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History

AMEL was created in 1946

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AMEL

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AMEL means « Applications Modernes de l’ELectricité » (Moderns Applications of ELectricity)
– « Applications » in order to be well referenced in the french directories as the famous « BOTIN » was.

– « Moderns» because every new things was in this time necessarily modern.

– « of ELectricity» because the first manufactured products were flashlights.

The founder, monsieur Raoul GASSER L2000, engineer from « Arts et Métiers Pa 22 », had in 1946, about twenty years of experience in the manufacture of aluminium, from the pioneer electrolysis for « PECHINEY Ales Froges Camargue », to the direction of the Technic Center of Aluminium.

First, reflectors needed for the flashlights were subcontracted and then were integrated by AMEL. When the main outlet for the flashlight is going down (they were destinated to the settlements), the invention of a machine which permits the automatic spinning, opened new horizons by enabling low-cost manufacturing of delicate pieces of aluminum: the reflectors for miners’ headlamp all around the world; the finishing treatement was then subcontracted.

Quality of the last operation is random, that’s why, monsieur GASSER participates in the 60s to the rationalization of a polishing performant process, the « BRYTAL« . From this time, AMEL company controls every steps of the reflectors and mirors manufacture studiesobtainning forms and finishes.

Finnaly, the manufacture just does not produce the raw material. Monsieur GASSER knew it well and, his activity requiring the use of high-purity aluminium, the company was often used as guinea pig to his former colleagues stayed at PECHINEY for the development of new products, especially the « plated« .

 

The founder had forged three proverbs for his buisness: « Never taken », « I think » and « You don’t need to hope to undertake nor to succeed to persevere ». The last one cost him many hours at the pursuit of the manufactured of a mirror of sufficient quality to equip a telescope which would have been sold for a low price.

However, the first two are perpetuated by Monsieur LEFEBVRE, one of his grandchildren, to meet the demands ever more complex and demanding from research departments of the clients of the third millenium (emergence of LEDs).

35 rue Pierre Carlier – 95 370 MONTIGNY-LES-CORMEILLES – FRANCE