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OVER 200 YEARS OF TRADITION AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION
The family holding Viellard Migeon & Co - VMC - is one of France's
oldest companies, with over 200 years experience in the production of
high quality steel products.
For almost a century, VMC has been manfacturing
the World's Finest Fish Hooks.
1796
Jean-Baptiste Migeon becomes manager of a steel forge
in Morvillars, France.
The forge’s activities soon expand and lead to the creation of Viellard Migeon & Co, specialised in the manufacturing of nuts and bolts in Morvillars-Grandvillars.
Jean-Baptiste Migeon
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Juvénal Viellard,
1803-1886 1835
The marriage of Jean-Baptiste’s daughter, Laure Migeon to Juvénal Viellard unites the Migeon and Viellard families. Later, their initials are combined to form our name : Viellard-Migeon and Co.
----------------------------------------------------------
1845
Juvenal Viellard becomes sole master of Viellard Migeon & Cie (following the death of Jean-Baptiste Migeon) and the founder of the Viellard family dynasty. A skillful and energetic manager for 18 years before handing the flourishing business on to his sons.....and their future descendants.
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1910
Start of fish hook production. 15 expert families from Redditch (England) are invited by Director Charles Viellard to set up a new hook department in Grandvillars.
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1914
Six mansions or "Chateaux" have been built nearby the factories by 1914. Values of rigor, austerity and hard work lead to success and profits for Viellard Migeon & Co.
Family chateau
----------------------------------------------------------
Treble hook workshop 1938
A new factory is opened in Morvillars dedicated to manufacturing fish hooks.
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1949
Golden Age : turnover 7 700 000 FRF / 450 employees.
VMC is leader on the French hook market
----------------------------------------------------------
1969
Mr Christophe Viellard is appointed as President and Managing Director to save VMC from a difficult postwar period. Dual strategy : international expansion and machine automation. Christophe Viellard
Christophe Viellard
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1973
VMC PECHE, Morvillars (France) Creation of VMC PECHE - an independant company controlled by the family holding - following a spectacular recovery of the fish hook activity.
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1974
First automatic treble hook machine : daily production increases from 5 000 to 60 000 pcs.
----------------------------------------------------------
1981
Creation of US subsidiary : VMC Incorporated, followed by VMC Germany, Poland, Ukraine & Russia.
----------------------------------------------------------
1980s
Period of international expansion : agreements with distribution agents throughout the world.
----------------------------------------------------------
Norbert Heyer
1995
Creation of subsidiary VMC EUROPE in Méziré (France) responsible for distribution throughout Europe.
Mr Norbert Heyer is in charge.
VMC becomes leader on the world treble hook market.
Norbert Heyer
----------------------------------------------------------
1996
Viellard-Migeon & Co. celebrates its 200th anniversary and earns the right to join “the Henokiens”, an exclusive group of bicentenary family companies.
----------------------------------------------------------
2000
Stanislas de Castelnau
Creation of RAPALA VMC CORPORATION : merger between VMC and RAPALA, world's leading lure manufacturer.
----------------------------------------------------------
2001
Arrival of VMC PECHE's current President and Managing Director, Mr Stanislas de Castelnau.
Director, Mr Stanislas de Castelnau
_______________________________________________________
Today
Belongs to the Rapala VMC Group of companies
Is the world's 1st treble hook manufacturer and supplier to lure manufacturers
Exports 90% of its production
Supplies lure manufacturers and hook retailers in 70 countries worldwide
Boasts a catalogue of over 10 000 references
Uses only the world's finest steels
Employs modern automatic machines and state-of-the-art engineering principles
Is constantly researching to break new ground in hook techology
Prides itself on the high quality of its hooks and services
IN THE EAST OF FRANCE VMC PECHE, Morvillars
Hook Factory and World Distribution
VMC EUROPE, Méziré
European Distribution Unit
IN THE USA VMC INCORPORATED, St Paul (MN)
US distribution subsidiary
The family holding Viellard Migeon & Co - VMC - is one of France's
oldest companies, with over 200 years experience in the production of
high quality steel products.
