Forges de la Providence
Encyclopedia
Forges de la Providence was a Belgian steel producing company based in the Hainaut region around Charleroi
. Founded as Société Anonyme des laminoirs, forges, fonderies et usines de la Providence the company had three steel production sites at Marchienne-au-Pont in Belgium, and Réhon and Hautmont in France.
The company was independent until 1966 when it became part of the Cockerill-Ougrée, briefly being absorbed into Thy-Marcinelle et Monceau before becoming part of Cockerill-Sambre
.
In the 1980s the French steel plants closed, and as of 2010 the Belgian plant operates as Carsid as a joint venture between the Duferco group and Novolipetsk Steel
.
for the Puissant and Licot de Nîmes families; in 1838 the company Société Anonyme des laminoirs, forges, fonderies et usines de la Providence was formed in order to raise the capital required for the construction of a coke fire blast furnace.
The first steelworks was at Marchienne-au-Pont
, Charleroi
(Belgium); in 1843 the company decided to construct a second steelworks in Hautmont
(France), equipped to produce plate and rails in expectation of orders for the construction of the French railways. In 1849 Bonehill's successor Alphonse Halbou patented a method for the production of I-beam
s by rolling.
Later, another steelworks in Réhon
(France) was constructed, and the first blast furnace began production in 1866.
In 1898 a subsidiary SA Providence Russe opened a steelworks in Russia. The Russian company, based in Sartana nr. Mariupol
, on the Sea of Azov
made heavy losses, and by 1902 went into administration, owing 6million francs to the Providence company, and was had to be re-financed by the Banque de l'Union Parisienne.
During the lifetime of the firm the three steel plants expanded.
In 1966 the Société Générale de Belgique
had a majority shareholding in both Cockerill-Ougrée (Liege) and in the Forges de la Providence and decided to merge the two firms forming Cockerill-Ougrée-Providence (Charleroi). This was contrary to the trade unions preference for regional consolidation, the balance was not restored until 1979 when Thy-Marcinelle et Monceau (TMM) acquired the La Providence group from Cockerill-Ougrée-Providence et Espérance Longdoz, becoming Thy-Marcinelle-Providence. The Rehon plant became part of the Usinor
group in November 1979.
In 1981 the company became part of the expanded Cockerill-Sambre
.
The plant at Marchienne-au-Pont operated for over 100 years until in 2001 the plant began to be run down. The coking plant was no longer to be maintained, and the possibility of closure of blast furnace 4 also raised. Usinor entered discussions with the industrial group Duferco with a view to continue hot steel production at the plant.
In 2001 Carsid was created from the Charleroi plant at the same as the creation of Arcelor
, and it became part of the Duferco group. In 2006 the plant became part of a joint venture with Novolipetsk Steel
. In 2007 the blast furnace No.4 was recommissioned after a 3 month refurbishment process, in 2008 the sites coking plant was closed; the plant now being supplied through a strategic arrangement with Novolipetsk (Russia).
As of 2010 the plant produces slab for use by other Duferco group plant.
in 1981 the plant closed in 1985.
in 1979, and in 1984 became part of Unimétal , before closing in 1987.
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Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
. Founded as Société Anonyme des laminoirs, forges, fonderies et usines de la Providence the company had three steel production sites at Marchienne-au-Pont in Belgium, and Réhon and Hautmont in France.
The company was independent until 1966 when it became part of the Cockerill-Ougrée, briefly being absorbed into Thy-Marcinelle et Monceau before becoming part of Cockerill-Sambre
Cockerill-Sambre
Cockerill-Sambre was a group of Belgian steel manufacturers headquartered in Seraing , on the Meuse River, and in Charleroi, on the shore of the Sambre River....
.
In the 1980s the French steel plants closed, and as of 2010 the Belgian plant operates as Carsid as a joint venture between the Duferco group and Novolipetsk Steel
Novolipetsk Steel
Novolipetsk Steel , or NLMK, is one of the four largest steel companies in Russia with sales of more than US$11.7 billion in 2008 and 9.2 million tonnes of steel output. NLMK's share of domestic crude steel production was about 13% in 2007. It primary produces flat steel products, semi-finished...
.
Company history
In 1836 the Englishman Thomas Bonehill built puddling furnacesPuddling (metallurgy)
Puddling was an Industrial Revolution means of making iron and steel. In the original puddling technique, molten iron in a reverberatory furnace was stirred with rods, which were consumed in the process...
for the Puissant and Licot de Nîmes families; in 1838 the company Société Anonyme des laminoirs, forges, fonderies et usines de la Providence was formed in order to raise the capital required for the construction of a coke fire blast furnace.
The first steelworks was at Marchienne-au-Pont
Marchienne-au-Pont
Marchienne-au-Pont is a section of the Belgian town of Charleroi within the Walloon region in the Province of Hainaut. It was a commune of its own before the merge of the communes in 1977, when it had a population of 17,000.-Sights:...
, Charleroi
Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
(Belgium); in 1843 the company decided to construct a second steelworks in Hautmont
Hautmont
-Twin towns - sister cities:Kamianets-Podilskyi is twinned with: Kalisz in Poland -References:*...
