Buffet Crampon
French manufacturer and international group of premium woodwind, brass and percussion instruments, best known for professional clarinets.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Buffet Crampon is a French musical-instrument manufacturer and the namesake of an international group specializing in wind instruments. Founded in Paris in 1825 by Denis Buffet-Auger, the company developed from a clarinet workshop into one of the most important surviving names in European instrument making. Its headquarters and principal French production base are in Mantes-la-Ville, where the business has been established since 1850. The Buffet Crampon name is particularly associated with French, or Boehm-system, clarinets and is widely used by professional players, orchestras, conservatories and music schools. The brand’s historical importance rests on a combination of craftsmanship, acoustic experimentation and long-term model development. Its professional clarinet portfolio has included the R13, RC, Tosca, Divine, Légende, Tradition, Gala and BCXXI families, together with student and intermediate models such as Prodige, E11, E12F and E13. The company generally differentiates its ranges by construction, response and price: student instruments may use ABS resin, while many intermediate and professional clarinets use grenadilla or other selected woods. Special configurations have included Greenline composite construction, extended keywork and premium plated fittings. Buffet Crampon also produces or markets other woodwind instruments, including oboes, English horns, bassoons and saxophones. From the late nineteenth century onward, the company expanded beyond its core name through acquisitions and associated labels. In 1877 it acquired Evette & Schaeffer, using Evette and Evette & Schaeffer for lower-priced and intermediate clarinets for much of the twentieth century. The company also developed a substantial saxophone business, including the Apogee, Dynaction, Super Dynaction and S-series instruments. Competitive pressure from Yamaha and lower-cost European and Asian manufacturers weakened its student and professional saxophone positions during the late twentieth century, leading Buffet Crampon to withdraw from much of the saxophone market before later returning with selected models. The modern group was built through ownership changes and a series of acquisitions. Buffet Crampon joined Boosey & Hawkes in 1981, moved through The Music Group in 2003, and was separated into a French-owned Buffet Group structure in 2005. The group acquired Antoine Courtois and Besson in 2006, the former Leblanc clarinet facility in 2008, W. Schreiber and Julius Keilwerth in 2010, and B&S and related German brass brands in 2012. These transactions transformed the company from a primarily woodwind-focused manufacturer into a multi-brand wind-instrument group covering clarinets, saxophones, double reeds, flutes, trumpets, trombones, horns, euphoniums, tubas and related instruments. The portfolio later expanded through Powell Flutes, Parmenon and Rigoutat, as well as Bergerault in percussion. The group’s current brand architecture includes Buffet Crampon, Besson, Antoine Courtois, Rigoutat, Parmenon, Verne Q. Powell, B&S, Hans Hoyer, J. Scherzer, Melton Meinl Weston, W. Schreiber and Julius Keilwerth, with Bergerault also added to the broader group portfolio. Manufacturing and development are distributed across France, Germany, China and the United States. Mantes-la-Ville remains associated with professional French clarinets, oboes and bassoons; Markneukirchen is a major center for brass and German-system woodwinds; Geretsried supports low-brass production and research; Chinese facilities support beginner and student instruments; and Powell production is based in Massachusetts. Buffet Crampon is positioned at the premium end of the wind-instrument market while maintaining student and intermediate ranges. Its brand promise combines French and German craft traditions, artist collaboration, repair and after-sales support, and continuing acoustic and manufacturing innovation. The company states that its products are sold internationally through subs…
History
Buffet Crampon traces its origins to 1825, when Denis Buffet-Auger established a Paris workshop producing clarinets. The enterprise belonged to the wider Buffet family of French instrument makers, but the later Buffet Crampon business should be distinguished from the separate workshop of Auguste Buffet jeune, who collaborated with Hyacinthe Klosé in the development of the Boehm-system clarinet. Denis’s son Jean-Louis Buffet joined the family enterprise and married Zoé Crampon in 1836. Their partnership gave the company the combined name Buffet Crampon, which became the enduring commercial identity. The company moved its principal manufacturing base to Mantes-la-Ville in 1850. This location, in the Yvelines department west of Paris, became central to the firm’s French production tradition. During the nineteenth century Buffet Crampon broadened its output and developed a reputation for precision manufacture. It began producing saxophones in 1866, only a few decades after Adolphe Sax’s invention, and accumulated recognition through exhibitions and technical improvements. In 1877, the company acquired Evette & Schaeffer and subsequently used the Evette and Evette & Schaeffer names for parts of its clarinet and saxophone ranges. The business continued to innovate in the early twentieth century. In 1887 it obtained a patent