Legs and Borders

Quite random visit to this site as we have been looking for another one, but still quite rewarding with some nice views and lots of rusting steel. history: Les Forges de Clabecq, a 100-year-old family firm run by the last representative of the founding family until 1995, kept out of the regroupings in the Belgian steel industry which occurred at the end of the 1970s. It then still employed 5,000 workers and had its own markets and specific products. The public authorities became shareholders in the 1980s, but left the power of decision with the private shareholders, the families and their banking groups. In 1992, a strike broke out in protest at the managements proposals to dismantle non-profitable installations and to cut jobs. Bankruptcy was declared at the beginning of 1997, after the refusal of assent by the European Commission, and all the Clabecq employees were dismissed. Resources were insufficient to pay back the bank loans or pay the legal compensation and the deb...

Big credit goes to Subversive for helping me out with location, he pointed though a bit further down the road so had a bit of e xploring before finding it, never mind :) The place turned out to be quite a chilled explore, and the weather was... great. History: In the 1980s, the Copyhold site was sending loose earths and packaged cat litter around the world. By 1995, however, due to falling profits it was announced that the company would close 10% of its 100 plants. Copyhold fell victim the following year and the Laporte Group ceased fuller's earth production altogether in 1997. Visited solo in 2011, and as you can see i was romancing with heavy hdr's then, heh.

In 1936 brothers Franaszek began building factory producing photographic paper and negative films. At the outbreak of World War II they did not stop the production, only changed the range - the clandestine activities of papers, produced here for the intelligence and sabotage Army. Printed and duplicated anti-Nazi materials. On the 5th of August 1944, SS troops invaded the factory, brutally murdered the staff and seeking refuge in here residents of Warsaw's Wola, the owner and his family were killed also. During the Warsaw Uprising, majority of the factory buildings were destroyed.  After the war, factory was nationalized and given the name of Warsaw Photochemical Works FOTON [ Warszawskie Zakłady Fotochemiczne FOTON ]. Factory produced film and photographic chemicals, including most of the membranes and reagents for medical radiology. By 1990 Foton was practically the only supplier of medical X-ray film, for the Polish health care. After the political chan...

It turned out to be pretty pleasant and eventful mooch, firstly we got spotted by the security guard, so had to go back, and look for an alternative access point, which lead us all around the quarry.. rather long walk, but the weather was enjoyable, proof, a rurex crew shot :) Eventually we approached the factory from the side the guard couldn't see us and entered the site. history:  The present buildings were erected in 1949 with production ceasing in 1991. The quarry actually dates back to 1851 and cement was manufactured on the site since at least 1898. A tunnel under the road separates the distribution plant and administrative blocks (west) and the industrial site and chalk quarry (east). Clay was obtained from pits a short distance up the River Adur and coal was brought in by rail. The cement was fired in two enormous 350ft kilns. The works is considered a fine example of the technology of the post war period and is still largely intact. Finally, ...

My first and hopefully not last visit to the Steel City, very positively surprised by it, one day trip turned out to be pretty epic experience, we managed to visit 3 out of 4 planned locations. all locations visited with: Keïteï, Subversive Photography, TrankmasT and Sammydoublewhammy . Firth Vickers Stainless Steels First stop on our trip, quite easy access and good chilled explore, met the best security guard on the way out, who officially allowed and encouraged us to go ahead and explore :) big thumb up. Firth Vickers were a major name in Sheffield's steel empire, and perhaps best known for the invention of Stainless steel in 1912. They branded this 'Staybrite' which gives this works its name. Firth Brown Steels was initially formed in 1902, when Sheffield steelmakers John Brown and Company exchanged shares and came to a working agreement with neighbouring company Thomas Firth & Sons. In 1908 the two companies came together and esta...