After finishing mining school, Pierre Martin began to work at metallurgical plant of his father Emile Martin in Fourchambault (France), and from 1854 to 1883, he was director of foundry in Sireuil. Martin is famous for invention of so-called Siemens–Martin method of production of cast steel in regenerative open-flame furnaces.

Martin used the principle of heat regeneration of combustion products developed by Carl Wilhelm Siemens and applied it for heating not only air, but also gas. The first successful open-hearth melting took place on April 8, 1864. In two days, Pierre and Emile Martin patented this technique in France, and in several months - in England.

At the end of 1866, the open-hearth furnace began to work in Birmingham (England), and in 1869, the first furnace began production in America. The Russia's first open-hearth furnace was put into operation at Sormovo plant in 1870.

Owing to possibility to produce high-quality steel using steel scrap, the open-hearth method began to compete successfully with converter one. In 1867, the father and son Martin were awarded by a gold medal at the World Exhibition in Paris. Pierre-Emile Martin survived his glory and died in need at the age of 91. Shortly before death, he was awarded a gold medal of Bessemer.