-vehicle solid tire
If the automobile industry almost immediately abandoned solid rubber tires for pneumatic tires, the first industrial vehicles favored solid tires due to their high weight.
The Compagnie Générale des Omnibus (CGO) of Paris developed its bus network from 1906. Thanks to all their victories in the various Industrial Vehicle Competitions, BERGOUGNAN won the exclusive market for the supply of solid tires to the CGO . These buses, which are the most rolling vehicles, give BERGOUGNAN solid tires an extraordinary reputation in terms of quality and longevity. Some solid tires travel up to 60,000 km before being replaced!
Thanks to all these qualities, the French Ministry of War also chose BERGOUGNAN solid tires for almost all of its vehicles.
The capital was increased to 13,000,000 F in 1910, then to 16,250,000 F in 1913. After this last increase, the BERGOUGNAN Establishment now covers an area of 100,000 m², employs 2,500 workers and uses a force of 6,000 horsepower.
1920 – 1940
The Apogee
After the War, the BERGOUGNAN Establishments had to adapt their production. No more solid tires for the army in pharaonic quantities. Part of the production was refocused on small, everyday rubber products: hoses, mats, heels and other shoe soles, etc.
The automobile industry will resume its development and allow the BERGOUGNAN Establishments to continue their growth. At the beginning of the 1930s, the increase in speed of heavy vehicles made them gradually abandon solid tires for pneumatic tires which, over the years of research, were able to adapt to heavy loads. With the help of the American manufacturer Seiberling, a leader in this field, BERGOUGNAN is adapting and developing its range of products and its production tools. With their new tires for heavy vehicles, BERGOUGNAN will maintain its leadership in this sector.
With the mechanization of the agricultural world, BERGOUGNAN offers a range of products for theses vehicles. More surprisingly, the company also offers a wide range of tires for the emerging aviation market !
The company continues to grow. The capital was increased to 50,000,000 F in 1920, 75,000,000 F in 1924, then 100,000,000 F in 1929. In 1933, the factory covered an area of 170,000 m², employed 3,000 workers and used a force of 8,000 horsepower.
Just before WWII, BERGOUGNAN products were exported throughout the world. The company has become one of the largest industrial organizations in France.
1945 – 1958
Too little growth in a fast-moving world
After the war, the need for rubber products continued to increase, and BERGOUGNAN continued its growth. If the range of products changes little, they still allow the company to generate a good profit.
Capital increased to 200 million in 1948, 400 million in 1949, 500 million in 1950 then 1 billion in 1956.
The company innovates little and invests less in its production tools than its competitors. As a result, the company's market share declines. BERGOUGNAN which has a strong network, a strong presence across many countries, becomes a target for its competitors seeking to expand their business.
1958 – 1987
A globalized market that favors consolidation and is slowly driving BERGOUGNAN out of business
The financial results were still good for BERGOUGNAN, when, at the end of 1958, Michelin and BERGOUGNAN concluded agreements to “approach the Common Market in best conditions”. The Société des Procédés Industriels Modernes (S.P.I.M) was created by Michelin, which holds 55 %; 3 % are reserved for BERGOUGNAN; the rest comes from a French private bank.
In June 1959, the capital of BERGOUGNAN was increased to 2 billion through share issues reserved for S.P.I.M. Michelin gradually begins its takeover of BERGOUGNAN.
In 1966, Michelin, which had acquired a majority stake in Kléber-Colombes, had Kléber-Colombes take over almost all of BERGOUGNAN and 40 % of the Belgian subsidiary.
In 1987, Kléber-Colombes, now Kléber, sold BERGOUGNAN and its factories to the Swedish Trelleborg group. The multinational Trelleborg had little interest in the “BERGOUGNAN” name, and logically abandoned it in 2018 in favor of its own brand.
