Entre Prises is credited to being the first manufacturer that created and sold climbing holds to the public.
Francois Savigny, an industrial engineer and rock climber, founded Entre-Prises in France in 1983; the US division came to Bend, Oregon in 1988. With manufacturing in the US, France, the United Kingdom, and 28 worldwide distributors, Entre-Prises has completed over 4,000 climbing wall projects globally.
On a different Entre Prises website it mentions: Francois Savigny invented the first climbing hold in 1985 and the first climbing wall in 1990 (Entre Prises).
As far as the question of what company first offered climbing holds to the public which were made in the USA? That answer is a c.1988 toss up between Entre Prises and Metolius and Vertical Concepts.
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Other history shows: Entre Prises:
In 1983 French climber François Savigny began experimenting with molding holds from resin and put a bolt hole in the middle so the holds could be moved around. Savingly founded the company Entre Prises, and made the first molded holds in 1985, and created climbing panels in 1986. In Europe, Savigny put climbing walls in municipal buildings and schools, fabricated boulders for parks, and sold holds to climbers. In 1988 while attending a trade show in Las Vegas, Savingly approached Metolius and asked to team up with them to import his Entire Prises holds. Allen Watts and Chris Grover left Metolius and founded Entre Prises USA, where Doug Phillips of Metolius invested in the Entre Prises company.
Francois Savigny, an industrial engineer and rock climber, founded Entre-Prises in France in 1983; the US division came to Bend, Oregon in 1988. With manufacturing in the US, France, the United Kingdom, and 28 worldwide distributors, Entre-Prises has completed over 4,000 climbing wall projects globally.
On a different Entre Prises website it mentions: Francois Savigny invented the first climbing hold in 1985 and the first climbing wall in 1990 (Entre Prises).
As far as the question of what company first offered climbing holds to the public which were made in the USA? That answer is a c.1988 toss up between Entre Prises and Metolius and Vertical Concepts.
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Other history shows: Entre Prises:
In 1983 French climber François Savigny began experimenting with molding holds from resin and put a bolt hole in the middle so the holds could be moved around. Savingly founded the company Entre Prises, and made the first molded holds in 1985, and created climbing panels in 1986. In Europe, Savigny put climbing walls in municipal buildings and schools, fabricated boulders for parks, and sold holds to climbers. In 1988 while attending a trade show in Las Vegas, Savingly approached Metolius and asked to team up with them to import his Entire Prises holds. Allen Watts and Chris Grover left Metolius and founded Entre Prises USA, where Doug Phillips of Metolius invested in the Entre Prises company.
EP - Hex holds four sizes - front side
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EP - Hex holds four sizes - back side
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Entre Prises - small 2" Hex holds, feet
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EP - 4" Hex holds
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EP - MB series set - 6" Hex holds
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EP - M series set, 6" Hex holds
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EP - M8 hold Donated by: James O'Connor / Cats Gym, Colorado 
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EP - V series set - 6" Hex holds
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EP - F series set - 6" Hex holds
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EP - F4 hold shown in Cat's Gym, Colorado
Photo by: James O'Connor |
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EP - Competition series holds
- 10" Hex holds 
Page from Entre Prises catalog
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Chimney route at the Phoenix Rock Gym
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Pages from Entre Prises catalog
EP - Large Hex hold located in Cat's Gym, Colorado
Photo by: James O'Connor |
I have 7 more different large EP hex screw on holds, but they are enclosed in a display case for now.
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Entre Prises - Animal shapes
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Entre Prises - Training Hold
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Holds Review - Entre Prises, Rock & Ice magazine #62 July/Aug 1994 page 102
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Entre Prises holds
c.1990s Many of the holds have a manufacturers mark which looks somewhat like a pentagon shape. |
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EP manufacturers mark on the holds. On some of the bigger holds the EP mark is also on the inside of the hold.
- C. 2000s mark.
- C. 2000s mark.
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Entre Prises banner
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