Le Creuset was born from the meeting of two Belgian industrialists in 1925. Armand Desaegher and Octave Aubecq, specialists in enameling and casting, inaugurated a new era in the cookware sector by finding a way to vitrify cast iron.
The story
In 1925, the first prototype of the vitrified cast iron cocotte production process was approved. Thus Le Creuset was born. The founders subsequently opened a foundry in the village of Fresnoy-le-Grand, about two hours north of Paris. The plant was located at a crossroads of communication routes, functional for the supply of iron, coal and sand necessary for production.
Cast iron cocottes are crafted from the highest quality materials, including 85% recycled iron and steel, to create classics that last.
The raw material is melted in the furnace, then poured into a cauldron, or “creuset”, from which the name derives. After the metal cools, the sand molds are destroyed to allow the craftsmen to extract the cocotte. For this reason, each piece is unique in itself.
Each cocotte is inspected at every stage of the process to ensure exceptional quality, durability and performance.
The colors
The first glazed shade by Desaegher and Aubecq, Volcanic Orange, inspired by the color of molten cast iron, has become the signature of a brand that is a symbol of quality.
Color is our specialty and what sets us apart from others! The mixing of glass pigments, precious for our cocottes, is done with the utmost precision to ensure uniformity. We offer a wide range of unique colors that can adapt to the styles of all homes, with bright colors or neutral tones.
The pots are sprayed with at least two layers of glass-based enamel, to protect the artifact inside and out and to add color. They then move along the production line for hand finishing.