Reader Marc sent in news and extra links regarding the Leblanc factory fire in the Normandy region of France which destroyed 1,400 clarinets and the entire stock of spare keys. The news item mentioned that the Leblanc Corporation of Kenosha, Wisconsin had taken over the factory which was formerly called Noblet and had been founded in 1750. The history before that acquisition, pulled from various web sources, is fascinating. It begins with Denis Noblet of the original firm granting his family business, as he had no heirs, to Georges LeBlanc, his best employee. The LeBlanc family set up the first full-time acoustical research laboratory for wind instruments in Paris and hired master acoustician Charles Houvenaghel. They produced a wide range of highly regarded clarinets.

Over in the U.S., Kenosha, WI to be exact, a young boy, Vito Pascucci, became interested in instrument design and repair work. Called to serve in WWII, Pascucci took his repair tools with him and worked with the Army Air Corps Band, led by none other than Glenn Miller. Having made plans to visit the famous instrument makers of Paris with Miller, Pascucci pressed onwards despite Miller’s death in a plane disappearance. His tour of Leblanc was conducted by Léon Leblanc, son of Georges. The two became close friends and Pascucci continued to visit the factory, learning their manufacturing processes. After Pascucci returned home, he was entrusted by Leblanc to set up distribution for their instruments in the U.S. The clarinets, still manufactured in France, were reassembled in Kenosha after the wood had acclimatized to the different environment. Pascucci grew the U.S. business over many years, acquiring other companies such as Martin Band Instruments. In 1989 he acquired majority interest and management responsibility for his mentor’s European business. And that’s how a famous French clarinet factory came to be owned by a company in Kenosha, Wisconsin.