Henri Fraise was born in 1898 in Mauritia. His father, originally from Bayonne (France), had founded ten years earlier a trade house that had become one the most successful on the island and flourished under his administration.

Madagascar was, in the early 1920’s, a new country where much remained to be done in terms of equipment.
Henri Fraise (father and son bear the same name), was a licensed military pilot in France, and was fascinated with the significant progress brought on by new technologies and their applications in the real world.
Under his impetus, a company was founded in Tananarive in 1924: “Henri Fraise Fils & Cie” focused its activities on importation, maintenance and distribution of equipment.

The Henri Fraise Fils & Cie company became the exclusive representative in Madagascar for several significant European and American equipment brands: General Motors Co (Chevrolet, Frigidaire, …), Goodyear, R.C.A. Victor, A.C. Titan, etc.