Group

The Founder's Era

Our story begins in 1889 when the Eiffel Tower was inaugurated at the Paris Universal Exhibition. Back then Paris was shining thanks to the imagination and determination of talented engineers.

The Founder's Era of Mersen

The Founder's Era

Our story begins in 1889 when the Eiffel Tower was inaugurated at the Paris Universal Exhibition. Back then Paris was shining thanks to the imagination and determination of talented engineers.

One of them, Maurice Lacombe, understood the possibilities offered by one of the19th century’s major innovations: electricity. It illuminated cities, powered engines and had already begun to reshape daily life.

Maurice Lacombe founded Lacombe et compagnie, which later became Le Carbone. He set up manufacturing workshops to produce industrial carbon in Levallois-Perret.

Mersen from 1889 to 1945

Milestones

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LORRAINE PARIS REGION
1889 Set-up of Lacombe & Compagnie
1891 The Fabius Henrion plant is built (electric motors, dynamos and lamps). 1892 Le Carbone is founded in Paris and specializes in the manufacture of brushes for motors.
1893 The Pagny sur Moselle plant is built. 1893 Graphitization process is discovered by a Group engineer.
1915 Pagny sur Moselle plant is destroyed during the First World War. 1897 First international subsidiary is set up in Germany.
1927 Fabius Henrion became Compagnie Lorraine de Charbons pour l'Électricité 1906 First team is deployed in the United States.
1937 "Le Carbone" and "Compagnie Lorraine de Charbons pour l'Électricité" merge to become: Groupe Carbone Lorraine.
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