| Extra info | One hundred and twenty million years, rainwater seeped slowly underground while the volcanic gases rising to the surface. Water and gas have met and have pioneered the liking of the open cracks in the limestone rocks. The presence of permeable cracks allowed water to continue its ascent and forth on the surface with a bubbling aspect related to the release of carbon dioxide. Hence the origin of the name of the locality of La Source Perrier, Les Bouillens à Vergèze dans le Gard.
The company legend, in the ancient times, the Carthaginian leader Hannibal would refreshed in the source before going to try to conquer Rome and that soldiers of Julius Caesar would have received a reward that source building a stone basin prefigures the spa of Bouillens field .
In 1769, the field of Bouillens becomes the property of the Granier family. Alphonse Granier is the first to focus on the healing properties of the source in 1841, creating l’Établissement Thermal de Vergèze, name given to the source. Commercial operation (before the water was free) source of Bouillens is authorized by decree, the 23 June 1863 by Napoleon III, which recognizes the source of water as natural mineral water. With many scientists that highlight the virtues of Hydrotherapy, the area saw the arrival of the first spa guests. In 1869, a fire destroyed the facilities Vergèze. Despite attempts Alphonse Granier to rehabilitate the site, accusing the company heavy losses, it is bankrupt and ceased all activity in 1884. In 1888, Louis Rouvière, farmer owner and merchant in Vergèze, bought the estate of Bouillens. Six years later, it grants the lease of the Source, together with a commitment to sell a doctor to Nîmes, Louis-Eugène Perrier, which then directs the health resort of Euzet-les-Bains and discovers in water mysterious therapeutic Bouillens. In 1898, Louis Perrier acquires the source and transforms l’Établissement Thermal de Vergèze en Société des Eaux Minérales, Boissons et Produits Hygiéniques de Vergèze
In 1903, Louis Perrier 70 years old, seeking funds to modernize the source, grants a lease to a young Englishman of 27, Sir John Harmsworth then sell it. Gentleman, John Harmsworth by buying shares of Louis Perrier in 1906, renamed the spring (source of water) from Les Bouillens to La Source Perrier, named after the dedicated physician who brought it to his attention . Harmsworth decided to abandon the activities Hydrotherapy - a slowing fashion early in the century - and focus on the source of water production consumable. A logical decision for an English because at that time the British fond of soft drinks. It seeks to return on investment by giving a name to its unique and recognizable product, in tribute to Dr. Perrier. As for the shape of the bottle, legend has it that John Harmsworth is inspired by the "indian clubs," Indian clubs he uses to reeducate a result of a road accident His idea is simple: he wants to drink the subjects of the entire British Empire, the conquest of the market begins with the Indian Army and the rest of the British colonies and finally the metropolis of Perrier water is drunk in Buckingham , he was in 1905 awarded the title of "Purveyor to His Majesty the King of England". Only after having conquered the Empire and Britain, he turned to France. In 1906, he named his company "La Compagnie de la Source Perrier." In 1908, The plant is connected to a track rail for the transport of 5 000 000 bottles that are produced every year there. In 1933, The Perrier source produces 19 million bottles of which 10 million go for export. The Perrier water is declared a public utility by the decree of May 19, 1933, which speeds up its conquest of the French market.
On the death of John Harmsworth in 1933, the source passes through the hands of the heirs of Harmsworth, a group of English shareholders. In 1936, Perrier merges with the small "Société d’eaux minérales de Vergèze" and becomes "La Source Perrier SA". Between 1939 and 1945, the German put the source receivership because its shareholders are British. She idling. In 1946, mineral waters are a boom to follow but we must renovate and Perrier source does not have sufficient funds. In 1947, Georges Leven who are asked to sell the company was questioned by his son Gustave Leven, a young stockbroker in Paris including the potential of mineral water: George and Gustave Leven, combined with their friends Maurice Epry (the manager) and John Davray (the advertising of the brand until 1985) redeem shares of La Société Perrier and introduce traded. To develop the site, Gustave Leven puts in place a comprehensive modernization plan (including importing the best US machines) to make it a mass consumer product. In this context, the production process is fully reviewed and an industrial strategy integrating manufacturing of all components of the bottle is in place. Finally, to take off sales, Gustave Leven entrusted Jean Davray, mission awareness of the Perrier brand. From 1948 to 1952 production from 30 to 150 million bottles.
