Aciéries de Longwy
Aubervilliers plant
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| Industry | Steel |
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| Genre | Manufacturer |
| Headquarters | Longwy, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France |
The Société des aciéries de Longwy (Longwy Steelworks Co.) was a steelworks located in Longwy, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France.
The Société des Aciéries de Longwy was founded on 1 June 1880 by a merger of the Usine du Prieuré and the Usine Port-Sec in Mont-Saint-Martin. Baron Renaud Oscar d'Adelswärd (1811–98) was president, and contributed the Usine du Prieuré of Mont-Saint-Martin and the concession of the iron mines of Herserange. Jean-Joseph Labbé was vice-president and brought the Usine Port-Sec of Mont-Saint-Martin. Labbé and Adelsward had previously co-founded the Comptoir de Longwy in 1876, with Alexandre Dreux as the first executive director. He was a poor farmer's son who had worked as a clerk at a foundry in Le Mans, then as an accountant for the foundry owner Armand Chappée, who recommended him.
Members of the Aciéries de Longwy board were Baron Gustave Oscar d'Adelswärd (1843-95), Count Fernand de Saintignon, Gustave Raty, Jean-Alfred Labbé, Baron Hippolyte d'Huart, Baron Fernand d'Huart and Robert de Wendel. De Wendel was master of the foundries of Hayange, Moyeuvre, Stiring-Wendel and Jœuf, and granted a sub-license for the Thomas process to the Aciéries de Longwy.
In 1881 the company bought the Moulaine blast furnace and mine. On 19 February 1883 the first Mont-Saint-Martin steel plant went into operation. In the early years the Aciéries de Longwy suffered from technical difficulties and a reduced demand for rails. The company hired Charles Walrand from Le Creusot as technical director, an expert in steel technology, but were still unable to produce steel rails with the quality demanded by the Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée. In 1887 the company started to produce wire and sheet metal, but continued to lose money. Alexandre Dreux was made general manager in 1888. Dreux at once cut back costs and obtained a large contract to supply rails, making the company profitable within a year.
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