Patented Dry System for Building Cleaning
	FACADE GOMMAGE AND ITS APPLICATIONS BY THOMANN-HANRY CLEANING CONTRACTORS

Thomann-Hanry provides exterior and interior masonry preservation services to clients in Europe and North America. Bernard Thomann, with thirty years of experience in the field of masonry preservation, has continued the direction of this family-run company which was founded in 1946. Headquartered in Paris, this French company has branch offices in Amsterdam, Brussels, Geneva, Lisbon, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, and most recently, New York City (USA), and Montreal (Canada). The firm also has a factory in Uzes, France where most of its specialized site equipment is designed and manufactured.

Although Thomann-Hanry employs specialists in stone replacement, repointing, consolidation, and waterproofing, the firm is most noted for its application of a cleaning method called Facade Gommage. It was first developed by founder Robert Thomann in 1965 and has been perfected over the years, receiving a new patent in 1985. This dry process which cleans only with compressed air and an organic or mineral powder has established a long track record on historic structures in France. Powders used in this process are exclusively manufactured for Thomann-Hanry in France and are exported for use on foreign projects.

Facade Gommage has been the subject of several awards. Most notable are the "Prestige de L'Europe" and "Laurier d'Or" awards, given in 1990 for technical achievement in restoration. The company is also listed in the Guide of French Artisans d'Excellence for the cleaning of historic structures in France. Most recently, Thomann-Hanry was granted the symbol of "Qualite Ravalement" which is a recognized qualification for the contracting work on landmark buildings in France.

Currently, fifty percent of the company's cleaning projects are outside of France. It underlines their ability to work with international and local preservation commissions, labor issues, and diverse city/federal regulations. For instance, all Facade Gommage work on the Place Vendome (1979), Chateau de Versaille (1982), Cathedrale Senlis (1986), and Louvre Museum (1994 and 1995) required preliminary test panels which were later analyzed and approved by the Laboratoire Nationale des Monuments Historiques - Champs sur Marne. This government body approves restoration work on a case by case basis and does not disclose its test results. Similar operations happened with the National Park Service in the US and the Heritage Conservation Program of the Federal Government in Canada.

Perhaps the greatest scrutiny of Facade Gommage has been by representatives of UNESCO. Thomann-Hanry is proud to have cleaned three structures from UNESCO's World Heritage List as follows:

• Gaudi's Casa Mila - Barcelona, Spain
  Exterior cleaning in July, 1986
• Church Santa Clara Vahia - Coembra, Portugal
  Exterior and interior cleaning in July, 1992
• Jaronimos Cloisters - Lisbon, Portugal
  Exterior cleaning in November, 1992

Thomann-Hanry produced an award winning film entitled "Tu Es Pierre" in 1986 and has sponsored the publication of two books: Paris Facade and Demeures Parisiennes. In synergy with its main activity, the masonry cleaning, Thomann-Hanry has a division that exploits a limestone quarry in the Pont du Gare region of France.