It appeared of 1st interest to combine a solar sreen and a shutter curtain in the same box. But two motorised tubes would increase drastically the size of the box. Sliding both 2″ motors inside the same tube would make it more compact, but that looked impossible: This is however what has been done… and patented!

2008 – Innovation: a Blind and a Shutter in the same housing 

It appeared of 1st interest to combine a solar sreen and a shutter curtain in the same box. But two motorised tubes would increase drastically the size of the box. Sliding both 2″ motors inside the same tube would make it more compact, but that looked impossible: This is however what has been done… and patented!

2006- The SFPI Group

Max Pagniol, General Manager of Franciaflex, with a clear view of the Strategic Areas of Activity, confirms his confidence to JP Clement’s R&D team. New innovations stay possible…

2005 – Heavy-Duty Blinds for High-Tech Facades

In the office-building market, new facades with a solar factor that can be tuned are invented:  Light and heat gains can be adjusted via LON or KNX building network orders. The blinds used inside the facade elements reach 85°C (185°F), and must have a top durability of 10 000 cycles. Draconian constraints! The use of standard residential Venetian Blinds by many competitors generates major disorders, almost killing the concept of “dynamic breathing facades”.

A large development will include the full redesign of the blind parts, the co-development of a specific motor with embedded electronics, a dedicated sofware… Hundreds of very severe tests are run  before the CSTB qualification is obtained. At the same time, Jean-Paul Clément gathers members of both facade and blind trade unions, SNFA and SNFPSA, and a special document is written that appear now as a Standard.

Jean-Paul Clément signs a partnership contract with Vestamatic Germany, specialists of building automation,  who will co-develop a smart motor for this application. An engineer is hired to manage this development, and in only 2 years a SMI communicating motor is fitted onto the new Venetian blinds. They will equip, along the years, many office buildings.

2000 – Innovation: Six new lateral-arm awnings

Six new ans stylish awnings are designed, prototyped, tested, qualified and launched on the market in less than a year, thanks to a small but very motivated team. Several models and brands are obtained. It’s a huge success on the Equip’Baie 2000 exhibition and it’s rewarded by the “Janus de l’Industrie” Design Award.

1998 – Innovation: 1st Tubular Motor with Embedded Electronics

Tubular motors electromechanical control-units are becoming a dead end for innovation and embedded electronics would make all dreams possible. But the investments involved are out of range of the company capacities. Four major European manufacturers of roller-shutters, will be associated in a Joint Venture. JP Clement hires a dedicated Project Manager. Two years later it’s a “break-through”: the new tubular motors are using digital encoders instead of gear-counters to control the limit positions of the roller-shutters and blinds. Against all expectations, reliable PCBs with plug&play connectors, radio receivers and triac commutations are embedded in the motors . Several patents are shared by the JV and/or Franciaflex.

1996- Innovation: Window-Sash Integrated  Blinds

Franciaflex is the only company manufacturing internal and external blinds, shutters and windows.
Who else could invent the best combination of these solutions? Most internal blind are badly fitted to the windows. Long before hazardous cords for kids become a major issue, Jean-Paul Clément designs a window-sash bead that integrates the blind, its fixing and its guiding. No visible nor accessible cord.Two patents protect this invention.

1995- Innovation: 1st Integrated Radio Receivers

Jean-Paul Clement notices the excessive time a wall switch installation requires: why not integrate a radio receiver to any awning or roller-shutter? No more wall switch, a fast installation, and a remote control as a unique and modern solution. A partnership contract is signed with an italian manufacturer of radio devices. Radiobanne® and Radioreno® are designed and produced for mass applications: a great success at Equip’Baie 1996, the National Exhibition in Paris: Shutters and awnings enter in the “plug and play” world! Patented.

1992- Research and Development

Jean-Paul Clement creates the Research and Development Departement
Many products, that are still part of the company offer, and a significant part of its turnover, have been created at that time.

Back in France Jean-Paul Clement joins the Company Headquarters as Product Marketing Manager.
1990: Franciaflex buys Le Bihan Le Moël adding roller-shutters, wing shutters and PVC windows to the Franciaflex offer.