Cement and Vicat: A family business flourishing for more than 150 years
Cement mixtures made of different materials, including sand, crushed stone, gypsum and volcanic ash mixed with lime were used widely in the ancient world. Louis Vicat built on the foundation laid by these early engineers and in the early nineteenth century developed a crucial breakthrough - a method of making artificial cement.
Louis Vicat
Souillac Bridge (Vallée de la Dordogne, Lot, France)
1817
Louis Vicat invents artificial cement. Vicat, a graduate of the prestigious Ecole Polytechnique and an engineer who specialized in bridge and road building, was commissioned to construct a bridge over the Dordogne River in 1812.
This was considered to be an impossible task, given the rough waters of Dordogne and its unstable riverbed. But, after careful experimentation, Vicat accomplished the impossible. His solution involved mixing powdered lime with clay, which would set after being submerged in water for several days.
Louis Vicat's artificial cement was demonstrated to the French Academy of Sciences on February 16, 1818, and authenticated by the Academy. He opted not to patent his method or become involved in large-scale production of his cement. The Souillac Bridge over the Dordogne river was successfully completed in 1822.
Louis Vicat also invented the "Vicat Needle" a device that is still used to determine the setting time of cement.
Bottle ovens
1853: The Vicat family enters the cement business
Joseph Vicat, the son of Louis Vicat, also attended the Ecole Polytechnique, and his interest in engineering sparked his decision to launch the first large-scale industrial production of artificial cement. Joseph Vicat built his first cement factory in 1853, in Isere's Genevrey-de-Vif, a region that is home to particularly fine clay. The company used that clay to develop its fast-setting Prompt Cement.
Montalieu Cement plant (France)
1922
France's two largest cement plants are built: Montalieu (Isère) and La Grave de Peille (Maritime Alps).
Xeuilley Cement plant in Meurthe-et-Moselle (France)
1960-1972
Consolidation of the cement industry in France.
1969: Acquisition of the Xeuilley companies
1970: Merger with the Voreppe and Bouvesse
cement companies
1972: Incorporation of the Chiron Pont-à-Vendin
cement company
Ragland Cement plant in Alabama (USA)
Lebec Cement plant in California (USA)
1974-1987
Expansion into the United States.
1974: Purchase of the Ragland cement plants in the state of Alabama
1987: Purchase of the Lebec cement company in the state of California
An aggregate plant in Les Houches in Haute-Savoie (France)
A concrete unit in the Departement of Ain (France)
1984-1990
Development of the Concrete and Aggregate business in France.
Acquisition of SATM and numerous concrete and aggregate companies to form a network in Île-de-France, Centre, Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur.
Konya Cement plant (Turkey)
Baştaş Cement plant (Turkey)
Rufisque Cement plant (Senegal)
Reuchenette Cement plant (Switzerland)
Al Arish Cement plant in Sinaï (Egypt)
Jambyl Cement plant (Kazakhstan)
Bharathi Cement plant (India)
1991-2010
International business development continues with more acquisitions, namely:
1991: Konya Çimento cement plants - Turkey
1994: Acquisition of Baştaş Başkent Çimento cement companies - Turkey
1999: Acquisition of Sococim Industries - Senegal
2001: Acquisition of Vigier - Switzerland
2003: Acquisition of Cementi Centro Sud - Italy (Sardinia) and participation in Sinaï Cement Company - Egypt
2004: Acquisition Ciments et Matériaux - Mali (Mali)
2007: Acquisition of Jambyl Cement Production Company - Kazakhstan
2008: Acquisition of BSA Ciment - Mauritania
2009: Launch of Vicat Sagar Cement Private Limited - state of Karnataka, India
2010: Acquisition of Bharathi Cement Company Limited - state of Andhra Pradesh, India
2006: Launching of the 2010 Performance Plan, initiated by Jacques Merceron-Vicat, President of the Group's Board of Directors.
Objective: increase cement production capacity by 50% through the end of 2010.
2009: Launching of the Performance + Economy Plan to complement the 2010 Performance Plan.
Goals: improve productivity, develop substitute fuels, reduce overall costs, and postpone non-strategic investments.
2010: Development in India: The Group pursues the implementation of the Vicat Sagar
project, and acquires 51% of Bharathi Cement
.
The Jambyl
Cement plan with a capacity of 1.1 million tons in Kazakhstan is officially in service.
Cimenterie de Vicat Sagar en Inde
2012: In India, startup of the Vicat Sagar Cement plant in the north of Karnataka.
Joseph Vicat
Cement plant of La Grave de Peille in the French Alps (France)
Cement plant of Jambyl Cement in Mynaral (Kazakhstan)