The origins

Birth of the Hook and Loop concept

The self-gripping Hook and Loop Fastener concept was invented in 1948 by Georges de Mestral, a Swiss engineer. Upon returning from a hunting trip, Mr. de Mestral noticed that cockleburs stuck to his clothes and his dog's hair.
From this observation Mr. De Mestral created the original self-gripping Hook and Loop Fastener. Mr. De Mestral applied for patents on his invention and established, with several investors, the Velcro S.A. Company in Switzerland.
Today the Hook & Loop fastener is recognized as one of the 50 most important inventions of the 20th century.

1958 >	Foundation of Velcro France.
1976 >	The patent expires : Velcro France becomes APLIX.
1981 >	A manufacturing facility is built in the USA.
1980's >	A commercial network is set up in Europe and Asia.
1994 >	APLIX designs new products for the hygiene market.
1990's >	APLIX builds two new manufacturing facilities (USA and France).
2001 >	Le Cellier production facility receives "Best Industrial Construction" from the World Architecture Awards.
2003 >	Foundation of APLIX Microsystems (Germany), production site of the wide plastic hook.
2006 >	Foundation of a production site in Shanghai, China.