Papeteries de Vizille: a Family saga
Papeteries de Vizille has demonstrated remarkable adaptability through the centuries, preserving ancestral craftsmanship while contributing to the growth of the French paper industry and its influence worldwide.
The Duke of Lesdiguières: the first owner of Papeteries de Vizille
The Papeteries de Vizille saga truly began in 1593 when the Duke of Lesdiguières acquired land in Vizille, which included paper mills. Thanks to his leadership and the dedication of his son-in-law, paper-making flourished, launching an industrial adventure that endures into the modern era.
From the start of industrialization to the 1980s
Over the centuries, several families guided Papeteries de Vizille. Among them, the Marquiens family significantly modernized operations between 1785 and 1849 by investing in new machinery, leading to increased production. From 1850 onward, the Peyron family played a vital role in modernizing the equipment and diversifying products such as printing papers, paper bags, and greaseproof papers. This prosperous era of industrial growth coincided with the introduction of mechanical and chemical wood pulps, which helped overcome the shortage of rags. At the same time, François Peyron and his wife started a family, notably having a daughter who would marry André Merceron Vicat.
Between 1950 and 1960, the plant became one of the region's most efficient.
The Paper mills joined the Vicat Group
In 1984, Papeteries de Vizille joined Vicat Group, a local family enterprise with international reach. This milestone was particularly symbolic as Jacques Merceron Vicat, then Chairman and CEO of Vicat (1984-2014), was the grandson of François Peyron and a descendant of Louis Vicat, intertwining family heritage with the future of the company.
From the late 1980s to the '90s
1985 – Installation of the first production line dedicated to medium and large paper bags.
1996 – ISO 9001 certification.
1997 – Commissioning of a second production line (Line 2) to meet growing demand.
Papeteries de Vizille’s commitments since 2000
2013 – A key step forward with the construction of a biomass boiler, a significant renewable energy source for the paper mill’s machinery.
Since 2014 – The seventh generation leads Vicat Group, committed to preserving its industrial legacy.
2018 – ISO 22000 certification.
2022 – The biomass heating plant and hydroelectric power station now provide 68% of the site’s energy needs.
2024 – EcoVadis bronze medal awarded to Vicat Group’s Papeteries de Vizille.
2025 to 2029 – Vicat Group undertakes a multi-million-euro investment to expand the bag production facility and install a new digitalized production line (Line 3). The paper machine will also be upgraded. .
