The history of Simond is closely linked to the history of mountaineering.
There were several brothers in the Simond family in the early 1820s, all blacksmiths and crystal hunters. They worked with wood and iron, in a forge on the banks of the Arve making agricultural implements and bells as well as tools for their crystal hunting. The first adventurers looking to explore the Mont Blanc massif found in the Simond brothers just the men they needed to make their tools for the mountains.
By 1860 more and more visitors were coming to the valley and the brothers divided up the work at the forge, with François Simond taking on the manufacture of mountain equipment: axes, crampons, toboggans, skis etc. At this time François had a small forge at the foot of the Bossons glacier that had an electric generator. All the ingredients were now in place: he had the expertise (for working iron and wood), the technology (the forge and electricity) and the customers (explorers). And it was all in Chamonix, which was on its way to becoming the world capital of mountaineering…
François’s son Claudius started work in the forge in 1925 and improved on the raw ingredients he inherited from his father. Used by climbers both on the first ascents of the highest mountains in the world and the groundbreaking new Alpine climbs, Simond became known across the world as the leading manufacturer of mountaineering equipment. Simond has always combined the latest technologies with climbers’ requirements to meet the changing demands of the time: providing the best possible equipment for climbers on the hardest routes around. In 1948 Claudius introduced the first lightweight carabiner, which would allow climbers to broaden their already expanding horizons.
In 1960 François’s grandson Lüdger improved the family recipe just at a time when mountaineering and rock climbing were taking off in a big way. Climbers’ attitudes were changing in tandem with technological developments and once again Simond evolved with them. This was the era of front points, free climbing and ascents made in ever more lightweight style. Lüdger was able to respond to climbers’ needs, providing them with the gear they needed. No doubt this has allowed Simond to retain its role as a world leader in its field, especially in terms of innovation. Simond now brought out: the first ergonomic carabiner (the Cliff), the first curved pick (the Chacal), the first rigid crampons (Makalu) and the first drop handle axe (the Scud)… (See Product innovations). In 1988 Lüdger built bigger and more modern premises right at the foot of Mont Blanc in order to meet the growing demand for the brand. Today Simond works with some of the greatest climbers in the world who in turn contribute to what François Simond first started back in 1860.
In 2004 Lüdger Simond sold the business to the French firm Wichard, a world leader in marine hardware. At a time when the mountains, rock climbing and extreme routes were becoming increasing accessible to a wider public, Simond found a perfect partner to reach out to a market that is perpetually evolving, enjoying the benefits of this synergy of marine and mountain oriented technologies.
In 2008, Simond joined the Oxylane group.
The Simond factory still sits at the foot of Mont Blanc, with views of the Aiguille Verte, the Drus and the Chamonix Aiguilles. Having these fabulous and unique playgrounds on our doorstep combined with our expertise and experience means we have been able to design and create highly technical products in perfect harmony with the activity and their users. The close relationship Simond enjoys with climbers has enabled it to create innovative products offering ever-greater ease of use, comfort and high-performance results. (See Product innovations).
Simond has ISO 9001 certification and selects materials, such as stainless steel, aluminum alloys and titanium, to guarantee the best possible results. Our products are manufactured in Chamonix and assembled by hand in our workshops. Thanks to the expertise and attention to detail of our highly skilled personnel, our products are inspected at every stage of the manufacturing process, from the arrival of the raw materials in the factory right up to their packaging prior to delivery. We have a team of enthusiastic and specialist technical advisors to help us as we continue to create products using the most modern and up to date technology and thinking with our unique heritage.
Since 1860, when François Simond inspired the first explorers in the Mont Blanc range and made the first mountaineering tools, Simond has never stopped innovating, inventing and surprising.
