1665 Establishments - Saint-Gobain, Netherlands Marine Corps, College General, Grecian Coffee House, San Ferdinando, Lubomirski's Rokosz (Paperback)

Chapters: Saint-Gobain, Netherlands Marine Corps, College General, Grecian Coffee House, San Ferdinando, Lubomirski's Rokosz. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 46. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Saint-Gobain SA (Euronext: SGO) is a French multinational corporation, founded in 1665 in Paris and headquartered on the outskirts of Paris at La Defense. Originally a mirror manufacturer, it now also produces a variety of construction and high-performance materials. The early history of the Manufacture royale de glaces de miroirs belonged to what today could be called a "voluntary industrialisation policy" under the direction of French minister of finance Jean-Baptiste Colbert. Colbert's policy was, first and foremost, to reinstate order in the kingdom's economic and financial sectors, while ensuring the glory of King Louis XIV and the State. His economic and financial policies, in particular, were aimed at making France independent vis-a-vis the other great European merchant nations, while building up strong, productive, and most importantly, strategic industries. An Early Saint-Gobain EmblemSince the middle of the seventeenth century, luxury products such as silk textiles, lace and mirrors were in high demand. In the 1660s, mirrors had become very popular among the upper classes of society: Italian cabinets, ballrooms, chateaux and ornate side tables and pier-tables were decorated with this expensive and luxurious product. At the time, however, the French were not known for mirror technology; instead Venice was known as the world leader in glass manufacturing. From the very beginning of the seventeenth century, Venice controlled a technical and commercial monopoly of the glass and mirror business, capable of producing the finest quality products available. Colbert wanted France to becom...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=872341