The TLD Group's history began in 1897 in a silk weaving workshop in Lyon, France called the Mulatier et Dupont company. Slowly the silk weaving business turned into a steel manufacturing business.
In 1930, Mr Lionel Dupont became the President of the company and created strong links with Compagnie Générale d'Electricité providing TLD markets for its steel manufacturing business. This mutual co-operation lasted more than 20 years.
The company changed its name to Tissmétal Lionel-Dupont in 1951. During this period the company was listed on the Paris Stock Exchange. An expansion policy of the company activities introduced it to greater diversified markets, especially in the newer technological markets of electro-mechanical industry, automated handling systems, synthetic fibers, industrial filtration and aeronautical equipment.
When the company sold its metal manufacturing business in 1985, it was renamed Téléflex Lionel-Dupont.
In order to reinforce the "aeronautic equipment" division, TLD acquired Précilec at the end of 1990.
Already known in the airport sector by its baggage handling business, the group created its Ground Support Equipment division in 1991 and 1992 by the acquisition of Tracma, Albret Industrie, Erma, Devtec (in the United States and in Asia) and Lantis.
In 1992 Fyltis, the industrial filtration division was sold. Two year later, the Group increased it's market penetration of the aviation industry by the acquisition of a company producing adhesive solutions for the aeronautical sector.
In 1996 after deep restructuring the Group focused onto its two most strategic activities: the Airport Ground Support Equipment and the Aeronautical Equipment. The baggage handling, lifting platforms and mobile shelving divisions were sold that year.
As early as 1997, the group opened its first factory in Shanghai, China.
Then in 1998, the Group decided to specialize in Airport Ground Support Equipment only and sold the "Aeronautical Equipment" division.
In 2002, the reference to the historic brand names of the GSE companies was discontinued and replaced by one unique brand: TLD
TLD relocated its loaders factory from California to Quebec in 2002; in the same year also moved the manufacturing of its passenger stairs range from Montpellier to Saint Lin. From 2004 on, all TLD factories were enlarged and modernized.
In 2003 TLD launched the ambitious RANGER industrial program (Regional Assembly Network Global Engineering Resources) which provides for the assembly of international standard products on several continents: ground power units in the USA, China and Argentina, belt loaders in Europe, China, Canada and Argentina, lavatory and water trucks in Europe, China and Canada.
Each year the Group continues to extend its sales and service network by opening new offices, resulting today in the most extensive network in the GSE industry.