Felguera Factory facts for kids
The Felguera Factory (in Spanish, Fábrica de La Felguera) was a very important industrial site in La Felguera, a town in northern Spain. It was one of the first big factories for the company now known as Duro Felguera. Even though the factory isn't working anymore, part of it is now home to the Museum of the Siderurgy. This museum teaches visitors all about how iron and steel were made.
Contents
The Factory's Beginning
Before the Felguera Factory, a smaller company called La Factoría de Gíl y Compañía was already in the area since 1856. Then, on May 21, 1857, a man named Pedro Duro started a new company called the Sociedad Metalúrgica de Langreo. He worked with his partners, Vicente Bayo and Francisco Antonio de Elorza y Aguirre. They built the factory between 1857 and 1859 on a piece of land known as El Pradón de La Felguera, which means "The big meadow of La Felguera."
Why This Location Was Perfect
Pedro Duro wanted to bring modern steel-making to the town. He chose this spot because it had everything needed for a big factory. There was plenty of coal nearby, which was essential for fuel. The Nalón and Candín rivers provided water. Plus, the Carbonera Road and the Langreo Railway connected the town to Gijón, making it easy to transport materials and finished products.
Making Iron and Steel
The factory's main furnace was lit for the first time in 1859. The very next year, in 1860, the factory successfully produced its first iron. The Felguera Factory quickly became one of the most important places in Spain for making steel and iron. It played a huge role in helping Asturias become a major industrial region. The factory continued to operate for many years, but it finally closed its doors in 1984.
Gallery
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The building that is now the Museum of Siderurgy
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Pedro Duro, the founder of the factory
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The Felguera Factory in the early 1900s
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The laboratories building, as it looks today
See also
In Spanish: Fábrica de La Felguera para niños
