HISTORY




Michel Phely founded OTICO in 1971, in the heart of the Brie region.

A "man of the land" and deeply attached to his region and the people who live there, he launched into entrepreneurial adventures after noticing that farmers lacked special equipment that would suit their machines.

As an astute observer, Michel Phely developed the company to meet the demands of his loyal customers, while adapting to market changes and to technical innovations in the tire industry.




From being a tire wholesaler, OTICO grew and diversified into retreading heavy goods vehicle tires, farm equipment and planes, eventually setting up its own production plant in France.


It was Olivier Phely, Michel's older son, who transformed the company in the 21st century by filing exclusive patents for semi-hollow tires, wheels and rollers from 1985 onwards.





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A French family-owned business that now reaches 46 countries and every continent, OTICO remains true to its founding values: proximity, listening, innovation, ethics and excellence.


Discover why OTICO's expertise is now respected by farm machinery manufacturers all around the world for "self-cleaning agricultural wheels and roller solutions":



1971

THE FOUNDING OF A BUSINESS

On the strength of his experience in the agricultural tires sector, Michel Phely founds OTICO as a tire wholesaler and service provider. 
Its offices and headquarters are in Provins.

1980

SWITCHES TO INDUSTRIAL MODE

OTICO moves to its present site in Chalmaison and, as a pioneer in recycling, begins retreading heavy goods vehicle tires and then agricultural tires.

DIVERSIFIES INTO THE FLAX INDUSTRY

The company also diversifies by buying a production plant to make belts used in flax harvesting.

1983

BEGINS RETREADING AIRCRAFT TIRES

The first partnerships with manufacturers of agricultural machinery, to optimise equipment in contact with soil for agricultural bins.

1984

OLIVIER PHELY JOINS THE COMPANY

1985

OTIFLEX BRAND FOUNDED

Olivier Phely takes over as technical director of OTICO and invents the production of semi-hollow tire for bins and seed drills, under the OTIFLEX brand, for RIBOULEAU- MONOSEM.

1986

TERRAFLEX BRAND FOUNDED

OTICO innovates by creating the first range of tire-mounted crawler tracks, under the TERRAFLEX brand for its customer PONCIN.

1990

DESIGNS AND PRODUCES THE FIRST SEMI-HOLLOW ROLLER

1993

DESIGNS AND PRODUCES THE FIRST POSITIVE-DRIVE CRAWLER TRACK SYSTEM.

1995

Acquires its German rival FARMFLEX, a Continental Group brand, which will become OTICO's semi-hollow brand.

1998

OLIVIER PHELY BECOMES PRESIDENT OF OTICO

and continues to grow the company by diversifying the FARMFLEX range of semi-hollow rollers and by modernising and increasing the capacity of the production plant.

2007

OTICO WINS NEW MARKETS

in North America, Russia and Ukraine.

2008

NEW EXTRUSION LINE OPENS

and a new facility with 50 presses and moulds. First test bench installed for wheels and rollers.

NEW WHEEL ASSEMBLY WORKSHOP CREATED

with a capacity of 10-15,000 wheels per week.

2010

Robotisation

First robotised extrusion line is installed, specially for the production of semi-hollow FARMFLEX.

OTICO BRANCHES OUT INTO SOUTH AFRICA.

2014

NEW SITE PURCHASED NEAR PROVINS,

dedicated to wheels / new & retreaded tires business: 20,000 m², of which 5,500 m² are a covered storeroom and workshop.

NEW ROLLER-ASSEMBLY WORKSHOP CREATED.

2015

SECOND EXTRUSION LINE CREATED, 
EQUIPPED WITH A ROBOT.

NEW STOREROOM OPENS

for storing components and raw materials: 700m² floor area, 9m high.

2016

THIRD EXTRUSION LINE CREATED, 
EQUIPPED WITH THREE ROBOTS.

OTICO CELEBRATES ITS 45TH ANNIVERSARY!