The history of Microplan France
From pavement to precision granite: since 1924 a long history of granite machining
It is a very long history that lies in the heart of central France: a history that goes back to 1924, when Hippolyte MAITRE founded a company for the extraction and processing of granite in a strategic area: near a granite quarry (now exhausted) of the Guéret – La Châtre railway line. Originally, most of the production was intended to replace the traditional wooden pavers of the city of Paris with mosaic floors.In 1938, production reached 1,000 tons per month! After the Second World War, around 1945, Paul MAITRE succeeded in a first reconversion of the activity by taking advantage of the period of great development of hydroelectric power stations on the Rhône, the Durance and the Isère. “ATELIERS MAITRE” is becoming a leading supplier of construction materials and dam cladding. In the 1960s, faced with the exhaustion of this market, Paul MAITRE decided to start working in his workshops with precision granite, working on the exceptional quality of Guéret Blue granite, extracted from the Maupuy quarry.
Des Ateliers Maitre Europe at Microplan France: granite production for industry
From 1977 to the present, initially under the name “Ateliers Maitre Europe” and – after the acquisition by the Italian group Microplan in 1993 – under the name “Microplan France”, the company is dedicated to the production of granite for metrology and industry. Over the years, Microplan France has diversified its production and now has five main business units:
- manufacture of granite metrology instruments and precision bases, even large dimensions
- Precision machining on materials (granite and ceramic) with capacities up to 50 tons!
- manufacture of ceramic instruments for metrological use
production of bases and structures in synthetic granite (composite granite) - Development of high-precision micro positioning systems for nanotechnology
Microplan France today
30 years of experience in the precision granite market
Microplan France plays today a key role in the world market: with decades of experience, unique in France in the field of precision granite processing, it is a “laboratory” for the study and design of products.
The in-depth knowledge of materials, their machining and vacuum-pneumostatic (air) applications has allowed Microplan France to develop numerous projects for research centers and for major international groups related to different industrial sectors.
Investment and continued growth
In order to maintain its leadership, Microplan France has made constant investments to upgrade its entire fleet and provide the customer with new products as well as a complete service from design to after-sales service. Thanks to the new machines installed, it has been possible to improve productivity, increase production capacity, increase the quality of work, and work on innovative and various materials, including ceramic alumina.
A 1969 historical article
An article from the September 1969 issue of “ARTS ET TECHNIQUES DES ROCHES DE QUALITE”: a look at the images and history of the ATELIERS MAITRE EUROPE, now Micropla France.
INTERNAL DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
Study, design and product analysis carried out by internal staff.
COVERED PRODUCTION AREA OF MORE THAN 10,000 MQ
The production area extends over more than 10,000 square meters covered and 4 pavilions.
MORE THAN 20,000 M2 OF TOTAL AREA
The sites in France cover a total area of more than 20,000 m2.