The company history dates back to 1969, when the company began manufacturing plastic flushing mechanisms at the instigation of Henry Wirquin, a sanitary ware wholesaler in Nantes. S. A. Wirquin Plastique was actually established by Daniel Le Coënt in 1977, and the company remains in family ownership.
Nowadays the sanitary equipment specialist has eleven sites, comprising the head office in Carquefou and ten foreign subsidiaries. It manufactures products in Great Britain, Romania, Russia, South Africa and China as well as in France. Further marketing support units are to be found in Spain and Portugal. The group employs over 1 300 people worldwide.
Wirquin sees itself as a pioneer in the sanitary equipment area. Four products are regarded as references worldwide. The 3/6 mechanism was a new concept developed further to the interruption of the water supply, the aim of which was to save water. Wirquin was the first to create the cable-operated push button permitting the selection of a full flush or a half-flush.
The Wirquin teams developed the Quick-Clac system after observing the movement of a thumb on a ballpoint pen. It can be opened and closed by simply pressing on the plug. Inspired by retractable ballpoint pens, Quick Clac eliminates the rod or cable-operated waste mechanisms.
Inspired by children sipping orange juice with a straw, Wirquin also developed the "soupless pipe". This innovation simplified WC connections, particularly for rehabilitation works. The pipe is adjustable and compressible, which eliminates the need to calculate angles and enables it to adapt to any configuration, without any risk of leakage.
To ensure the well-being of all users, Wirquin created the Slim shower waste specially designed to fit the flattest shower trays on the market in D90. With its height of only 40mm, Slim is easily installed even for a renovation without requiring additional sunken depth. Moreover, the silicone membrane prevents smells coming up…