Rocamat, the largest of the French limestone quarry companies, has gone into Receivership.

It traded internationally, earning 20% of its income from exports. The UK was one of its markets and two of the winning projects (in the interiors and technological innovation categories) in the 2016 Natural Stone Awards had used Massangis limestone from Rocamat.

Headquartered in L'Ile-Saint-Denis in the north of Paris, Rocamat operated 30 limestone quarries in France and four large processing factories. It employed 250 people and sold stone both as block and slabs and finished cladding, flooring and masonry.

Pierre Brousse, the proprietor of Rocamat, stood down as the President of SNROC, the French stone industry representative body, shortly before the official announcement of Rocamat going into Receivership. 

Established in 1853 under the name of Civet Fils & Cie, it was called Civet Pommier & Cie and Carrières & Scieries de France before adopting the name of Rocamat in 1971. Since its inception it had been an important producer of limestone for construction.

In 1963 it absorbed the General Society of French Quarries, the former Dubourdieu and Pagani industries, and then the Industrial & Commercial Society of Marble, Stone & Granite (SICMPG) in 1971. In 1976 it took over Dervillé Fèvre, a company comprising Dervillé, Marbres Français, and Fèvre & Cie.

Rocamat contributed to many major architecture projects, including prestigious buildings in the United States and Asia. But it was best known for supplying stone to projects in Paris, such as the Musée d’Orsay, the Grand Louvre, Bercy, the Eiffel Tower, and the Vuitton Foundation.