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CHAPPEL INDUSTRIES FRANCE - presentation

History

Bernard CHAPPEL – The Managing Director – set up his first Company OPTELEC in May 1968 in Albertville. OPTELEC started off in a small of 200 square metres garage. His purpose : The testers manufacturing for electric motors of washing machines for Thomson (shock waves technology).

1969 : Beginning of windings production (motors, transformers, relays).
Purchasing of the first winding machines to produce small quantities.

1971 : Building of 1.000 square metres on a site of 10.000 square metres in the industrial area in Albertville.

1975 : Setting-up of the subsidiary SPIREL in Albertville (73) for the mass production of ultra fine copper wire coils (0.02-0.05 mm).

1978 : Extension of the factory in Albertville (2.500 square metres).

1979 : SPIREL was transfered to Saint-Rémy-de-Maurienne (73) with the building of a 1.500 square metres factory for the production of tubular electric motors for roller shutters, mainly for SOMFY. Somfy bought out Spirel in 1992.

1981 : Setting-up of CHAPPEL INDUSTRIES in Tunisia : windings & transformers for big customers such as CEM, TELEMECANIQUE, MERLIN GERIN ....

1982 : OPTELEC bought VOLTAM in Annecy : production of up to 630 kVA transformers (complementary range), regulated battery chargers and voltage regulators.

1984 - 1988 :

  • Design of toroidal transformers.
  • Design of power supplies for computers.
  • Transformers for microwave ovens.
  • Design of the new OPTITRANS transformer (30 % lighter) and compoundfilled current transformers.

1990 : Setting-up of a new factory in Albertville (6.500 square metres).

1991 : Purchase of GYS in Saint-Berthevin (53) : production of battery chargers and welders.

1994 : Setting-up of CEVAL : battery chargers, welders, soldering irons, welding equipment and supplies …

1995-2009 :

  • Design of the built-in battery chargers for electric vehicles (Peugeot scooter).
  • Design of a new range of smart battery chargers (French Railways).
  • Design of a new welding unit (Inverter Technology).
  • Design of new resin filled transformers (French Railways).
  • Design of iron powder chokes for UPS.
  • Design of new iron powder flat electric motors MOTORFLY® type (registered trademark).