The History of Clairefontaine
1858 Jean-Baptiste BICHELBERGER
Jean-Baptiste Bichelberger, founder of the Clairefontaine paper mills in 1858, set up the factory in Etival in the Vosges mountains. He worked as the company’s true PR man until his death in 1877.
1877 Paul BICHELBERGER
Paul Bichelberger, jointly with Emile Champon, introduced wood as a raw material. Together they launched production of envelopes and exercise books.
1904 Louis NUSSE
Between 1904 and 1914, Etienne Bodet and Louis Nusse co-directed the entire concern, employing a staff of more than 1100 people.
1919 Leon DARIDAN
Leon Daridan reopened the factory in 1919 and was responsible for its being rebuilt after the Second World War.
1950 Charles NUSSE
Between 1950 and 1971, under the impetus of Charles Nuss, Clairefontaine’s growth rate soared, particularly with the introduction of modern paper machines. Nuss was responsible for the famous logo which since that time has symbolised quality for both specialists in the paper industry and the public at large.
Clairefontaine aujourd''hui
Under the direction of its CEO, Jean-Marie Nusse, Clairefontaine offers a range of more than 3000 products for schoolchildren, students, adults and companies alike. We are renowned for our quality produced goods, including exercise books with machine-stitched spines, hardback/paperback exercise books, perforated sheets, indexed notebooks, diaries, office paper.
Clairefontaine is currently the only manufacturer making its own paper for its own products. Our white paper is highly resistant and known for its extreme smoothness for writing.
Our exercise books are great for the office, with their hardwearing, plastic-coated or propylene book covers, which come in a wide-range of the very latest colours.
