In 1905, in the Paris of the Belle Époque, Léon Guilbert founded his company specializing in heating appliances, soon followed by gasoline-powered soldering lamps.
At a time when France was experiencing the separation of Church and State, and Europe was entering the modern era, a small Parisian company was born with a grand ambition: to put the mastery of flame at the service of craftsmen.
Over the decades, Guilbert Express has left its mark on the history of professional tools with its innovations, patents and international successes.
Here are a few milestones:
Léon Guilbert founds a business specializing in soldering equipment and gasoline lamps in Paris's 11th arrondissement.
It integrates the manufacture of its products under the Express brand.
Guilbert Express launches the first electric soldering irons.
Guilbert Express begins marketing butane/propane appliances, which will enjoy considerable growth after the Second World War.
At the beginning of the 50s, as demand from the general public became more pressing, Guilbert Express, after carrying out a proper diagnosis of consumer expectations, presented its new range of flashlights and soldering irons.
Revolution in the sanitary segment with the appearance of the Cercoflam Express, designed by César Marietta.
Guilbert Express was commissioned to design and produce the torch for the Olympic flame at the Albertville Winter Olympics. A total of 150 units will be produced, in what can only be described as a work of art.
ISO 9001 certification in its 2000 version.
Guilbert Express is 100 years old.
The Express brand, a global benchmark in heating tools for building professionals, is celebrating with its customers in the middle of the Sahara the 5 millionth Express flashlight sold worldwide.
ISO certification in its 2008 version
The arrival of the Vulcane Express flashlight and its revolutionary self-maintenance system turns the world of sanitary heating upside down. To date, over 65 patents have been registered since the company was founded!
From October 4 to 8, 2013, the Batimat show at Paris Nord Villepinte is a veritable explosion of new products, with over 30 new references for all roofing and waterproofing trades, including the famous Raptor waterproofing flashlight.
Guilbert Express is testing numerous new products around the world, and is pursuing its international expansion with the launch of Farming and Shrink-Wrapping divisions dedicated to the livestock and shrink-wrapping trades.
February 2020 is the official date for the creation of the Polish subsidiary, designed to cover both Polish and Eastern European markets.
Guilbert Express moves into new premises where, on almost 11,000 m2, the Express brand clearly displays its global ambitions.
A real revolution in the world of roofing with the launch of the first roofing iron powered entirely by hydrogen. The Express brand also won 1st prize for this product at the GCCP innovation competition held at the FFB headquarters in Paris.
Express Tour promotional campaign to celebrate the 120th anniversary of Guilbert Express
120 years later, Guilbert Express has established itself as a major player in the manufacture of heating and welding tools for the building industry.
Based in Croissy-Beaubourg, near Paris, the company brings together all its services, from design to logistics, on a single site, and brings its know-how to life thanks to a team of around one hundred enthusiastic employees.
Faithful to its heritage, the third generation of the Guilbert family continues to develop the brand with the same commitment to innovation, quality and performance.
From the outset, exporting has been part of Guilbert Express’ DNA.
By the 1920s, the company was exporting regularly to the French colonies, as well as to several European countries, including Belgium and Italy.At the end of the 1930s, a dedicated export department was set up: for the managers of Guilbert Express, globalization was already a given.
Today, one third of sales are generated by exports, and this figure has been rising steadily over the last ten years.The company is present in over 100 countries, thanks to a network of agents, distributors and subsidiaries on five continents.
The Express brand adapts to local standards (fittings, regulators, certifications) and to the cultural specificities of each market.
That's how many heating tools leave French workshops for use around the world every year.
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