ASP has a rich history and a strong legacy as a family business. Founded on a vision of excellence, the company has grown while staying true to its core values. One of the co-founders was the grandfather of our current CEO, marking the beginning of a multi-generational commitment to innovation and quality.
For three generations, the Pelatan family has nurtured a corporate culture that blends tradition with progress. This continuity has shaped ASP’s identity, ensuring long-term stability while embracing industry advancements. Each generation has brought new ideas and perspectives, reinforcing the company’s dedication to excellence and adaptability.
Today, ASP continues to build on this legacy, combining decades of expertise with a forward-thinking approach to meet the evolving needs of its customers.
Founded by two formers employees of Merlin Gerin in Grenoble, the history of our company began in 1947, Grenoble, with “Établissements Gerardin”.
Initially, we manufactured high-speed cameras, devices capable of capturing electric arcs, which were used in reseach laboratories or by the army.
Following customer requirements, we designed and produced our first rotary type tap changer in 1954. It was a 5 positions, 3 phases, 17,5kV and 64 A.
In 1955, the company, which had been manufacturing various types of mechanical devices—such as high-speed cameras for filming electric arcs in transformers and industrial kitchen robots—shifted its focus to the development of linear off-load tap changers (DETC). That same year, it changed its name to ASP (Appareils Scientifiques de Précision).
In the year 1956, we designed our first types of HZ tap changer for our local customer Savoisienne.
In the year 1958, we designed our first types of FII tap changer.
A device that will quickly become a highly flexible model in terms of use for large distribution and small power transformers.
One of our best sellers, it has evolved considerably and is still in our current catalogue.
In response to our customers’ technical requirements, we have developed our first remote cable control for FII tap changer, providing a lockable, remote control system and greater flexibility in terms of where the tap changer is installed in the transformer.
In its early years, ASP sold its tap changers exclusively in France, but in 1961 ASP starts exporting products to foreign countries : from Germany to Belgium, our expertise gradually spread across the continent.
In 2001, we became the first to offer removable fixed contacts for the FII family type, a significant breakthrough in our field. This innovation allows soldering or crimping operations to be performed separately, before the contacts are mounted on the device. By eliminating the risk of damaging the device during these processes, this solution provides greater flexibility, simplifies assembly, and enhances connection reliability.
Now integrated into tens of thousands of devices, this model has proven to be remarkably reliable and incredibly easy to use, making it a trusted solution for a wide range of applications. Additionally, these fixed contacts can be delivered separately, offering even more convenience to our customers.
In 2003, ASP moved to the “Les Bauches” industrial estate in Claix (38640, France), where it built its own building and all departments are brought together in the same premises.
Building on the experience, proven reliability, and positive customer feedback from our first implementation of 2002 on FII type, we introduced the same modification in 2011 on the HZ and HM family type, and on 175 Amps Cable type. This enhancement brought the same benefits—flexibility, safety, and ease of integration—to an even broader spectrum of applications, further reinforcing our commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction.
In 2019, we initiated an ISO 9001v2015 certification process, which was successfully completed in early 2020.