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Story of LEGLE
1890
In the late 19th century, the great great grandmother of Frédéric Lebouc, Marie Olympe Brière, had a small workshop that made everyday china objects. In an already modern spirit, she sent her son Frédéric Legrand away to study in England.
1904
Back in Limoges, in 1904, Frédéric Legrand set up a porcelain business. In his 20s, he also operated a porcelain electric parts business, as porcelain was the best insulating material at the time. Legrand’s business grew to become the largest electric device company in the world. His daughter, Paule, married André Lebouc, an “Arts et Métiers” engineer, who then became manager of the Legrand company.
1949
After the war, the Legrand company was sold. André Lebouc returned to his first love and in 1949, with his son Hugues, he set up a pilot porcelain plan, the PORAL plant, which was exemplary both in terms of manufacturing processes and in terms of the widely improved work conditions. “A cutting edge plant designed according to entirely new data “, as the papers of the time described it. Inaugurated by high-ranking officials, the PORAL plant was the first plant opened in Limoges after the war and benefited from original public-private funding.
1953
In late 1953, André and Hugues Lebouc remained true to their business philosophy and left PORAL to set up the Porcelaine LEGLE company. Hugues Lebouc pioneered and developed new processes to improve decoration and also developed simultaneously a tile manufacturing plant, ” les Carreaux de Limoges ” From avant-gardism to contemporary, a timeless passion for china. Today as in Marie Olympe’s workshop, man still seduces matter and colours at Porcelaine LEGLE. Ceramists and enamellers work with the same meticulousness, continuing and prestigious know-how while using state-of-the-art processes, which are Porcelaine LEGLE’s trademark.
2000
Frédéric LEBOUC, the son of Hugues and the grandson of André Lebouc, took up the torch. He has learned everything at his father’s side, for 20 years, and started managing the company when his father died in 2000. In line with his illustrious forebears, he has updated the manufacturing chain entirely, and designed and launched new collections, still in the spirit of conquering and controlling the sharp fire-coloured matter and enamels that make LEGLE famous. With a passion for the story of his and his family’s company, he can talk forever about working matter, colour and Porcelaine LEGLE’s permanent search for new shapes and processes. Valuable expertise and a historic flame turned towards the future and appreciated worldwide.
