Jean-Francois Boch was a third generation of potters in the family. In 1809 being 27 he bought the baroque Benedictine St. Peter's Abbey at Mettlach in the Sarre department. Boch set up in the abbey ultra-modern and highly mechanised ceramics factory.
He took care of his employees taking a paternalistic approach toward them. He set up an orphans' support fund, reading association and a bank for workers.
Because of growing English competition he had to merge his business with Nicolas Villeroy forming Villeroy & Boch in 1836.
