A French savoir-faire

The extraction method of chestnut wood was invented by a painter from Lyon, Mr. Michel in 1819, to replace galnuts used to dye silk.

The utilisation later on diversified and was generalised for tanning leather . France was at that time the only producer of chestnut extract in the world. Later on, other countries like Italy and Yugoslavia started to produce chestnut wood extract.

From 1950 on, the production kept decreasing because vegetal extracts were replaced by chromium for applications in the leather industry. In 1980, only one factory belonging to the Isoroy group remained in France.

In order to initiate new applications in animal nutrition, the company ECOPSI  created in 1990 a partnership with this last French producer.  Ever since the market continues to grow.

In 1998, the production unit at the Isoroy plant was taken over and closed by the Italians. The associated production of fibre panels was taken over by LA TARNAISE DES PANNEAUX, who is the last French producer of fibre panels by a humid process, exporting a larger part of its production for use in ecological packaging.  The return to a synergistic production setup, will for sure guarantee a strong development of both French companies.

Under the dynamics of Jean-Benoit and Pierre-Hugues TIERNY, the creation of King Tree will put France again in the picture as major producer of chestnut wood extract.