Poudreries Réunies de Belgique
| Industry | Mines, Chemicals, Explosives |
|---|---|
| Fate | Bankrupt |
| Founded | 1896 |
| Defunct | 1990 |
| Headquarters | Belgium |
Poudreries Réunies de Belgique SA (or PRB) was one of Belgium's oldest and largest manufacturers of munitions, once the second-largest Belgium armaments manufacturer. The company indirectly started in 1778 in Wetteren as a gunpowder factory. By its 200th anniversary in 1979 it had 73 factories throughout the world, with the headquarters in Brussels.
PRB finally became bankrupt in 1993 after being demilitarised in 1990 with parts sold to the Luchaire Defense SA, part of Giat Industries (now known as AFAIR Société Nouvelle PRB SA)
The history of PRB revolves around its production sites in Belgium. Production was located in 6 sites, Matagne, Clermont, Vivegnis (Wallonia), Mechelen, Kaulille and Balen, with mine related production at Matagne (components), Kaulille (explosives) and Balen (filling).
In 1778 Jan-Frans Cooppal established a gunpowder factory at Wetteren (Belgium) called Koninklijke Buskruitfabriek Cooppal. This was closed by the French on July 31, 1796 but after the Battle of Waterloo production was restarted in 1815.
Following a catastrophic explosion in 1880 a new plant was decided to be built at Kaulille (Belgium). In 1881 the company changed its name to NV Cooppal en Co.
On 19 June 1896 at Casteau (Belgium), the Poudrerie Réunies de Casteau was established, for the production of gunpowder and explosives.
Ether production is started in 1898 at Cooppal in Wetteren and in 1919 the Poudrerie Réunies de Casteau change their name to Poudreries Réunies de Belgique (PRB).
Between the two world wars the sites started production of synthetic and natural resins as used in paint and varnish. In 1952 the Wetteren site, under license from Bayer produces polyurethane foam (PU), and so reducing reliance on the production of gunpowder and ether.
In 1966 PRB and Cooppal create a 50:50 joint venture Eurofoam, focusing on polyurethane and throughout the 1970s PRB develops its chemical industry interests.
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