Maped
French family-owned brand producing stationery, school supplies, office products, creative activity kits and food containers.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Maped is an independent French stationery and school-supplies brand headquartered in Annecy, Haute-Savoie. Its name is derived from the French expression “manufacture d'articles de précision et de dessin,” reflecting the company's original specialization in precision drawing equipment. Founded in 1947, Maped initially manufactured traditional brass compasses and geometry instruments for design offices, architects and other professional users. For nearly four decades, compasses and related geometry products formed the core of the business. The company began broadening its activities in the 1980s. In 1980 it joined GFP and the GIE, groupings intended to combine distribution resources among stationery manufacturers. In 1985, after Jacques Lacroix took over the family company, Maped introduced scissors as its first significant product range beyond geometry instruments. The acquisition of Mallat in 1992 expanded the business into erasers and marking products, including the established Duo Eraser format. Maped subsequently entered office supplies, pencil sharpeners, school accessories, creative leisure and storage products. International expansion became a central part of the company's development. Maped opened a Chinese production site and subsidiary in 1993, established a subsidiary in Argentina in 1999, acquired a factory in Mexico in 2002 and opened operations in Brazil in 2003. Affiliates or offices were later created in Canada, the United States, Greece, Turkey, Romania, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, India, Peru and Russia. A new Chinese factory became operational in 2010. The company describes itself as operating in 125 countries through a network that includes 20 affiliates, with approximately half of its turnover generated outside Europe according to the cited reference material. Maped's portfolio now covers school supplies such as compasses, scissors, erasers, pencil sharpeners, coloured pencils, felt-tip pens and writing instruments; office products such as staplers, hole punches and storage solutions; and creative activity kits. The group also operates or owns several related brands, including Maped Office, Maped Picnik, Maped Creativ, Maped Color'Peps, Joustra, Helit and Helix. The acquisitions of Helit in Germany, JFP Graphos in France, Helix in the United Kingdom and Heller Joustra in France helped extend the group beyond its original geometry focus. The acquisition of Heller Joustra in 2016 added a French plastic-toy and creative-play business. Maped stated that it planned to retain the Joustra factory and invest in expanding its sales. In 2017, Jacques-Antoine Lacroix succeeded his father as chief executive, continuing the family's involvement in the company. At the beginning of 2021, Maped introduced a substantially revised brand image and visual identity. Today, Maped presents itself as a broad, internationally distributed supplier for children, families, schools, offices and creative activities, while remaining a privately held French family business.
History
Maped was established in 1947 in Annecy, France. The company began with traditional brass compasses and developed expertise in geometry sets used by design offices, designers and architects. This narrow specialization remained central until the mid-1980s, when the business began building a broader stationery portfolio. In 1980, Maped joined GFP and the GIE, arrangements created to share distribution resources among stationery manufacturers. In 1985 the company introduced scissors, and Jacques Lacroix assumed control of the family business. Maped expanded further in 1992 by acquiring Mallat, a French eraser manufacturer whose products included the pink-and-blue Duo Eraser. This acquisition enabled Maped to enter erasing and marking products. International and category expansion accelerated during the 1990s and 2000s. Maped opened a Chinese subsidiary and production operation in 1993, entered office products such as hole punches and staplers, and began marketing pencil sharpeners in 1996 and school accessories in 1997. It became commercially independent in France after the dissolution of the CFP in 1997. A subsidiary in Argentina and a creative-leisure business followed in 1999. Maped acquired a factory in Mexico in 2002, opened a Brazilian subsidiary in 2003 and introduced a new corporate identity and storage range in 2004. The company created operations in Canada and the United States in 2005 and began producing coloured pencils. In 2006 it acquired the German Helit group, including its office-supplies activities and Diplomat writing range, and purchased the French storage-products company JFP Graphos. JFP Graphos was integrated in 2007. Maped also established a Greek subsidiary, introduced felt-tip pens, and later expanded into shears and cutting machines. In 2008 it created a Turkish subsidiary and launched a school-writing range that included the Twin Tip four-colour ballpoint pen. A new Chinese factory was built and became operational in 2010. During the same period, Maped created affiliates in Romania, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, followed by offices in India and Peru in 2011. In 2012, the company acquired and integrated Helix, an English family business known for school accessories. The combined operation became Maped Helix, while Maped also established a Russian subsidiary. On 21 March 2016, Maped acquired Heller Joustra, a French plastic-toy manufacturer. The reported transaction value was €1.5 million, and Maped announced a further €2 million investment plan aimed at doubling Heller Joustra sales over four years. The transaction broadened Maped's activity into toys and creative play while preserving a manufacturing base employing about 30 people at the time, according to the cited reference. In 2017, Jacques-Antoine Lacroix succeeded Jacques Lacroix as chief executive, marking a generational transition within the family-owned company. At the beginning of 2021, Maped redesigned its brand image and visual identity. The modern group spans school and office stationery, creative products, storage, writing, cutting, food containers and related brands. Its brands include Maped, Maped Office, Maped Picnik, Maped Creativ, Maped Color'Peps, Joustra, Helit and Helix. Maped states that it operates in 125 countries through 20 affiliates, with significant activity outside Europe.
- 2021
Brand identity is redesigned
[1]Maped introduces a substantially revised visual identity and brand image.
