Metallurgical Company of Normandy

The metallurgical Société of Normandy (SMN) was a company Low Norman launched in 1917 and closed in 1993 on the commune of Colombelles, in the agglomeration of Caen.

Origins

Exploited since the Gallo-Roman time, the iron mines of the high valley of the Orne had allowed a modest metallurgical activity until the French revolution. At the beginning of the 20th century, exploitation of the iron ore layer of Soumont, with Potigny, revival the metallurgical activity in the Apple-brandy. In 1903, the German industrialist August Thyssen buys the majority of the actions of the mining and metallurgical Société of the Apple-brandy . It wishes to use the iron ore in order to supply of them its factories in Germany with the lower costs. In 1909, it buys grounds with Colombelles to build its factory there. The position of the SMN, along the Canal of Caen to the sea facilitated export by sea route. But its project was very badly seen by the population because the relations were already tended between France and Germany to the day before Great War. Thyssen thus chooses to join a French industrialist. June 4th 1910, they found the Société of the blast furnaces of Caen . A mining railroad is built between the factory and the mines of the south of Caen, in particular those of Saint-Germain-the-Vasson and Potigny. In 1914, August Thyssen holds nothing any more but 25% of the shares of the company which employs 3.000 people. But when the war bursts, the factory is requisitioned and manufactures shells.

Activity

August 19th 1917, the minister Albert Thomas symbolically lights the first blast furnace of the site, largest of the world at that time. The company takes the name of Société Norman of metallurgy . Second into service in 1918 is brought. In 1925, the SNM becomes the SMN. In 1938, the factory produces 250.000 tons of steel and covers 160 hectares on a peninsula between the Flowering ash and the channel. It exports in all Europe and in Africa. At the beginning of the Years 1940, 4.000 workmen work on the site, come mainly from South and Eastern Europe; Colombelles multiplied its population by ten in ten years. The factory deals with the construction of working cities with Colombelles, Mondeville and Giberville, it opens schools, cribs, sporting clubs for the children (Michel Hidalgo begins football in the club from the SMN). But the Second world war stops the activity. The German authorities order little by little the resumption of work but this one can be only partial because of the difficulties of supply raw material, in particular coal. They produce shells however and employ more than 3.000 people but this production makes a target for the English bombers of it. The factory must extinguish the last blast furnace in 1942, manpower fall with 900 employees. As from 1943, STO is set up and absorbs many workmen. From the Release, the buildings do not escape the bombardments which shave many Normans cities, and particularly Caen, but the rebuilding is fast: in 1950, three blast furnaces function. Rise is important during the Glorious Thirty, 6.000 workmen are employed, it is the most important industrial site of the area. The production reaches 1.000.000 of tons in 1973 of which the half is imported via the wearing of Caen.

Closing

Become property of Unimetal of the group Usinor-Sacilor, today Arcelor, the factory does not escape the crisis which touches the sector of the metallurgy in Western Europe in the middle of the Années 1970. The SMN specializes in the production of wire rod. The dismissals are numerous. The fate of the factory is inevitable, closing is decided at the end of the Années 1980. Last casting takes place the November 5th 1993, in spite of the eagerness of the employees to maintain the activity. Many demonstrations proceed in the center town of Caen, going sometimes until the confrontation with the police force, the direction of the SMN, local employers, and the line, affirmed in the local press which it is “normal that the workers of the SMN are reclassified by losing money, even half of their wages” " . The town of Colombelles is ruined, most of the population was " metal-worker " and the taxes constituted 65% of the budget of the commune.

The site remained a long time with the state of waste ground after the dismantling of the buildings, a part is rebuilt in China whose cheap steel had taken part in the decline of the SMN. A tower, the " Cauldron " is left in order to testify to the activity to what was the most important industry of the area. Agroalimentary companies are established little by little on the site as well as companies of the tertiary sector, of which a technological campus Philips Semi Driver (become NXP).

See too

the SMN, activities, history and testimonys
Official site of the town of Colombelles

Random links: