1986-2010 - timeline

1986 The association is created under the tutelage of Chambre syndicale de l’aluminium (French Aluminium Association, today the Association française de l'aluminium). Jacques Marchandise is elected Chairman of IHA.
Historical research by volunteer former Pechiney employees starts in France.

1987 First issue of Journal for the History of Aluminium
First four research grants

1991 First publication by Presses Universitaires de Grenoble : Histoire technique de la production d’aluminium (Technical history of aluminium production)
1991 First international symposium : 100 years of Innovation in the Aluminium Industry (Paris)
Creation of the European Aluminium Historical Committee under the tutelage of European Aluminium Association (EAA, Brussels)

1994 First doctorate thesis (PhD) presented : Muriel Le Roux, Évolution des stratégies de recherche d’une grande entreprise française: Pechiney 1886-1975, le cas de l’aluminium (Evolution of research strategy by a major French corporation: Pechiney 1886-1975, the case of aluminium).

1994 First training seminar in historical methodology for volonteers
Position of Scientific Secretary created.

1997 Maurice Laparra succeeds Jacques Marchandise as IHA Chairman.

1998 European symposium : Aluminium in a growing Europe (1945-1975)

2000 Inauguration of renovated musée des Arts et métiers in Paris (France) and of the exhibition Aluminum by Design in Pittsburgh (USA), two major museological projects carried out with scientific support from IHA
Partnership agreement to develop the J. Plateau-IHA Collection
Position of Heritage Mediator created.

2001 Aluminium Pechiney-Grégoire car collection installed in the Museum of Le Mans ( Musée des 24 Heures-Circuit de la Sarthe).

2003 Participation in the L’Âge de l’aluminium (Aluminium Age) in La Villette Science & Industry Museum, Paris.

2005 Research grants made international, projects developed in Canada
Position of Information Manager created.
Total revision of the information systems of IHA

2006 Opening of the new website of IHA www.histalu.org

2007 (December) Opening of the website "Mémoire orale de l'industrie et des réseaux", www.memoire-orale.org
This website had been built in patnership with the French Railway Historical Society and the Fondation EDF Diversiterre. This website permits the consultation of several oral testimonies (in French) of aluminium workers.

2009 (April) The Journal for the History of Aluminium (n°41) made major changes in many aspects of its presentation

2009 (May) Opening of the Aluminium Digital Library, www.culturalu.org
The Aluminium Digital Library offers to the researchers a sample of approximately 2 500 images on the topics of aluminium, its applications, its industries, its heritage and also on its impacts.

2009 (June) IHA becomes the owner of the Collection of cars and objetcs constituted by the engineer Jean-Albert Grégoire, through an agreement concluded with Jean-Philippe Puig, Chairman of Aluminium Pechiney. The collection has been renamed “Collection Jean-Albert Grégoire - Institute for the History of Aluminium”

2009 (November) The Collection Jean-Albert Grégoire - Institute for the History of Aluminium is transfered from the Museum of Le Mans ( Musée des 24 Heures-Circuit de la Sarthe) to the “City of Automobile” in Mulhouse, France.