SLATE FACTORYThe slate deposit in this region has been known since the 16th century and concentrated

SLATE FACTORYThe slate deposit in this region has been known since the 16th century and concentrated around eight basins in the Belgian Ardennes. The company that operated this quarry was founded in 1895. Originally, it was mined in the open air around 1830 and only went underground after the First World War. The first mine shaft was only 40 meters deep, but it was later extended to a depth of 170 meters. From then on, the mine had to be equipped with a ventilation shaft. The growing success allowed the company to acquire several smaller mining companies. However, the intensifying competition from Spain forced the Belgian slate companies to join forces. This is how INARBEL (Industries Ardoisières de Belgique) was created in the early 1970s. This merger was finally dissolved ten years later, in 1983. Each site regained its independence, but it was not until 1986 that operations resumed on this site. A new company is born under the name Ardoisières de Martelange SA. New machinery was installed to allow the company to diversify by concentrating its production on slate slabs rather than roof slates. That same year, the company took over a slate quarry in Luxembourg. According to the forecasts, this expansion would allow a doubling of production. However, the cost of this expansion was immense and the company ran into serious financial difficulties. It was bought in 1990 by a Luxembourg entrepreneur, but failed to get out of financial difficulties. Bankruptcy was announced in 1995, one hundred years after its founding.  -- source link

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