Buffet Crampon - History

History

Denis Buffet-Auger, of the Buffet family of French musical instrument makers, began making quality clarinets in Paris, France in 1825. The company expanded under Jean-Louis Buffet and his wife Zoé Crampon and became known as Buffet Crampon. (Another family member, Auguste Buffet jeune, who worked with famous clarinetist Hyacinthe Klosé to develop the Boehm system for clarinet, had his own business separate from Buffet Crampon.)

In 1850, Buffet Crampon established its headquarters at Mantes-la-Ville. The company continued to expand its range and quality in instrument production, beginning saxophone production in 1866, and winning numerous awards. The company began to take root in the American woodwind industry during the early 1900s.

In 1950, the company developed its famous R13 clarinet, an extremely popular professional-level clarinet. In 1981, Buffet joined Boosey & Hawkes, which sold the French company to The Music Group in 2003. Two years later Buffet was bought by a French group. In 2006 Buffet Crampon acquired two brass instrument manufacturers, Antoine Courtois Paris and Besson. In 2008 Buffet Crampon continues to pursue its strategy by the acquisition of the Leblanc clarinet factory in La Couture-Boussey, Département of Eure, Haute-Normandie in France.

Recently, Buffet has made efforts to protect the African blackwood trees, which provide grenadilla wood for clarinets, from being eliminated. In its effort to protect the over-harvesting of African blackwood / grenadilla, Buffet has started making several new models of clarinets. As these do not have the grain structure of a true wood product, they do not have the issue of cracking due to environmental changes that are typically seen in clarinets and other wood instruments.