In 1950, a new plant is built. From 6000 m 2, the plant is now called the Cathedral now spans more than 26 000 m 2. The France became the first Perrier market by absorbing 5/6 of production. In 1954, the caps are machined on site, and a factory of boxes to pack the bottles is created. Parrallèlement, Gustave Leven redeems the source Contrex and launches Pschitt, a soft drink flavored lemon or orange and Gini in 1971. It continues its diversification, acquiring Saint-Yorre, Vichy, the Roquefort caves, and Sellier Leblanc in 1984, including Volvic and Oasis The group expands even outside agribusiness investing in André shoes, run by a friend of Gustave Leven, Jean-Louis Descours.
In 1973, the strategy of vertical integration leads to create Glassware of Languedoc integrated unit for bottling, it produces all the Perrier bottles and allows to control manufacturing costs facing abandonment instructions bottles in Glass and price suppression. In addition, while develops the use of plastic bottles ("lost package"), this technology is not yet powerful enough (pressure, permeability of the gas) and the glass remains the necessary material. A sand quarry at the foot of Mont Ventoux was bought to provide the silica sand with which the glass is made.
In 1976, Perrier part in the conquest of America and an office is opened in New York. In 1986, Vergèze is the third French glassware behind BSN (later Danone) and Saint-Gobain. The set has 3 000 employees with four furnaces that debit 120 000 bottles per hour. Vergèze is the only factory in the world that glassware and bottling under the same roof. Between the arrival of the sand at the entrance of the plant and the output of a filled bottle, it takes less than five hours. In 1980, Perrier becomes the "official Bulle» Roland Garros, this sponsorship is renewed every year since. A marketing department was created in 1987. In 1988, Perrier sells around 300 million bottles to the United States, equivalent to 80% of imported waters. The company will launch flavored Perrier, before being sold in France Meanwhile, the group chose to focus only on non-flavored water, in 1990 by selling its subsidiary Compagnie d'Exploitation of Refreshing Drinks, including Gini and Oasis Bali, Cadbury Schweppes.
In 1990, the crisis of benzene puts a brake on the expansion of Perrier (the brand was selling one billion bottles per year) which decides the overall shrinkage of the bottles. Traces of benzene are discovered by an American laboratory in a few bottles of Perrier (13 bottles). Gustave Leven decides to remove the bottles from six countries: USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, Netherlands and Denmark 280 million bottles will be destroyed worldwide, including 160 million in the United States. Total cost of removing more than one billion francs, for what appears to be a simple human error. At the entrance of the channels of congestion, the charged filter to stop the impurities contained in the carbon dioxide source, normally replaced every six to eight months, has not been on time. Hence inadvertent presence of benzene fossil in the finished product.
When Gustave Leven stepped down as president of the group in 1990, became the first Perrier mineral water brand in the world, having acquired the status of product masstige (en) ("prestige for the masses" In 1992, Nestlé took control of the Perrier 22 March 1992 a takeover of a cost of eight billion francs as a result of IPOs and four against four-takeover in 1991 However, to avoid a dominant position it is obliged to sell some brands The Perrier group is dismantled: Nestlé Perrier and Contrex recovers brands and sells other companies for five billion, Roquefort Besnier, Volvic to BSN, Saint-Yorre and Vichy group Castel The ambition of Nestlé to become the world leader in mineral water to form the Nestlé Waters Group SA, its Waters division. In 2001, Perrier launches size 50 cl plastic ready to be carried around. In 2002, Perrier launches Perrier Fluo: ice blue for peppermint, spicy yellow for lemon-juniper and pink to cherry-tart ginger. In 2003, Perrier launches Eau de Perrier, finely sparkling water |
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