Our History

Can we talk about Menard without mentioning Louis Ménard, the genius inventor of the pressuremeter? With this first invention, and the following others, Ménard instilled within his company an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit from the start. We are very proud to follow his path, keeping improving the ground, and keeping improving ground improvement techniques.

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It all started with
  • 1954
       

    1954 - Invention of the pressuremeter

    Louis Ménard

    It all started in 1954, when Louis Ménard, a young French Mechanical Engineering student from Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, invented the device that was to revolutionize geotechnical work: the pressuremeter.
    Until the 1950s, to calculate the foundations necessary for the stability of a building, a core sample was taken from the soil. The sample was analyzed to observe the different layers of materials or rocks, then a laboratory analysis was then necessary to determine the level of soil failure and its deformability curve.
    Louis Ménard set himself the goal of devising a single test to measure the ultimate pressure of the soil and its deformation modulus in order to calculate its bearing capacity and settlement. He developed and filed a patent for the device that was to revolutionize geotechnical work: the pressuremeter.

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  • 1957
       

    1957 - Creation of the company “Les pressiomètres Menard”

    In 1957, Louis Menard set up a company called “Les pressiomètres Menard” (Menard pressuremeters). Success was quick to follow and he soon had four licensees using his devices. He also convinced the French Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussées (Central Civil Engineering Laboratory) to use his equipment.

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  • 1959
       

    1959 - International development of the pressuremeter

    Exported to Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Canada and Brazil

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  • 1962
       

    1962 - Launch of the “Sols-Soils” journal & reorganisation of the company

    Ever anxious to share his knowledge of the use of the pressuremeter, Louis Ménard launched the bilingual journal “Sols-Soils”, with Michel Gambin as editor in chief. This highly technical quarterly publication was initially distributed within the network of licensees but was soon put on general sale.

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  • 1968
       

    1968 - Invention of dynamic compaction for sandy soils

    Read more about Dynamic compaction

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  • 1969
       

    1969 - First application of dynamic compaction technique

    Residential resort in Mandelieu-la-Napoule, France
    Read more about Dynamic compaction

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  • 1975
       

    1975 - Dynamic replacement

    Development of dynamic replacement for clayey soils

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  • 1977
       

    1977 - First major contract outside of France

    First major contract outside of France: stabilisation of the second runway of the Changi airport, Singapore and first 43 m deep vertical drain.

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  • 1978
       

    1978 - Death of Louis Ménard

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  • 1978
       

    1978 - Iconic project : Nice Airport, France

    Deepest dynamic compaction application (27 m, 4,000 tm energy) on the Nice airport, France project

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  • 1987
       

    1987 - Development of Menard Soltraitement

    1987 marked a further turning-point in the history of the company, becoming independent once more, when it was sold by its shareholder and taken over by two company managers, Jean-Marie Cognon and Pierre-Marie Bic. The name “Menard Soltraitement” was adopted.

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  • 1989
       

    1989 - Iconic project : Kourou, French Guyana

    Full scale 300 t loas test on dynamic replacement pillars on the spaceship Ariane 5 launch pad in Kourou, French Guyana

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  • 1988
       

    1988 - Menard Vacuum™

    Development of Menard Vacuum™ (atmospheric consolidation system) in France

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  • 1994
       

    1994 - Development of Controlled Modulus Columns

    Read more about CMCs

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  • 1998
       

    1998 - Largest induced settlement

    Largest induced settlement on the Jangyoo sewage treatment plant, South Korea

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  • 1999
       

    1999 - Integration of Menard into Freyssinet’s group (VINCI)

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  • 2001
       

    2001 - Ground improvement of 1,600,000 m² of reclaimed platform

    Ground improvement of 1,600,000 m² of reclaimed platform on the Airbus A380 assembly factory in Hamburg, Germany

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  • 2002
       

    2002 - Acquisition of DGI (USA)

    Everything you should know about our US subsidiary is on Menard group USA website

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  • 2006
       

    2006 - Deepest barrier wall constructed

    Deepest barrier wall constructed on the Mayfield decontamination project, Australia

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  • 2007
       

    2007 - Acquisition of GEOPAC (Canada)

    Now named Menard Canada, discover all about our canadian business unit

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  • 2008
       

    2008 - Largest vibrocompaction project

    Largest vibrocompaction project for the Palm Jebel Ali in Dubai (UAE)

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  • 2009
      - 2010

    2009 - 2010 - 12,000,000 m² of dynamic compaction

    Kuwait new cities – 12,000,000 m² of dynamic compaction

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  • 2009
       

    2009 - Creation of the Soletanche Freyssinet group

    Discover the Soletanche Freyssinet group

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  • 2010
      2012

    2010-2012 - Ground improvement under an important road project

    South Ring Road in Gdańsk, Poland

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  • 2011
       

    2011 - Integration Of Vibro Services

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  • 2011
       

    2011 - Deepest vibroflotation for the largest onshore windmill

    Deepest vibroflotation for the largest onshore windmill in Lautsitz Ring, Germany

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  • 2011
       

    2011 - Craney Island Eastward expansion

    Craney Island terminal, USA

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  • 2012
       

    2012 - Acquisition of US Wick Drains

    Learn more about US Wick Drain, specialty geotechnical contractor delivering practical sustainable solutions for ground improvement specializing in the expert installation of wick drains.

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  • 2012
       

    2012 - Largest ground improvement project in France

    Largest ground improvement project in France for the LNG terminal in Dunkirk

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  • 2014
       

    2014 - CMC world depth record

    Controlled Modulus Columns set a world depth record in Louisiana in 2014

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  • 2016
       

    2016 - Integration of Remea

    Remea is a key player in the soil remediation field offering expertise in remediation of polluted sites, management of polluted effluents on construction sites and treatment of industrial ponds and tanks at operating sites.

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  • 2021
       

    2021 - Integration of Dunton Environmental

    Discover Dunton Envrionmental, specialized in developing and implementing ground and water remediation solutions to restore our planets natural environment.

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