INVICTA

Invicta France is a French company specialising in European wood-burning fireplaces. It was founded in 1924 as an enameller and foundry in Donchery (Ardennes) by the grandfather of the company's director until 2013, Jean-Pierre Dupire. That year, Jean-Pierre Dupire, who had been dubbed "the stove man" in advertising, sold Invicta France to Qualium Investissement, a subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts. Jean-Pierre Dupire had diversified the SME's offering, which prior to 2005 had focused on the manufacture of fireplaces and fireplace inserts, to include wood-burning stoves. It was a winning strategy, with sales rising from €55 million in 2008 to €74 million in 2013. But Invicta has not abandoned its almost century-old expertise, producing culinary pottery, barbecues, decorations... even though stoves account for the bulk of production. Invicta supports local sports clubs, such as L'Étoile de Charleville-Mézières basketball club, as well as major clubs such as AJ Auxerre, Racing Club de Lens, AS Saint-Étienne and RC Toulon.