This month, the union of Aveyron manufacturers of the Laguiole knife is filing its file to obtain the Geographical Indication from the National Institute of Industrial Property (Inpi), in Paris.
Landmarks
“The most important thing for me is that the members of the union represent the main activity of Laguiole. Nothing will prevent the other cutlers from joining them. I do not go into the subject of Thiers, what is fundamental is that we does not prevent you from making laguiole.
Vincent Alazard, mayor of Laguiole.
1993, Gilbert Szjaner registers the Laguiole brand in 38 classes.
2011, creation of the Laguiole label of guaranteed origin but which did not guarantee the production area of the knives.
2014, the consumer law known as the Hamon law extends the Protected Geographical Indication to manufactured products. The same year the European court canceled the trademark filed for cutlery by Mr Sjzaner but not the other classes of products.
2019, favorable judgment of the Paris Court of Appeal to return commercial use to Laguiole.
4, the last Laguiole trademarks belonging to Mr. Szajner transferred to his wife, which obliges the municipality to continue its legal proceedings to recover his name. Judgment expected at the end of 2021.
Could this be the end of the long series? It is after seven years of procedures and negotiations that the union of the Aveyron manufacturers of the Laguiole knife puts an end to by filing by the end of the year its application for Geographical Indication (GI) with the Institute. National Industrial Property Office (Inti) in Paris. “We want it, it is the future of the territory. Everyone is waiting. It is a monumental historical advance”, rejoices Honoré Durand, president of the union, and one of the four cutlers who compose it (read below).
The Laguiolais project, geographically refocused in North Aveyron, therefore unsheathed its knife faster than the Thiers project, which aimed to bring together under one flag the two cities of the knife through the Laguiole Aubrac Auvergne Knife (Claa). “ We have refined the specifications, we put constraints on quality and be transparent to consumers “, says Honoré Durand. “We invested time and money”, he adds, in reference to many trials (not always won), as long as an aligot thread. And to indicate concerning the refusal of the marriage proposal with Thiers: “ Everything is done here with the exception of the corkscrew which is made in Thiers. It will therefore not be in IG. Afterwards, everyone defends their economic interests. “ Those of the union weigh heavily in Nord-Aveyron: 220 employees or 93.6% of employment on Laguiole knives and € 15 million in turnover for a total of € 16 million in Nord-Aveyron. This makes the other Aveyron cutlers understand that all that remains is to get on the train.
Public survey
A train that must go through a public inquiry in the first quarter of 2021 to hope to obtain its Grail next spring. In the meantime, there is no doubt that the Thiernois will make their voice heard… discordant. “ We are confident, we want a common vision, we have always worked with Laguiole. The more the Laguiolais work, the more Thiers works “, confided again last month Aubry Verdier, at the head of Claa and cutler Thiernois, recalling to count “ 26 Laguiole subcontractors and 70 % of Laguiole’s turnover. ” What also weigh in the balance? Only the future will tell.
While waiting for the outcome, the time has come for satisfaction, like Jean Valadier, president of the Aubrac Carladez Viadène community of municipalities, from North Aveyron. “ I can only congratulate myself on the territory, especially since they are going to invest in laser cutting. ” A cutout for slicing Laguiole, made in Laguiole. The debate is still whole … “Tempering is still done in Thiers”, slips a cutler from Nord-Aveyron. Clarity is the goal of the IG. May this new year also be for the municipality to recover its name, put the sign back at the entrance to the village, and the loop will be complete.
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