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Address |
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SFCO
S.A. au Capital
de 2.380.000 Euros |
3, rue de Messine
75008 Paris - France
Tel : +33 (0)1 40 74 72 64
Fax : +33 (0)1 40 74 98 08
Email : gradis@henokiens.com
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Company today |
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However,
due to various circumstances, in particular to the gradual decline
of sugar production in the West Indies,
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it was obvious that the company needed to restructure its activities.
Thus it was, that in 1975 the opportunity arose to re-enter the
Bordeaux wine trade and to revive one of the company's activities
that had been dormant for the previous two centuries.
Given the risks that have appeared recently in both wine production and wine marketing and sales, the Company decided, in 2005, to stop trading in wines and to devote itself to the study and the implementation of financial investments.
The "Société Française pour le Commerce avec l'Outre-mer, formerly
Maison GRADIS, established in 1685" is managed at present by Henri
GRADIS, C.E.O., direct descendant of Diégo GRADIS, the founder.
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Key Dates of the
Company's History |
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1685 |
The GRADIS family originated
in Portugal and settled in Bordeaux towards the end of the
16th century. In 1685, Diego GRADIS founded a trading company
and, ten years later, passed it on to his son David. Soon
after that, David decided to abandon trading in cloth and
to specialise in trade with the colonies. |
1711 |
In 1711, he bought this first
vessel, in England. This was " Le Tigre " which
was destined to be the first in a long line of ships. The
company shipped wine, brandy, flour, bacon and salt beef from
Ireland and returned from the West Indies with cargoes of
sugar, both white and unrefined.
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1756 |
When the seven years' war broke
out in 1756, the company had the opportunity to play a major
role. For example, in 1758, in one single voyage, it despatched
14 vessels to re-supply Canada.
Because it had consented to the Kings Louis XV and Louis XVI
important credits, the Maison GRADIS received, as a reward,
exceptionnal privileges. |
1789 |
The French Revolution of 1789
had very severe consequences for the Gradis Company.
By 1892, the company was acting as commission agent for several
producers, selling their sugar in Bordeaux, Nantes and Marseille.
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1914 |
During the First World War,
the regions of France where sugar-beet was grown were occupied
by the germans, and so Gradis was commissioned by the French
Government to ensure the supply of sugar in France. This warrant
expired in 1920. |
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