Tilff Rolling Mill plant- Vieille Montagne

In 1837, the Vieille Montagne company bought the Tilff mill and rolling mill in order to roll the Zinc produced at the Angleur plant. Once the Zinc ore is melted at the Angleur plant, the metal is transported by boat to Tilff via the Ourthe Canal to be rolled.

From this period until the end of the Second World War, the plant ran day and night, producing about 50 tonnes of Zinc per day.

The rolling mill employed up to 450 people and the Veille Montagne factory was the economic heart of the village, also supporting many small businesses.

The zinc rolling process is nothing like the technique used in Tilff in the 19th century. In fact, techniques have changed considerably over the last few decades, making it possible to process larger volumes with greater safety for the personnel (see video).

Zinc is currently used in many everyday applications such as galvanized sheet metal or batteries...

Sources:
www.esneux.be/patrimoine