connected with saxophone keywork and the extension of the instrument’s lower range. It began exporting to the United States in 1908. In 1910, the Apogee premium saxophone embodied the company’s emphasis on advanced keywork and high-end design. From 1918, the company increasingly separated its brand architecture by selling premium instruments under Buffet Crampon while using Evette and Evette & Schaeffer for more accessible lines. During the 1930s, some Evette & Schaeffer production was outsourced, reflecting the changing economics of instrument manufacturing. After the Second World War, clarinets became the company’s defining strength. The R13, introduced in 1950, became one of the most influential professional clarinet models in the modern market and established a platform for later professional families. The same year, Buffet Crampon also introduced the Dynaction saxophone. The Dynaction evolved into the Super Dynaction in 1957 and the S series in 1973. Alongside its own products, the company was an important European distributor of student-grade instruments, including saxophones made in France and Italy and sold under the Evette & Schaeffer name. The late 1970s and 1980s brought a major competitive setback in saxophones and student instruments. Yamaha combined broad distribution, modernized designs and competitive pricing, while manufacturers from East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Asia exerted additional cost pressure. Buffet Crampon’s position in student saxophones declined, followed by weakness in professional saxophones. The company exited much of the saxophone market in the mid-1980s. Around the same period, the Evette and Evette & Schaeffer clarinet labels were phased out, and the Buffet name was applied across the clarinet range. This simplified the brand architecture and concentrated the company’s reputation around its flagship name. Ownership and corporate structure changed substantially in the following decades. Buffet Crampon joined Boosey & Hawkes in 1981. The business was later sold to The Music Group in 2003 and then acquired in 2005 by a French investment group, which created Buffet Group Wind Instruments SAS while retaining Buffet Crampon as the principal commercial brand. The group used acquisitions to diversify beyond clarinets. Antoine Courtois and Besson were acquired in 2006, bringing established French and British brass traditions into the portfolio. The former Leblanc clarinet facility in La Couture-Boussey was acquired in 2008. A further phase of consolidation began in Germany. In 2010, Buffet Crampon Deutschland GmbH acquired the Markneukirchen facility and the W. Schreiber and Julius Keilwerth brands from the insolvent Schreiber & Keilwerth company. W. Schreiber contributed German-system clarinets and bassoons, while Julius Keilwerth contributed saxophones. In 2012, Buffet Crampon Deutschland acquired B&S GmbH and integrated brands including B&S, Hans Hoyer, Melton Meinl Weston and J. Scherzer. These deals greatly expanded the group’s brass capabilities and gave it a broader manufacturing footprint in the Vogtland region. Trail Capital and affiliated investment entities became shareholders in 2012. Jérôme Perrod was appointed to lead the group in 2014. The group then accelerated its international and product strategy. In 2015, it established a Chinese subsidiary and began developing local production for student brass instruments. In early 2016, Buffet Group Wind Instruments SAS adopted the legal name Buffet Crampon SAS. The group also expanded its flute activities through Powell Flutes in 2016 and Parmenon in 2019, adding specialist American and French flute-making expertise. Rigoutat, a French oboe manufacturer, joined the group in January 2019. Product development remained central to the flagship brand. The Tosca professional clarinet line was launched in 2004, followed by later professional models such as Divine, Légende, Tradition and Gala. Student and intermediate families including Prodige, E11, E12F and E13 broadened access to the Buffet Crampon name. The BCXXI, introduced in 2021, represented a new high-end clarinet design built around revised dimensions and acoustic objectives. In double reeds, the Hybride oboe was introduced in 2024 as a product combining traditional acoustic concepts with newer design approaches. The group’s physical network expanded in China during 2020 with a new manufacturing facility near Shanghai and a Beijing showroom. Its broader production system now spans French, German, American and Chinese sites, with the location and level of production varying by brand, instrument family and market segment. The group also operates international sales companies and showrooms, supporting musicians with fitting, demonstration, repair and after-sales services. In 2023, Buffet Crampon announced digital passports for high-end instruments in collaboration with Arianee, linking instruments to product information and customer services. In 2024, the group acquired Bergerault, extending its portfolio into percussion. Later that year, Alcopa, a Belgian family investment company, acquired Buffet Crampon from Trail Capital and became the majority owner alongside management. In 2025, the Buffet Crampon brand celebrated its 200th anniversary. The anniversary framed the company’s continuing strategy: preserve specialist craft knowledge and established brand identities while investing in new products, international distribution, digital services and additional categories of musical instruments.
