{"id":14766,"date":"2021-04-24T15:42:27","date_gmt":"2021-04-24T13:42:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wendelgroup.com\/about-us\/315-ans-dhistoire-40-dinvestissement\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T09:48:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T07:48:50","slug":"315-ans-dhistoire-40-dinvestissement","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wendelgroup.com\/en\/about-us\/315-ans-dhistoire-40-dinvestissement\/","title":{"rendered":"322 years of history, nearly 50 in investment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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322 years of history,
nearly 50 in investment<\/h1>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Founded in the Lorraine region in the east of France in 1704, the Wendel Group developed its business over more than 300 years in diverse range of industrial sectors, with a focus on steelmaking. At the end of the 1970s, the French government nationalized all of the Group\u2019s steel production activities. Wendel then turned its focus to long-term investing, establishing itself as a pioneer in private equity.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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In 1704…<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Jean-Martin de Wendel acquired the Hayange forges. From 1704 to 1870, the Group took advantage of the major inventions that accelerated the development of its iron and steel production: iron smelted with coke, widespread use of blast furnaces and rolling mills, the development of railroads, and other advancements. With the adoption of the “Thomas process”, which allowed for the manufacture of steel from Lorraine ore, the family companies\u2014Les Petits-Fils de Fran\u00e7ois de Wendel & Cie established in 1871 and Wendel & Cie founded in 1880\u2014ranked among Europe\u2019s leading steel producers.<\/p>\n

In the 20th century, hard hit by two world wars that devastated Lorraine production facilities, the Group recovered and began to grow again. The creation of the Sollac production cooperatives in 1948, then Solmer in 1969, helped meet the growing demand for sheet steel.<\/p>\n

Between 1950 and 1973, the Group was at its peak. In 1975, it produced 72% of France\u2019s raw steel. In 1974, the sudden rise in oil prices led to a widespread economic crisis. The French steel industry faced a serious downturn. Fixed steel prices and investment in modernization strangled the industry financially. It was at this time that the government decided to nationalize the French steel industry, forcing Wendel to reorganize.<\/p>\n

All non-steel assets were grouped into a new entity: Compagnie G\u00e9n\u00e9rale d’Industrie et de Participations (CGIP). In 1977, the Group gained new momentum and began to diversify into new technology and service sectors, such as IT services, quality control and healthcare. In 2002, Marine-Wendel and CGIP merged to form Wendel Investissement, renamed Wendel in 2007.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Today<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Wendel is one of Europe\u2019s leading listed investment firms, working at the intersection of industry and finance. A long-term investor with permanent capital, Wendel has been supported for over three centuries by the Wendel family, its reference shareholder.
\nThe 1,400 family shareholders are consolidated in Wendel-Participations, which holds a 41.1% stake in Wendel.<\/p>\n

Since 1977, Wendel has invested in a significant number of companies in addition to the current portfolio, including Capgemini, BioM\u00e9rieux, Stallergenes, Valeo, Afflelou, Editis, Legrand, Deutsch, CSP Technologies, Constantia and Allied Universal.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n \n \n<\/svg>\n Learn more about Wendel’s shareholders<\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/div> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Three centuries of industrial investment<\/h2>\n
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322 years of history, 273 years in the steel industry…
\nNearly 50 years in investment.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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1704<\/div>\n
1815<\/div>\n
1880<\/div>\n
1948<\/div>\n
1977<\/div>\n
2002<\/div>\n
2018<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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1704<\/div>\n
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Jean-Martin de Wendel acquires the Hayange forges<\/p>\n

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1815<\/div>\n
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Fran\u00e7ois de Wendel enters politics<\/p>\n

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1880<\/div>\n
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The “Thomas process” gives rise to the Lorraine steel industry<\/p>\n

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1948<\/div>\n
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Rebuilding the country<\/p>\n

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1977<\/div>\n
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Diversification begins amid a deepening economic recession<\/p>\n

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2002<\/div>\n
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Moving into new business sectors<\/p>\n

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2018<\/div>\n
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A course maintained, create value for shareholders<\/p>\n

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