l iss ements ▁É mile ▁D egr ém ont , ▁foc using ▁on ▁water ▁treatment ▁for ▁the ▁industry . ▁▁ ▁Gilbert ▁D egr ém ont ▁learned ▁mechan ics ▁while ▁working ▁in ▁his ▁father ’ s ▁and ▁grand father ’ s ▁work sh ops ▁and ▁fact ories . ▁He ▁completed ▁agricult ure ▁studies ▁at ▁the ▁Institute ▁of ▁Agr onomy ▁in ▁R ennes ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 . ▁After ▁military ▁service ▁at ▁a ▁hot ▁air ▁bal lo on ▁base , ▁he ▁joined ▁his ▁father ▁and ▁his ▁brother ▁Ét ienne ▁in ▁the ▁industrial ▁water ▁pur ification ▁business ▁in ▁Le ▁C ate au . ▁He ▁successfully ▁installed ▁an ▁iron ▁fil tr ation ▁system ▁for ▁the ▁water ▁supply ▁in ▁Sa ig on - Ch ol on ▁( now ▁Ho ▁Chi ▁Min h ▁City ) ▁in ▁Vietnam ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁ ▁D egr ém ont ▁▁ ▁His ▁father ▁É mile ▁retired ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁and ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁split ▁between ▁Gilbert ▁and ▁Ét ienne , ▁who ▁ran ▁the ▁mechanical ▁construction ▁work shop ▁in ▁Le ▁C ate au . ▁Gilbert ▁founded ▁D egr ém ont - Tra itement ▁des ▁e aux ▁with ▁offices ▁and ▁work sh ops ▁in ▁Le val lo is - Per ret . ▁The ▁company ▁focused ▁sole ly ▁on ▁water ▁treatment . ▁▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁slow ed ▁business ▁in ▁Le ▁C ate au , ▁as ▁Al lied ▁bomb ings ▁destroyed ▁the ▁canal ▁system ▁used ▁to ▁transport ▁goods ▁such ▁as ▁steel , ▁vital ▁to ▁the ▁construction ▁of