In 1984, more than 30 to 40% of the flat washer market in France involved imports of European origin. There were no real washer manufacturing specialists in France, as washers were produced mainly by the major die-cutters - stamping firms, automobile subcontractors.With these facts in mind, Francis GRIS created the Gris Découpage company in Pont-à-Mousson (54), which quickly took the leading role in the french flat washer market with a productivity of 450,000 parts per hour, soon to be increased to 950,000 parts per hour... At this stage in the company’s development, an exceptional opportunity for expanding and enlarging the product range arose in 1991, with the takeover of the traditional leader in tapered washer manufacturing, the NICOLLE company in Montreuil (93).