In their words:

Quote:

Jean Verney-Carron died is 1961. Albert de Veron de La Combe, nephew of Auguste Marze, assumed control along with Claude and Henri, Jean's sons. SIFARM (a combination of the venerable manufacturers Berthon Frères, Francisque Darne, Didier-Drevet, Gerest and Ronchard-Cizeron) was absorbed in 1963, along with the famous Canonnerie (Barrel makers) Jean Breuil. Verney-Carron now effectively controlled all its manufacturing, and Henri Verney-Carron, Technical Director, fully mastered the secrets of barrel-making. He decided to abandon earlier techniques, putting in place modern processes and installing efficient new equipment, thus producing barrels ranking among the best in the world.


It does not entirely make sense. Note the statement that, post-merger, V-C "now effectively controlled all of its manufacturing," which implies that others were making some components for them previously (possibly including barrels). V-C then "fully mastered" barrel making (presumably through access to Breuil's expertise and methods), but shortly thereafter overhauled those "earlier techniques" and replaced them with "modern processes" and "efficient new equipment." So one could read this to mean that they acquired their barrel-maker, learned his methods, and then chose to reject those methods in favor of modern barrel-making technology.

Such a long, long time to be gone, and a short time to be there.