ABOUT us ?

 

Our company, established for more than a century, has become an integral part of JULES CUNIN Group in 2003. Specialising in all areas of HVAC engineering, Sanitary works and Industry piping, as such, we are experts in all engineerings, technics and in all the trades practising in those areas.

Our company used to intervene on sites located in the northern half of France. However, our interventions are not confined to that area and we may respond to any demands throughtout Metropolitan France.

 

Our company intervene in all the sectors required for the building, the rehabilitation or the renovation of housing, industrial or tertiary premises.

 

The name of the BROCARD Company first came out around 1874 as a plumber and zinc worker in Alsace.

The son of the founder, Aloïs BROCARD, began to work at the turn of XX. Century. Like many Alsatians and Lorrainers, who didn't wish to fall under the thumb of German domination, he crossed the new border and settled in the Vosges.

At that period, the industrial development involved the construction of many factories ; in a similar way, the manufacturers needed to live in bourgeois mansions with all modern conveniences « Your bath is ready, Sir – Your bath is ready, Ma'am », linen room, kitchen, pantry, not forgetting the central heating.

As tinsmithing was widely spread, many workers were needed. During the off season, the men manufactured all the required tools in the workshop such as : gutters, downspouts, hose-clamps, elbows, etc.

Aloïs BROCARD over his career, trained a lot of apprentices and he often gave money to young men he previously trained, so they could set up a business. He donated the company he created in the years 1930/1935 in Rue de la Bolle, Epinal, to a worker of his, but who mixed up revenue and profit and therefore went bankrupt. As Brocard didn't want his name to be dishonoured by a bankruptcy, he decided to pay all of the debts and got his tool back. He has died at about 65 in Strasbourg.

 

After his father died, Madeleine Brocard, born in 1902, contacted Emile ROUSSEAU and asked him to help her reopen the company in Saint-Dié (since her brother Raymond got ill and had died at 40 during the war). On January the first, 1950, she set up the company back, which had been in stand-by for a couple of years. That is how the BROCARD company got back in Saint-Dié and the ROUSSEAU was created in Epinal.

The beginning was not so easy in the post-war years. Difficulties to recruit skilled staff, difficulties to procure raw materials, all the more so as competitors scorned that woman who tried to do business.

 

The SA BROCARD was launched with three associates : Madeleine Brocard with her son Jean-Marie Gérard and Lucien Ackermann who would be for several years the tinsmith workshop's spearhead.

Supplying the construction sites was not then the easiest thing to do, since it was required to go to Nancy or Strasbourg to find wholesalers, to negotiate with the suppliers even play hard ball to bring back the tools designed for the construction sites as well as the galvanized pipes, the lead, the cast-iron pipes and the copper pipes that were still rationed.

When the town of Saint-Dié was rebuilt, the vestiges burned down by the German troops had to be destroyed and replaced by housing, the cold water supply had to be restored as well as the rain water and waste water drainage... As the other companies did at that time, Brocard tendered tinsmithing and sanitary.

As from 1955, Jean ALBRECHT at the instigation of architect firms teeming with designers, quantity surveyors, works supervisors decided to develop the heating department in the company. This new asset requires to take on skilled workers and increase significantly the revenue.

The new structure was capable to perform heating and sanitary installations during the holidays. It happened so with the BILLARD company, the BROCARD company and all its suppliers which commit to deliver the materials and links on the existing network for the boiler in the factory to operate before the end of the holidays. 
The company began to flourish thanks to alsation clients, who ordered from Brocard the installation of heating and sanitary equipments in the sanitaria of Salem, Aubure and Schirmeck. That big deal had to be a significant reference for the company.

As the staffs in the companies supplying heating and sanitary systems were limited, each of them had around twenty and thirty assemblers, a lot of major projects slipped from their grasp and were granted to firms from Nancy. To remedy this, they thought about grouping together.

In 1966, the company managers decided to extend solidarity by creating a purchasing company, named SA Hydratherm, with 7 administrators representing the 7 companies involved in the project headed by a Chief Executive Officer, Mister Jean Albrecht for that year. As from this moment, Jean Albrecht had to share his time ; 50% spent for the SA BROCARD and 50% for SA Hydratherm. That new situation required to hire a heating technician by the SA Brocard.

 

During the first years, Madeleine Brocard was hardly ever in her office, except for meeting end-month obligations, but as it was under development the company needs her to contribute to the ongoing activity ; therefore she addressed typing tasks and social matters as well as employees' payments.

 

From 1980 until 1993, Madeleine's son Jean-Marie GERARD headed the company, which employes up to 40 persons.

In 1993, the company had been sold to Jean-Marie DURIVAUD who had led it for 10 years.

In 2003, the JULES CUNIN SA Group bought the BROCARD SA, which employed 12 persons. Its equipment was out of date but the companions who worked in it possessed a true know-how and a valuable seniority. They had been in the company since the beginning of their career and many of them had spent more than 40 years working for BROCARD SA.

When we decided to buy BROCARD SA, we focused on the human factor.

After 3 years of restructuring, we finally moved the premises of the company out of the rue de la BOLLE in MARZELAY, changed all its equipments, vehicles and tools, we computerized it and recruited its manager.

The company is now on track, Mickael GOURY appointed director at the age of 26 has headed it since August 22nd, 2007. It currently employs 25 persons and generates a 2,500,00€ revenue. Our senior companions transmit their values to the youngest ones came to BROCARD :

 

• Satisfaction of our clients,
• Quality of our realizations,
• Attachment to the company
• Transmission of knowledge