Fives, over 200 years of industrial revolutions
Fives’ history, which dates back to 1812, has accompanied major industrial and economic events around the world. Fives is responsible for some of the most impressive achievements of the industrial age, from the first steam locomotives to the Alexandre III Bridge in Paris, the metal framework of the Orsay train station in Paris and the elevators for the Eiffel Tower.
In 2026, the Fives Group (with locations in 24 countries) wanted to create a platform dedicated to the Group’s history and accessible to all its employees worldwide. Consequently, it commissioned MEMORIST to delve back into its archives.
2012: Fives’ first retrospective
Fives, through its Communication department, undertook this worthwhile exercise, recounting the Group’s evolution through a book published in 2012, “Fives, 200 years of industrial revolutions”.
Showcasing its industrial history to bolster its international profile
The Fives Group also wanted to build on this international presence, asking MEMORIST’s archivists to carry out historical research campaigns. For 3 months, our historian and archivist, Pauline Couture, consulted the Fives Group’s archives held at the Archives nationales du monde du travail in Roubaix, along with other archives relating to the Group.
This work was presented in 2025 in the form of five research dossiers focusing on three geographical areas (Brazil, Argentina and China-Vietnam) but also a dossier on the Group’s contribution to social progress and Fives’ role in the industrial revolutions.
At the same time, the MEMORIST teams conducted audits of the international subsidiaries in the USA and Italy to identify historical collections and key contacts with a view to presenting an action plan.
Transforming the research dossiers into communication tools
After discussions with the Fives Communication department, MEMORIST’S graphic team set about showcasing the Group’s industrial and social history, while preserving the original concept of the research dossiers.
MEMORIST therefore delivered the five research dossiers in both French and English, in accordance with Fives’ graphic charter, so that they can be used as communication tools in their own right.
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