Hutchison had obtained a license in 1850 from fellow American Charles Goodyear's patented vulcanization process.

He emigrated to France where he applied the new process to the production of Wellington boots and then raincoats.

In the 20th century the company expanded into the production of accessories for the motor industry and, from the 1950s, sports shoes.

In 1967 the company, by now long renamed Aigle, moved manufacturing to Ingrandes, near Châtellerault, on a 30 hectare site where around 10,000 pairs of shoes are produced annually.

[1] In 2005 majority ownership of the company was purchased by Swiss group Maus Frères.