210 years of history: in 2020 the Peugeot story celebrates its 210th anniversary

210 years ago, the story began with a mill inherited from milling ancestors, which the Peugeot brothers would transform into a steel foundry. The industrial vocation of the Peugeot family was born. Two centuries later, the lion’s brand has a name in the car industry but first started with household products.

From steel bands to saws made in 1810, to tools, crinolines and coffee grinders in 1840 and the first pepper mill in 1874, new product are created one by one to the rhythm of abundant ingenuity.

The lion, symbol of the brand appears in 1850 on the saw blades. It is a symbol of the brands qualities: resistant teeth, flexible blades, precision cut. Right then, the lion’s claws become the Peugeot brand’s signature.

Later in 1890, Peugeot enters the world of cycle and automobile. For year, the Peugeot company is divided into three organizations: steel and tools, cycle and automobile.

Cast iron mills are seen for the first time in 1855 (most commonly called “moulins de comptoirs” in French or “bar mills”); in 1874, the first table mill simply called by the letter Z is launched and enters the history of the brand and the daily life of gourmets. It is the most popular mill and still sold today as the Bistro mill. First made of plain white porcelain, it was then made of silver-plate, Bakelite, and wood.

Paris, the most iconic mill in the collection, is launched in 1987. First only finished in natural wood or lacquer, the Paris mill is now available in a multitude of colors and heights, from 10cm to 110cm.

The Edition 210 mill was specially designed in tribute to this great adventure: Its iconic design, its height of 210 millimeters, a wink to the brand’s 210 years.

Classic grinder, iconic model from the Peugeot brand, Paris would become the mill of choice to celebrate the brand’s 210^th anniversary.

The mill is rendered in newspaper graphic as if it had been carefully wrapped and protected for so many years that the print faded on the surface.  Made in France at the Peugeot factory, from locally sourced wood, this mill is a limited edition for 2020 only; a special treat for fans of the Peugeot brand.

The Peugeot story is above all the passion for two skills: steel and wood. From these two emblematic components, Peugeot has made an object that is durable and passed on from generation to generation: the pepper mill.

The Paris mill, as all Peugeot wood mills is made at the manufacturing plant in the town of Quingey, located in France’s Doubs department, where everything is done on site: design, research and development, prototype and manufacturing.   The beech wood sourced from PEFC™ certified European forests is also turned, varnished and painted on site. The mechanisms are stamped and meticulously assembled. We take pride in this expertise.

From their French native land, the mills are exported to more than 80 countries.

Through time, innovations have multiplied and today, close to 160 people manufacture more than 2 million mills each year, available in a dozen shapes, traditional and contemporary.

Peugeot’s skills in transforming wood and steel were rewarded by the label Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV), a national recognition from the French State put in place to reward French firms for the excellence of their traditional and industrial savoir-faire.

With the experience acquired with mills, Peugeot has extended its expertise to other territories.

• Coffee

The coffee grinders, firmly anchored in the collective imagination, are at the heart of Peugeot’s historical know-how. Great classics or new designs with innovative functions, these coffee grinders offer, over and over again, the exhilaration of freshly-ground coffee.

• Spices

The story of the world and of humanity can be understood through the story of spices, just as the story of Peugeot is reflected in that of its mills. All the major paths converge here.

Naturally extending its expertise in the field of mills, Peugeot is inviting you to follow the spice route a little further, offering a new selection of spices of great quality, now presented in a glass cube with striking line art.

• Cutlery

Celebrated in the 1820s for knife manufacturing, it’s in the French town of Thiers that today the brand creates precision cutlery with the ergonomics to make it a pleasure to handle.

Peugeot’s cutlery benefits from the most recent innovations in steel quality, quenching, grinding and sharpening to offer excellence in cutting, durability and corrosion resistance.

• Oenology

Between aromas that reveal themselves on the nose and pleasure felt on the palate, a whole world of enthusiasts rediscovers the art of serving, uncorking, decanting and tasting the marvels offered by the vine. Wine accessories invite you to unravel the mysteries of wine and discover the art of tasting.

• Bakeware

Ultimate noble material, the Peugeot ceramic guarantees smooth and homogenous just-right baking.

Constantly improving and a well-kept secret, the recipe of the ceramic paste (mix of clay, kaolin and feldspath) offers Peugeot ceramics significant mechanical shock resistance. Carefully selected, our cadmium free enamels meet the most stringent environmental and food regulations. They preserve the dishes from scratches and allow the easiest cleaning possible.

For many years, Peugeot has been committed to a process of continuous improvement with regard to its environmental responsibility.

In order to preserve the environment, the chips and sawdust from production are recovered and recycled. For the finishing of wood mills, the use of water-soluble paints, more respectful of the environment, are preferred.

Partnering with local ESATs (assistance and service centers helping disabled people into work) has helped develop strong ties with the local community and value the work of the people.