(France), equipped to produce plate and rails in expectation of orders for the construction of the French railways. In 1849 Bonehill's successor Alphonse Halbou patented a method for the production of I-beam
I-beam
-beams, also known as H-beams, W-beams , rolled steel joist , or double-T are beams with an - or H-shaped cross-section. The horizontal elements of the "" are flanges, while the vertical element is the web...
s by rolling.
Later, another steelworks in Réhon
Réhon
Réhon is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.- External links :* *...
(France) was constructed, and the first blast furnace began production in 1866.
In 1898 a subsidiary SA Providence Russe opened a steelworks in Russia. The Russian company, based in Sartana nr. Mariupol
Mariupol
Mariupol , formerly known as Zhdanov , is a port city in southeastern Ukraine. It is located on the coast of the Azov Sea, at the mouth of the Kalmius River. Mariupol is the largest city in Priazovye - a geographical region around Azov Sea, divided by Russia and Ukraine - and is also a popular sea...
, on the Sea of Azov
Sea of Azov
The Sea of Azov , known in Classical Antiquity as Lake Maeotis, is a sea on the south of Eastern Europe. It is linked by the narrow Strait of Kerch to the Black Sea to the south and is bounded on the north by Ukraine mainland, on the east by Russia, and on the west by the Ukraine's Crimean...
made heavy losses, and by 1902 went into administration, owing 6million francs to the Providence company, and was had to be re-financed by the Banque de l'Union Parisienne.
During the lifetime of the firm the three steel plants expanded.
In 1966 the Société Générale de Belgique
Société Générale de Belgique
The Société Générale de Belgique was one of the largest companies that ever existed in Belgium. It was founded in 1822 by William I, and existed until 2003, when its then sole shareholder, Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux, merged it with Tractebel to form Suez-Tractebel.-History:As part of the terms of the...
had a majority shareholding in both Cockerill-Ougrée (Liege) and in the Forges de la Providence and decided to merge the two firms forming Cockerill-Ougrée-Providence (Charleroi). This was contrary to the trade unions preference for regional consolidation, the balance was not restored until 1979 when Thy-Marcinelle et Monceau (TMM) acquired the La Providence group from Cockerill-Ougrée-Providence et Espérance Longdoz, becoming Thy-Marcinelle-Providence. The Rehon plant became part of the Usinor
Usinor
Usinor was a French steel making group formed in 1948. The group was merged with Sacilor in 1986, becoming Usinor-Sacilor and was privatised in 1995, and renamed Usinor in 1997....
group in November 1979.
In 1981 the company became part of the expanded Cockerill-Sambre
Cockerill-Sambre
Cockerill-Sambre was a group of Belgian steel manufacturers headquartered in Seraing , on the Meuse River, and in Charleroi, on the shore of the Sambre River....
.
Fate
The steelworks in France closed in the 1980s. The steelworks in Marchienne-au-Pont, Charleroi became part of Usinor in 1999 and then in 2004 became part of the Duferco group as Carsid.Marchienne-au-Pont
In 2001 Carsid was created from the Charleroi plant at the same as the creation of Arcelor
Arcelor
Arcelor S.A. was the world's largest steel producer in terms of turnover and the second largest in terms of steel output, with a turnover of €30.2 billion and shipments of 45 million metric tons of steel in 2004...
, and it became part of the Duferco group. In 2006 the plant became part of a joint venture with Novolipetsk Steel
Novolipetsk Steel
Novolipetsk Steel , or NLMK, is one of the four largest steel companies in Russia with sales of more than US$11.7 billion in 2008 and 9.2 million tonnes of steel output. NLMK's share of domestic crude steel production was about 13% in 2007. It primary produces flat steel products, semi-finished...
. In 2007 the blast furnace No.4 was recommissioned after a 3 month refurbishment process, in 2008 the sites coking plant was closed; the plant now being supplied through a strategic arrangement with Novolipetsk (Russia).
As of 2010 the plant produces slab for use by other Duferco group plant.
Hautmont-sur-Sambre
Opened in 1843 with a foundery and mills. The first blast furnace opened in 1845, additional blast furnaces were added in 1853, 1855 and 1890, in 1905 galvanising facilities were addded. After complete modernisation between 1910-14 the plant was entirely destroyed during the first world war. On reconstruction, the plant was constructed to utilise the Siemens-Martin process and the reconstruction funded by reparations from Germany. New rolling mills were added in 1921. The plant survived the second world war with little damage. After becoming part of Cockerill-Ougrée-Providence in 1966 and Cockerill-SambreCockerill-Sambre
Cockerill-Sambre was a group of Belgian steel manufacturers headquartered in Seraing , on the Meuse River, and in Charleroi, on the shore of the Sambre River....
in 1981 the plant closed in 1985.
Rehon
The plant opened in 1866 with two blast furnaces in operation by 1867 with capacities of 60 and 80 tonnes per day. The works expanded with a third blast furnaces in 1871, a Gilchrist-Thomas converter in 1911, fourth, fifth and sixth blast furnaces in 1922, 1930 and 1949. After the merger with Cockerill-Ougrée the factory was transferred to UsinorUsinor
Usinor was a French steel making group formed in 1948. The group was merged with Sacilor in 1986, becoming Usinor-Sacilor and was privatised in 1995, and renamed Usinor in 1997....
in 1979, and in 1984 became part of Unimétal , before closing in 1987.
External links
- Images, Haumont:
- Images, Charleroi:
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