- 2024
Bergerault acquired
[6]The group adds a major percussion specialist to its wind-instrument portfolio.
- 2023
Digital passports introduced for premium instruments
[6]Buffet Crampon collaborates with Arianee to connect selected instruments with digital product identities and services.
- 2021
BCXXI clarinet launched
[4]The BCXXI enters the high-end clarinet range with a new dimensional and acoustic approach.
- 2020
New Chinese factory and showroom opened
[6]The group expands its Chinese manufacturing footprint near Shanghai and opens a Beijing showroom.
- 2019
Rigoutat and Parmenon acquired
[2]Rigoutat strengthens the double-reed business while Parmenon expands the group’s French flute expertise.
- 2016
Buffet Group becomes Buffet Crampon SAS
[2]The company changes its legal name to Buffet Crampon SAS, strengthening the alignment between corporate identity and flagship brand.
- 2016
Powell Flutes joins the group
[2]The acquisition broadens the portfolio into specialist American flute making.
- 2015
Chinese manufacturing subsidiary established
[2]The group creates a Chinese subsidiary and develops production capacity for student brass instruments in Beijing.
- 2014
Jérôme Perrod becomes group CEO
[2]Jérôme Perrod is appointed to lead Buffet Group and remains the group’s current CEO.
- 2012
B&S and associated German brass brands acquired
[2]The group acquires B&S GmbH and integrates B&S, Hans Hoyer, Melton Meinl Weston and J. Scherzer into its German operations.
Products and positioning
Premium, craftsmanship-led wind-instrument manufacturer serving professional musicians, orchestras, conservatories, schools and serious amateurs. The namesake brand is especially strong in French-system clarinets, while the wider group uses a portfolio of specialist heritage brands to cover woodwind, brass and percussion categories.
Professional clarinet · 1950
R13
Introduced in 1950, the R13 is one of Buffet Crampon’s best-known professional B-flat clarinets. It became a reference point for the company’s subsequent clarinet development and remains associated with a balanced French-system response suitable for orchestral, educational and professional use.
Professional clarinet · 1974
RC
The RC is a professional clarinet family developed with a distinct bore and shaping approach from the R13. It is offered in multiple configurations and is particularly established among European professional players.
Professional clarinet · 2004
Tosca
Launched in 2004, Tosca is a high-end professional clarinet line developed from the R13 acoustic family. Its design includes revised bore concepts and specialized keywork intended to provide refined intonation, projection and technical control.
Professional clarinet · 2017
Légende
Légende is a premium clarinet family introduced as a major evolution in Buffet Crampon’s professional range. It emphasizes a contemporary response while drawing on historical French clarinet concepts and is available in selected professional configurations.
Professional clarinet · 2019
Tradition
Tradition is a professional clarinet family built around a cylindrical-bore concept and a deliberately direct acoustic design. Later versions incorporated technical characteristics developed for higher-end models, broadening the line’s appeal to advanced and professional players.
Professional clarinet · 2020
Gala
Gala is a professional clarinet introduced in 2020. It shares the cylindrical-bore direction associated with Tradition and is designed to offer a focused, expressive sound with professional-level playability.
High-end professional clarinet · 2021
BCXXI
BCXXI is a high-end B-flat clarinet introduced in 2021. Buffet Crampon describes it as a new acoustic paradigm, with revised dimensions and design choices intended to address contemporary demands for sound, projection and technical flexibility.
Student clarinet
Prodige
Prodige is a student clarinet designed to bring aspects of Buffet Crampon’s professional sound concept to beginner musicians at a more accessible level. Student versions commonly use ABS resin and are marketed through school, dealer and educational channels.
Intermediate clarinet
E13
E13 is an intermediate clarinet positioned between entry-level student instruments and the professional families. It is associated with French-system design and is intended for advancing students, conservatory players and serious amateurs seeking a more developed wooden instrument.