- 2017
Family leadership passes to Jacques-Antoine Lacroix
[1]Jacques-Antoine Lacroix succeeds Jacques Lacroix as CEO.
- 2016
Heller Joustra is acquired
[1]Maped enters a broader toy and creative-play segment through the purchase of the French manufacturer.
- 2012
Helix is integrated into Maped
[1]The acquisition of the British school-accessories business creates Maped Helix.
- 2010
New Chinese factory becomes operational
[1]Maped expands manufacturing capacity in China while continuing its international affiliate program.
- 2006
Maped acquires Helit and JFP Graphos
[1]The acquisitions add German office products, writing products and French storage solutions to the portfolio.
- 1993
Chinese subsidiary and production operation open
[1]Maped establishes an important Asian manufacturing and commercial base and begins selling office products.
- 1992
Mallat acquisition expands eraser activities
[1]Maped acquires French eraser maker Mallat and enters erasing and marking products.
- 1985
Scissors become the first major new product range
[1]Maped diversifies beyond compasses and geometry products, while Jacques Lacroix takes over the family company.
- 1980
Maped joins stationery distribution groupings
[1]Maped joins GFP and the GIE to share distribution resources with other stationery manufacturers.
Products and positioning
A family-owned French supplier combining practical school and office essentials with colourful, accessible and playful products for children, families and creative activities.
School supplies · 1947
Geometry instruments
Maped's original product area consists of compasses and geometry sets. These products were historically made for design offices, designers and architects, and established the company's reputation for precision drawing equipment before its later expansion into consumer stationery.
School and office supplies · 1985
Scissors and cutting tools
The scissors range, introduced in 1985, broadened Maped beyond geometry products. The category later expanded to include shears and cutting machines for school, office and general stationery use.
Writing accessories · 1992
Erasers and marking products
Following the acquisition of Mallat in 1992, Maped developed erasing and marking products. The pink-and-blue Duo Eraser is identified in the reference material as an iconic product associated with this part of the portfolio.
Writing instruments · 1996
Writing and colouring products
Maped's writing portfolio includes pencils, coloured pencils, felt-tip pens, ballpoint pens and other school-writing products. The Twin Tip four-colour ballpoint pen is among the named products associated with the company's school range.
Office supplies · 1993
Office supplies
The office range includes staplers, hole punches, storage products and related desk accessories. The category was developed from the 1990s onward and was strengthened by acquisitions including Helit and JFP Graphos.
Creative activity kits
Maped Creativ
Maped Creativ is the group's creative-leisure and activity-kit brand. It extends Maped from everyday stationery into hands-on, playful projects intended primarily for children and family activities.
Food containers
Maped Picnik
Maped Picnik represents the group's nomad food-container activity, adding reusable food and drink products to a portfolio otherwise centered on school, office and creative supplies.
Plastic toys and creative play
Joustra
Joustra became part of the Maped group through the 2016 acquisition of Heller Joustra. The brand gives Maped a presence in plastic toys and creative play and retains a connection to French manufacturing.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Maped brand-image and visual-identity redesign
International
At the beginning of 2021, Maped comprehensively reworked its brand image and introduced a new visual identity.
Outcome. The available reference does not provide campaign-performance data or detailed creative elements.
- 2003First French television advertising
France
Maped broadcast its first television advertisement in France as the company expanded from specialist geometry products into a wider consumer stationery portfolio.
Outcome. The available reference confirms the broadcast but does not document campaign performance or specific commercial results.
Brand decisions
2021
Comprehensive brand-identity revisionStrategyBackground
Maped had developed from a specialist compass maker into a multi-category international group with stationery, creative, food-container and toy brands.
Action taken
The company redesigned its brand image and visual identity.
Aftermath
The redesign provided a contemporary identity for the broader Maped portfolio, although the cited material does not quantify its commercial effect.
2017
Generational leadership transitionStrategyBackground
Maped remained a family-owned company as leadership moved from one generation of the Lacroix family to the next.
Action taken
Jacques-Antoine Lacroix succeeded Jacques Lacroix as chief executive.
Aftermath
The transition continued family management of the expanding international group.
2016
Acquisition of Heller JoustraM&ABackground
Maped sought to extend its activities beyond stationery and school supplies into plastic toys and creative play.
Action taken
On 21 March 2016, Maped acquired French plastic-toy manufacturer Heller Joustra and announced that it would take over the factory and invest in expanding sales.
Aftermath
Heller Joustra became part of the Maped group, adding the Joustra brand and a toy-manufacturing operation.
Acquisition price and announced investment. €1.5 million acquisition price; €2 million planned investment (2016 announcement)
Recent events
- 2021
Maped introduces a revised brand identity[1]
Campaign · Other
The company substantially reworked its visual identity and overall brand image at the beginning of 2021.
- 2017
Jacques-Antoine Lacroix succeeds Jacques Lacroix as CEO[1]
Leadership change
Leadership of the family-owned company passed to the next generation when Jacques-Antoine Lacroix replaced his father as chief executive.
- 2016
Maped acquires Heller Joustra[1]
M&A
Maped acquired the French plastic-toy manufacturer Heller Joustra and announced plans to take over its factory, retain its workforce and invest in sales growth.
Sources1 sources
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