This know-how would be perpetuated and enhanced and, later, during the revolutionary period, Saint Etienne would assume for a short period the name of Armeville.
However, it was in the 19th century with the emergence of mass coal mining that the Saint Etienne steel industry was to truly come into its own.
The Loire coal basin was France’s first coal producer for a long time, in front of the basin of Northern France. This coal was at the origin of the major growth of the steel industry in the Saint Etienne region. The city would thus become a recognised centre of attractiveness, and many craftsmen and engineers would give impetus to its creative spirit.
Saint Etienne was the site of the 1st railway line on the European continent (Saint-Etienne – Andrézieux for goods in 1823 and Saint-Etienne – Lyon for passengers in 1826). Its region would also become famous for cycle production.
Today, although the Loire steel industry has changed, some major players, particularly in the special steels sector, are still present.
The steel industry is the biggest consumer of refractory materials.
BONY offers an extensive range of silico-aluminous and aluminous refractories (chamotte, andalusite, bauxite, corundum) destined for the steel industry. In particular, our hollow-extruded products for ingot casting yield excellent operating results with the sector’s major contractors. Ingots cast using BONY refractories are remarkably inclusion-free. Ingots cast using BONY refractories show excellent inclusion cleanliness.
