From narrow elastic fabric to medical device: the Thuasne® story

A French industrial adventure

The company was founded in 1847 in northern France and later became the Thuasne^® Group. This family-run business was dedicated to the production of narrow elastic textiles, a rare technology for the clothing industry. This innovative spirit and industrial know-how earned the company a medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition.

In 1911, a fire destroyed the factory in Quévauvillers in the Somme. Maurice Thuasne, a 27-year-old textile engineer at the time, took over the company and bought a factory in Saint-Étienne, the birthplace of textile technologies in France.

During the First World War, he observed the usefulness of calfbands¹ for treating soldiers' wounds, and confirmed the contribution of elastic compression to the healing process. Maurice Thuasne then refocused the business on the production of elastic medical bandages. This strategic decision guaranteed the company's independence and long-term future.

Treating, the "blue" thread of Thuasne^®

From the 1930s onwards, Thuasne^® has placed care at the heart of its mission. Based on empirical observations, later confirmed by clinical studies, Maurice Thuasne demonstrated the benefits of compression textiles, marking the beginning of therapeutic elastic compression. 

This use rapidly extended to the treatment of back pain, giving rise to a new generation of non-drug health solutions: standardized, lighter and more accessible lumbar, thoracic and abdominal belts. The Cemen winding belt was born in 1953, followed in 1969 by the first TH144 lumbar belt. A pioneer in the clinical evaluation of its devices, Thuasne^® continues to innovate with patented technologies such as Combitex fabric, and has remained the undisputed market leader in France for 75 years.

In the 1950s, Thuasne® worked closely with doctors to design the necessary solutions, validate their characteristics and work to ensure that they were covered by the French Health Insurance. Biflex, Néoplastex and lumbar belts were thus reimbursed. At the same time, Thuasne^® diversified into sports with a range of headbands, notably worn by tenniswoman, Suzanne Lenglen.

40 years of international conquest and strategic acquisitions

A leader in France, Thuasne^® began its international expansion in Belgium in 1984. Opening up to Europe quickly became a matter of course: being European is both a vocation, a necessity and a strategic choice. This became a reality in 1991 with the acquisition of the German company Pezet Zimmermann, shortly after the country's reunification.

This first step marked the start of a rapid expansion. Between 1990 and 1998, Thuasne^® opened one subsidiary a year in Europe, asserting its presence under its own brand name, withits own teams, convinced that healthcare cannot be delegated. At the dawn of the 2000s, the company became Europe's second-largest player in orthopedics and medical compression.

International expansion continued with a major turning point in 2010: the acquisition of Townsend in the United States, a specialist in made-to-measure rigid orthotics, thus combining technological progress and geographical expansion. This was followed by strategic alliances and the creation of subsidiaries in Asia, notably in India and China.

This exponential growth, which has enabled the company to multiply its size tenfold in 30 years, positions Thuasne^® as a key player on the global medical device scene.

Innovation and digitalization: heading for the future

In 2018, Thuasne^® opened the Thuasne^® Lab, a space dedicated to digital and technological innovation. This division develops digital projects and supports the Group’s expertise in connected medical devices. More recently, Thuasne^® created a division dedicated to artificial intelligence.

To reinforce its leadership, Thuasne^® is forging strategic partnerships with medtechs such as Bionic Power. These partnerships aim to integrate the latest technologies and develop robotic solutions to help restore mobility and improve patients' quality of life.