The Denis company was founded by Louis Denis. It was located rue de la Filanderie, in the buildings of the todays Echo de Brou newsletter. Louis Denis (1823-1900) was a young carpenter apprentice. Touring France after his apprenticeship, he decided to take up mechanics. The Denis company will produce winnowing machines. Louis Denis son (1857-1912) succeeded him. The first alveolar sorter will be constructed by Denis and awarded at the Paris contest in 1889. The company has a worldwide reputation and exports already in 22 countries at the end of the 19th century. The company is transferred in a more industrial site, rue du Mail. Death of Louis Denis. His son, Raymond, had to do his military. Meanwhile, his mother will run the company till 1918. Louis Denis, third of name, takes the lead of the company. The company experienced a prosperous period after World War I, followed by the economical crisis in the thirties. Death of Louis Denis. His son, Pierre, is still a schoolboy. The company will be run again by a woman. Pierre Denis leads the company. The plant is shelled by the US Airforce. A fire burns down the workshop, that will be rebuilt and extended. Rue du Mail became a residential street. A new plant is built in the suburbs. Today it is located at the entrance to the industrial park of Brou. Inauguration of the Louis Denis avenue. Extension of the workshops. Their surface is extended to 19,000 m² of covered area on a 80,000 m² ground. The output raises to 300 tons per hour. Stéphane Lizambard (born 1973) grandson of the company’s CEO, Pierre Denis takes over the head of the company. The company is awarded with the ISO 9001 certification. New extension of the buildings. Their total covered area raises to 22,000 m². For more information about the Denis company today : read the article published by l’Echo Républicain on 20th November 2002 (Available in French).