Our History
DERFI, an industrial venture since 1978
For nearly fifty years, DERFI has designed solutions to make work easier, more reliable and improve the work of professionals in industry.
Behind the machines, technical adhesives and cutting equipment lies, first and foremost, a human story : that of expertise that became a business, a family venture that became a collective endeavour and a commitment to high standards passed down from generation to generation.
1978
From passion to entrepreneurship…
In 1978, after twenty-five years spent developing industrial machines, Denis Schmalholtz makes a defining decision : to put his experience and convictions at the service of his own business.
Leaving the security of an established job, giving up the benefits of seniority and involving his family in a new venture was then a real gamble. But Denis Schmalholtz had one certainty : success in industry depends as much on technical mastery as on discipline, perseverance and listening to needs on the ground.
At his side, his wife Monique fully shares this ambition. Together, they lay the first foundations of DERFI.
A family venture
In its early days, DERFI is a small, people-focused company, driven bythe complementary strengths of its founders. There are many difficulties, but every obstacle strengthens their determination.
This mutual trust, this closeness and this sense of commitment shape the company culturefrom the outset. Values that still guide DERFI today.
1980
From the garage to initial growth
It is in a garage that DERFI designs and assembles its first machines. With resources still modest, Denis Schmalholtz puts his experience towards a simple idea : creating reliable equipment designed to meet manufacturers' practical requirements.
The quality of his first creations soon attracts attention. Peugeot becomes the first official customer of DERFI, marking a decisive stage in the company's launch.
Orders gradually increase and the garage soon becomes too small to support the business.
Tape wrapping machines DERFI at the heart of industry
In 1985, DERFI takes another step forward by moving into more suitable premises in Cormeilles-en-Parisis.
The company develops its expertise in designing machines for thetape wrapping of electrical wiring harnesses. Recognised for their precision, their reliability and their efficiency, the DERFI tape wrapping machines meet the requirements of particularly demanding industrial sectors.
They gradually find their place in the production lines of theautomotive industry, of theaerospace industry and of the defence industry.
This period lays the foundations of what will become DERFI's hallmark : understanding a specific industrial need and designing a lasting technical solution.
2015
Succession and expansion : DERFI writes a new chapter with its values intact
After nearly four decades devoted to developing DERFI, Denis and Monique Schmalholtz choose to pass the business on to a new generation.
This handover marks the beginning of a new chapter without breaking with its history. The technical expertise, the sense of service and the closeness to customers remain at the heart of DERFI's identity.
The company then relocates its headquarters to Argenteuil and gradually expands its activities to the supply and conversion of technical adhesives.
DERFI can now offer more comprehensive support : understanding the need, selecting the right adhesive, converting it to the required dimensions and supplying the equipment needed to apply it.
From manufacturer to industrial partner
DERFI no longer simply supplies a machine or a product. Every request is assessed in its real environment : the operator's actions, the production requirements, the materials used, the expected production rates and the application conditions.
This approach combines the expertise of the design office with personalised, human support.
By developing tailored solutions rather than standardised responses, DERFI builds lasting relationships with its customers and gradually earns the trust of major industrial companies, in France as well asinternationally.
2020
Expertise close to manufacturers
In 2020, DERFI continues to grow with the opening of a second establishment in Lyon and a sales office in Bordeaux.
These new locations strengthen its presence in France and enable its teams to be closer to customers, understand their production environments better and respond more quickly.
This momentum pays off : in 2021 and then in 2022, DERFI records the highest turnover in its history.
Growing without losing its identity
As it develops, DERFI expands its solutions in adhesive tape cutting and dispensing, label application and technical adhesive conversion.
Today, the company supports professionals from identifying their needs through to implementing a solution suited to their production.
Despite its growth, DERFI remains true to the principles that guided its creation : theattention to needs on the ground, the technical mastery, the search for reliable solutions and the building of lasting relationships.
A history looking to the future
Since 1978, technologies have evolved, uses have changed and new industrial challenges have emerged. Yet DERFI's mission remains the same : to make professionals' work easier through simple, precise and lasting solutions.
Then as now, DERFI does more than supply a product or a machine.
DERFI turns an industrial need into a practical solution.
DERFI's teams offer proactive suggestions and help you refine the choice of a new solution for cutting and dispensing your adhesive products.
DERFI also provides follow-up for every item of equipment sold to ensure its durability and development.
" Thanks to the maintenance service for adhesive dispensing machines, our leather goods workshop runs without interruption. Their responsiveness and expertise are unmatched."
By your side
Much more than a solution, lasting support
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