Professional alto saxophone
Senzo
Senzo is Buffet Crampon’s modern professional alto saxophone line. The product is presented as a renewal of the brand’s saxophone activity, combining French instrument-making heritage with contemporary manufacturing and design requirements.
Professional oboe · 2024
Hybride
Hybride is a double-reed product introduced in 2024. Its design combines traditional oboe acoustic principles with newer technical approaches intended to improve stability, projection and suitability for modern performance conditions.
Marketing campaigns
- 2025Buffet Crampon 200
France · International
The flagship brand’s 200th-anniversary program celebrated the continuity of its French workshop tradition from 1825 while emphasizing craftsmanship, artistic collaboration and future-oriented innovation.
Outcome. Reinforced the brand’s heritage credentials and provided a global platform for anniversary concerts, storytelling and musician engagement.
- 2019Martin Fröst Foundation partnership
International
Buffet Crampon supported the Martin Fröst Foundation, which seeks to expand children’s and young people’s access to music education, instruments and classical performance experiences.
Outcome. Connected the company with music education, youth access and the development of future audiences.
- 2018PlayWind
International
PlayWind was created as a mobile learning application for beginners and music students, using video tutorials from recognized teachers to deepen knowledge of clarinet and saxophone playing.
Outcome. Supported beginner education and digital interaction around the brand’s woodwind instruments.
- 2015Buffet Crampon 190
France · International
A bicentennial-style brand celebration marking the company’s 190th anniversary was held in Paris at Maison de la Radio with musicians and international guests. The program used performance and artist association to reinforce the brand’s historical identity.
Outcome. Strengthened heritage positioning and international musician engagement.
- 2015Rhapsody for Talents
International
Buffet Crampon commissioned the anthem “Rhapsody for Talents” to commemorate the brand’s 190th anniversary. The project connected the company’s heritage with a contemporary musical composition.
Outcome. Created a commemorative cultural asset associated with the anniversary program.
- 2015Urban Play
International
Urban Play was a mobile learning application that used urban-style melodies composed by artists for the platform, presenting music education in a more informal digital format.
Outcome. Extended the brand into digital music education and youth-oriented engagement.
Brand decisions
2024
Launch of the Hybride oboeProduct launchBackground
Buffet Crampon continued renewing its double-reed range while preserving the acoustic expectations of professional oboe players.
Action taken
The company introduced Hybride, combining traditional oboe principles with newer design and technology approaches.
Aftermath
The launch expanded the group’s recent product-development narrative beyond clarinets into double reeds.
2024
Acquisition of BergeraultM&ABackground
Buffet Crampon sought to extend the group’s specialist brand portfolio into percussion and become a broader musical-instrument platform.
Action taken
The group acquired Bergerault, a French percussion manufacturer with its own manufacturing heritage.
Aftermath
Bergerault added percussion to a portfolio previously centered on woodwind and brass instruments.
2024
Sale from Trail Capital to AlcopaM&ABackground
After more than a decade of Trail Capital ownership, Buffet Crampon entered a new phase under a family-owned Belgian investment group.
Action taken
Alcopa Capital Development acquired Buffet Crampon and became the majority shareholder alongside management.
Aftermath
The transaction preserved the existing management structure while providing a new ownership platform for continued international development and acquisitions.
2023
Introduction of digital product passportsStrategyBackground
Premium instrument makers increasingly sought stronger product traceability, ownership services and direct relationships with customers.
Action taken
Buffet Crampon collaborated with Arianee to equip high-end instruments with digital passports.
Aftermath
The initiative added a digital-services layer to the company’s traditional craft and after-sales model.
2021
Launch of the BCXXI clarinetProduct launchBackground
Buffet Crampon sought to advance its premium clarinet platform after decades of development based on established professional families.
Action taken
The company launched BCXXI with revised dimensions and an explicitly new acoustic design direction.
Aftermath
BCXXI became a central example of the brand’s effort to combine heritage with contemporary acoustic engineering.
2020
Expansion of Chinese factory and showroom networkStrategyBackground
The group continued investing in China as both a manufacturing base and a direct customer market.
Action taken
Buffet Crampon opened a Beijing showroom and built a new factory near Shanghai for beginner and student woodwind production.
Aftermath
China became a more integrated part of the group’s production, distribution and customer-support system.
