Imerys Tableware France marks 240-year legacy
Imerys Tableware France, located near Limoges, has recently celebrated its 240th anniversary. As one of Imerys’ oldest operations in Europe, this remarkable milestone not only reflects the business' deep-rooted history, it underscores the operation’s enduring commitment to its customers’ excellence, innovation and the local community.
From a family-run cottage industry…
The Imerys Tableware France story began in 1765 with the discovery of kaolin at the Marcognac site by Jean-Baptiste Darnet, a military physician. This "white gold" marked a major breakthrough for France and the key to unlocking the secret of Chinese hard-paste porcelain already mastered elsewhere in Europe. Large-scale extraction of kaolin began in 1786 — laying the foundation for the world-renowned Limoges porcelain industry.
Run as a cottage industry during the 19th century, the Aixe-en-Vienne site transitioned into the industrial era with the founding in 1909 of KPCL (Kaolins et Pâtes Céramiques du Limousin) by porcelain manufacturer, Pierre Vandermarcq. Under the Vandermarcq family's management, the business was modernized and expanded internationally, continuing to specialize in the preparation and commercialization of ceramic pastes — until its acquisition by Imerys in 1988.
… to world leader in mineral solutions for tableware
Today, Imerys Tableware France has grown to become the world’s leading producer of mineral solutions for ceramic tableware, operating three processing sites and employing 70 people.
The Aixe-en-Vienne site is a leading supplier of mineral-based materials for the tableware industry, fuelling the prestigious porcelain industry of nearby Limoges and the ceramics markets of over 20 countries with high-quality products based on kaolin, feldspar and quartz. These raw materials are transformed into high-performance ready-to-use ceramics bodies for high-end and HoReCa tableware manufacturers and technical ceramics producers. In the last 10 years, the site has also diversified its portfolio to produce high aspect ratio talcs for plastic automotive body parts such as bumpers and interior trim.
The Marcognac and Juriol facilities have developed different specialist expertise:
- Marcognac specializes in the production of high-performance, ready-to-use glazes for tableware and sanitaryware markets;
- whilst Juriol produces engobes for roof tiles and Imerys’ flagship sanitaryware premix Strong San.
Celebrating the 240-year legacy
In mid April, a number of prestigious Limoges porcelain customers and historical partners and stakeholders joined Imerys management, employees and retirees to celebrate this 240 year legacy. Over 200 people attended the special event, held at the Musée National Adrien Dubouché, in Limoges — a place that not only embodies the heritage of porcelain, but which lends the Imerys Tableware story in France even greater resonance.
Beyond honoring nearly two and a half centuries of history, the celebration was an opportunity for Imerys to reaffirm its commitment to its customers in the region, as well as to strengthen relationships with local stakeholders — underscoring its ambition to build on this legacy together for many more years to come.
Our 240-year legacy is built on the shared passion and expertise of generations of employees — including our retirees who laid the foundations, and our current employees who continue to drive our success today. By remaining true to our heritage while evolving to meet the modern world’s needs, we have demonstrated that a company can stand the test of time. This milestone is not just an anniversary; it’s a testament to the journey we have taken together, the transformations we have achieved, and to our commitment to accompanying our customers well into the future.
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Imerys Kaolins de Bretagne in southwest Brittany hosted an open day to commemorate its 120th anniversary, bringing together the general public, site employees and their families, customers, representatives of local associations, local elected officials and other important regional stakeholders. The day also marked another significant milestone for the company's future, since it coincides with the renewal in 2023 of the prefectural order authorizing Imerys to continue its mining activities at Kaolin de Bretagne for a further 28 years.
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