With over a century of history, Rairies Montrieux has established itself as a benchmark in the design of custom bricks and dies, for both contemporary architecture and heritage restoration. Under the expert supervision of Arnaud Salmon, head of dies, the company combines innovation and craftsmanship to meet the most complex challenges and bring architects’ ambitious projects to life.
Tailor-made solutions for today’s architects
In a world where architecture is constantly pushing back the boundaries of creativity, Rairies Montrieux has specialized in the manufacture of customized dies, offering architects a unique tool for turning their visions into reality. “We often start from scratch,” explains Arnaud Salmon, head of dies.
“We receive freehand sketches and our role is to turn them into reality, bringing ambitious architectural projects to life.”
Arnaud Salmon, Sector Manager
Far from standard products, many architects today are looking to put their own stamp on each building, making requests increasingly complex and specific. Whether for large-scale public buildings or more modest projects, Rairies Montrieux is there to help. For the Village des Athlètes, for example, the company designed and delivered customized curved and triangular plaques in record time.
Every Rairies Montrieux die is the result of precise engineering and meticulous know-how.
Craftsmanship combined with technical precision
Rairies Montrieux’s strength lies in its ability to reconcile traditional craftsmanship with technical precision. Each die is designed to be not only aesthetically pleasing, but also perfectly functional, guaranteeing optimal extrudability of the clay, whatever the type of shape required. “The greatest challenge is not to manufacture the die, but to balance it so that everything comes out straight,” confides Arnaud Salmon. Asymmetrical shapes, such as the domed plates or triangles created for the Village des Athlètes, are the most technically demanding. Indeed, the clay sometimes extrudes irregularly, requiring meticulous adjustments to slow down or speed up the flow and obtain a perfect result.
Alongside large-scale architectural projects, the company is also involved in more specific projects, such as the Trélazé chimney, where custom-made bricks were required to erect a 24-meter-high spiral structure. To achieve this, the team designed complex dies to produce bricks with a particular relief, while maintaining short deadlines and impeccable quality.
Fast, flexible production for even the most ambitious projects
If innovation is at the heart of every project, so too is speed of execution for Rairies Montrieux. The company stands out for its ability to produce prototypes within very tight deadlines. “On average, we deliver a first prototype within 10 to 15 days,” explains Arnaud Salmon. Each sample is meticulously tested and adjusted before going into full-scale production.
Even for small orders, the same high standards apply. “We sometimes produce up to 200 bricks to ensure that the 30 requested are perfectly compliant,” he explains. This rigorous approach reflects Rairies Montrieux’s commitment to uncompromising quality, whatever the size of the project.
For more ambitious projects, such as the 5400 square meters of wafers for the Athletes’ Village, die design must combine productivity and precision. “I designed a unique die in three weeks, capable of producing different types of wafer by simply adjusting the shape at the die outlet,” adds Salmon. This flexibility, crucial to meeting a wide range of requirements, enables Rairies Montrieux to optimize efficiency while maintaining impeccable quality.
Rairies Montrieux created 11,000 bespoke bricks using dies specially designed for the chimney at the former Trelazé match factory.
Deep roots in heritage and restoration
While Rairies Montrieux excels in contemporary production, it also remains true to its historic roots. In addition to standard bricks, emblematic shapes from France’s heritage continue to be produced. “We have recreated ancient tiles, such as ‘Genus’, used in churches,” explains Arnaud Salmon. This tile imitates the handmade tiles of yesteryear, but with the precision of modern machines. This near-perfect reproduction makes it possible to restore old buildings while respecting the authenticity of the materials.
In addition to large-scale projects, the company has been able to respond to demanding heritage restoration orders, demonstrating its ability to blend in with history while bringing in today’s technical innovations.
A team committed to unique craftsmanship
At the heart of this dynamic network, a team of four people work hard every day to turn ideas into reality. Passing on know-how is at the heart of the company’s preoccupations, and new recruits are trained in an exceptional profession.
Thanks to its expertise, Rairies Montrieux has stood the test of time, adapting to modern needs while remaining true to its artisanal values. Today, with ever more complex demands, the company demonstrates an unfailing ability to adapt, while guaranteeing top-quality products delivered on time. “We’re on the right track, but we’re making good progress,” concludes Arnaud Salmon.
Thanks to the use of spinnerets, innovation takes shape to create tailor-made bricks.