2019
Acquisitions of Rigoutat and ParmenonM&ABackground
The group aimed to strengthen specialist double-reed and flute capabilities through established French makers rather than creating imitative in-house labels.
Action taken
Buffet Crampon acquired Rigoutat and Parmenon, adding oboes, English horns and French flute expertise.
Aftermath
The transactions deepened the group’s position in professional woodwinds and preserved specialist brand identities.
2016
Corporate rename to Buffet Crampon SASStrategyBackground
The group’s historical flagship name had become the central identity across a growing international portfolio.
Action taken
Buffet Group Wind Instruments SAS was renamed Buffet Crampon SAS.
Aftermath
The corporate name more directly expressed the group’s heritage brand while the specialist portfolio continued to operate under individual labels.
2016
Acquisition of Powell FlutesM&ABackground
Buffet Crampon sought a stronger presence in high-end flute making and access to an internationally respected American craft brand.
Action taken
The group acquired Powell Flutes and added flute and piccolo production to its portfolio.
Aftermath
The acquisition broadened the group’s woodwind offering beyond clarinets and double reeds.
2015
Expansion of Chinese manufacturingStrategyBackground
The company identified China as a strategically important growth market for musical instruments and sought local production for accessible student ranges.
Action taken
Buffet Crampon established a Chinese subsidiary and developed a Beijing facility for student brass instruments.
Aftermath
The group expanded its local operating base and later added Shanghai production and a Beijing showroom.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Recent events
- 2025
Buffet Crampon marks its 200th anniversary[4]
Campaign · Other
The namesake brand celebrated two centuries since Denis Buffet-Auger established the original Paris workshop in 1825, using the anniversary to emphasize heritage, craftsmanship and continued innovation.
- 2025
Buffet Crampon responds to tariff pressure affecting exports[11]
Regulation · Pricing · Other
Company press coverage described reduced production, partial unemployment and concern about the effect of U.S. tariffs on French musical-instrument manufacturers and export demand.
- 2024
Alcopa becomes majority owner of Buffet Crampon[8]
M&A
Belgian family investment company Alcopa acquired Buffet Crampon from Trail Capital and became the group’s majority shareholder alongside management.
- 2024
Buffet Crampon acquires Bergerault[6]
M&A
The group announced the acquisition of French percussion manufacturer Bergerault, extending its portfolio beyond woodwind and brass instruments.
- 2024
Buffet Crampon releases the Hybride oboe[4]
Product launch · Product generation
The Hybride oboe was presented as a double-reed instrument combining traditional acoustic principles with newer design and technological approaches.
- 2023
Buffet Crampon equips professional instruments with digital passports[6]
Other · Product launch
The group announced digital passports for high-end instruments in collaboration with Arianee, linking product identity with services and customer experiences.
- 2021
Buffet Crampon launches the BCXXI clarinet[4]
Product launch · Product generation
The BCXXI was introduced as a new high-end B-flat clarinet built around revised dimensions and a new acoustic concept.
- 2020
Buffet Crampon opens a new Chinese factory and showroom[6]
Other
The group expanded its Chinese manufacturing and customer-facing infrastructure with a new Shanghai-area woodwind facility and a Beijing showroom.
- 2019
Buffet Crampon acquires Rigoutat[2]
M&A
The group acquired French oboe specialist Rigoutat, strengthening its position in professional double-reed instruments.
- 2019
Buffet Crampon acquires Parmenon[2]
M&A
The acquisition of Parmenon added a French flute-making specialist to the group after the earlier addition of Powell Flutes.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Sources11 sources
- 1Buffet Crampon — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- 2Buffet Crampon official historybuffetcrampongroup.com
- 3Buffet Crampon official management organization chartbuffetcrampongroup.com
- 4Buffet Crampon official brand storybuffet-crampon.com
- 5Buffet Crampon official brandsbuffetcrampongroup.com
- 6Buffet Crampon official news releasesbuffetcrampongroup.com
- 7Buffet Crampon official values and manufacturing philosophybuffetcrampongroup.com
- 8Scotto Partners announcement of Alcopa acquisitionscottopartners.com
- 9Alcopa 2024 activity reportalcopa.be
- 10Rhapsody for Talentsbuffetcrampongroup.com
- 11Buffet Crampon responds to tariff pressure affecting exportsbuffetcrampongroup.com
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