For almost a century, VMC has been manfacturing
the World's Finest Fish Hooks.
1796
Jean-Baptiste Migeon becomes manager of a steel forge
in Morvillars, France.
The forge’s activities soon expand and lead to the creation of Viellard Migeon & Co, specialised in the manufacturing of nuts and bolts in Morvillars-Grandvillars.
Jean-Baptiste Migeon
----------------------------------------------------------
Juvénal Viellard,
1803-1886 1835
The marriage of Jean-Baptiste’s daughter, Laure Migeon to Juvénal Viellard unites the Migeon and Viellard families. Later, their initials are combined to form our name : Viellard-Migeon and Co.
----------------------------------------------------------
1845
Juvenal Viellard becomes sole master of Viellard Migeon & Cie (following the death of Jean-Baptiste Migeon) and the founder of the Viellard family dynasty. A skillful and energetic manager for 18 years before handing the flourishing business on to his sons.....and their future descendants.
----------------------------------------------------------
1910
Start of fish hook production. 15 expert families from Redditch (England) are invited by Director Charles Viellard to set up a new hook department in Grandvillars.
----------------------------------------------------------
1914
Six mansions or "Chateaux" have been built nearby the factories by 1914. Values of rigor, austerity and hard work lead to success and profits for Viellard Migeon & Co.
Family chateau
----------------------------------------------------------
Treble hook workshop 1938
A new factory is opened in Morvillars dedicated to manufacturing fish hooks.
----------------------------------------------------------
1949
Golden Age : turnover 7 700 000 FRF / 450 employees.
VMC is leader on the French hook market
----------------------------------------------------------
1969
Mr Christophe Viellard is appointed as President and Managing Director to save VMC from a difficult postwar period. Dual strategy : international expansion and machine automation. Christophe Viellard
Christophe Viellard
----------------------------------------------------------
1973
VMC PECHE, Morvillars (France) Creation of VMC PECHE - an independant company controlled by the family holding - following a spectacular recovery of the fish hook activity.
----------------------------------------------------------
1974
First automatic treble hook machine : daily production increases from 5 000 to 60 000 pcs.
----------------------------------------------------------
1981
Creation of US subsidiary : VMC Incorporated, followed by VMC Germany, Poland, Ukraine & Russia.
----------------------------------------------------------
1980s
Period of international expansion : agreements with distribution agents throughout the world.
----------------------------------------------------------
Norbert Heyer
1995
Creation of subsidiary VMC EUROPE in Méziré (France) responsible for distribution throughout Europe.
Mr Norbert Heyer is in charge.
VMC becomes leader on the world treble hook market.
Norbert Heyer
----------------------------------------------------------
1996
Viellard-Migeon & Co. celebrates its 200th anniversary and earns the right to join “the Henokiens”, an exclusive group of bicentenary family companies.
----------------------------------------------------------
2000
Stanislas de Castelnau
Creation of RAPALA VMC CORPORATION : merger between VMC and RAPALA, world's leading lure manufacturer.
----------------------------------------------------------
2001
Arrival of VMC PECHE's current President and Managing Director, Mr Stanislas de Castelnau.
Director, Mr Stanislas de Castelnau
_______________________________________________________
Today
Belongs to the Rapala VMC Group of companies
Is the world's 1st treble hook manufacturer and supplier to lure manufacturers
Exports 90% of its production
Supplies lure manufacturers and hook retailers in 70 countries worldwide
Boasts a catalogue of over 10 000 references
Uses only the world's finest steels
Employs modern automatic machines and state-of-the-art engineering principles
Is constantly researching to break new ground in hook techology
Prides itself on the high quality of its hooks and services
IN THE EAST OF FRANCE VMC PECHE, Morvillars
Hook Factory and World Distribution
VMC EUROPE, Méziré
European Distribution Unit
IN THE USA VMC INCORPORATED, St Paul (MN)
US distribution subsidiary
