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Our History

1896-1953 : PAUL MARILL, a bold trader

1953- 1991 : ... Their story continues to unfold with his son André Marill

  • 1880

    Birth of the founder of Marill Group, Paul Marill in Algiers. His father John, a native of Maureillas in the Pyrenees, moved there a few years earlier for search raw materials for the cork industry. Marill Jean died in 1882. His son Paul, who has only two years, has been educated by his Uncle Simeon who was President of the Chamber of Commerce of Algiers and director of the Bank of France.
    Algiers family who kept strong ties to Maureillas, Paul Marill met Eloi Pinot during a trip to Maureillas. Pioneer expatriate in Djibouti in 1879, Eloi Pinot convinced Paul Marill to come to Djibouti to assist his brother Joseph Garrigue who was about to open a new factory at Dire Dawa in Ethiopia.

  • 1903

    Paul MARILL arrive to Djibouti aboard the "Cao Bang" of the Compagnie Nationale de Navigation. With a family capital 50,000 francs to assist Joseph Garrigue in business. Quickly he becomes his partner.
    Creating Garrigue, Marill et Cie, located both in Harar and Djibouti. Joseph Garrigue and Paul Marill are responsible to negotiate and sell Ethiopian exports, mainly leather. They were among the first official supplier of Emperor Menelik II, for which they import weapons and ammunition, alcoholic beverages, cotton etc ...

  • 1907

    Marill Garrigue et Cie abandoned the leather business that earns little and specializes in trading Harrari coffee wellknown for its aroma and finesse.

  • 1909

    Death of Joseph Garrigue. Paul Marill manages the company. He become a key player in the economic life of Djibouti: he take part in the birth of the Chamber of Commerce of Djibouti he chairs several times between the board of directors of the colony.

  • 1912

    Marill Paul diversifies his activities. He obtain several concessions to exploit the resources of the sea: fishing Shells (a nacreous shell) and pearl oysters, also guano and coral. The trochus, symbol of his success, becomes the logo of Marill Establishments and then, of the Marill Group.

  • 1913

     

    Paul Marill is appointed adviser of the foreign trade of France.

  • 1914

    WWI: Paul Marill mobilized in August 1914 entrusts his business to his partner Joseph Allegre.
    Paul Marill marry Rose Molinard in Marseille. They will have 3 children.

  • 1917

    Paul Marill go back to Djibouti with his wife. Upon his return, he concentrates his efforts on the pearl, highly sought after by the button industry, while maintaining its trading and business with Ethiopia.

  • 1920

    Paul Marill was the associate and friend of Henry Monfreid. Marill and companies, owner of the monopoly of pearl fishing in territorial waters, hired Henry Monfreid as Director of Fisheries Farsan islands. Marill and Paul helped build the famous henry dhow Monfreid "Altair".

  • 1957

    Paul lived in Djibouti Marill almost until his death in 1957, having passed through wars and blockades related to the 2nd World War. During this period he was appointed director of supply and fed Djibouti smuggled in food and staples.

  • 1953

    André Marill move to Marseille with the intention of winding up the affairs of his father and leave him in France. But it is the "thunderbolt", André decides to stay in Djibouti and, with the support of a bold banker, he start again trochus fishing.

  • 1957

    Creating of MARILL company, registered in the Commercial Register under number 17 / A.

  • 1963

    The course of the nacre collapses, plasticis now the best raw material to make buttons. André Marill then bounces to a new activity, luggage transit for officials. Then he starts freight transport in general and mainly trade with Ethiopia. This is the birth of Transit MARILL.

  • 1968

    Confident in the future of all terrain vehicles, André Marill starts the adventure of Toyota vehicles. He becomes the exclusive distributor of these vehicles in Djibouti.

  • 1971

    André Marill diversifies its activities: He becomes an agent of the Company GFA and then, PFA and finally of Prudence.

  • 1988

    Creation of MARILL Somalia in Mogadishu: the Toyota brand is introduced on Somali market. These activities will stop at the end of 1991 when the somali government overturns.

    1995 -2014 : A key partner in the Horn of Africa

  • 1995

    André Marill transfers business management to his two sons Luc and Thierry Marill. This is the birth of what would become the MARILL GROUP. Over the past two decades, new companies are created and Marill Group is firmly established in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and Mayotte.

     

    ▪ MARILL INTERNATIONAL Fzco, Import and Export
    ▪ SADIEGA Sarl, sale of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
    ▪ SOMIVA Sa, Renault dealer in Mayotte
    ▪ PUMA Sci, Real Estate and management of land assets in Mayotte
    ▪ TRANS-NOMADIA Fzco, international transport
    ▪ AMERGA Sa, insurance company
    ▪ DIS-PRO Sarl, Computer hardware and services
    ▪ LAGON LOCATION Sarl, Europcar partner in Mayotte
    ▪ AGENCE MARITIME MARILL Sarl
    ▪ MARILL SOMALIA Fzco, Import and Export
    ▪ MARILL Sci, management of land assets in Djibouti
    ▪ TRANSIT MARILL Sarl, transit, transport and removal
    ▪ MARILL AUTOMOTIVE Sarl, automotive importation, auto dealer and services
    ▪ SEGON transit and moving company located in Ethiopia
    ▪ GULF AGENCY MARILL (Hargeisa), shipping agency and transit au Somaliland
    ▪ HARGEISA AUTOMOTIVE COMPANY, car dealer and services

    The 31 of December 2012, Institutions MARILL definitively stops all activity.
    January 1, 2013, SAS MARILL Sarl resumed activities related to services dedicated to all companies of MARILL GROUP.