200 yrs
of continuous data revealed
Grand opening · Public conference · Press briefing · October 22nd 2026
The Saga of Zinc
From Liège to the assault of the world
After 40 years of sleep and 8 intense years of classification, one of the richest industrial archives in Europe is finally accessible!
Why this event matters
A success story from Liège explained
830lm
of unpublished documents
11,000
analyses
8 yrs
of classification by 3 archivists
The Saga
Vieille-Montagne, an extraordinary industrial adventure
The "Société des Mines et Fonderies de Zinc de la Vieille Montagne", founded in Liège and Paris in 1837, takes its name from the famous Altenberg zinc mine located in La Calamine in German-speaking Belgium.
The heart in Liège
The history of this multinational company is marked by an extraordinary technological
development that takes as a starting point the invention and refinement of the zinc
furnace by canon Jean Jacques Dony at the Faubourg Saint Léonard in Liège in 1805.
In
the second half of the 19th century, Vieille-Montagne became an industrial giant that,
along with other large neighboring steel companies, contributed to making the “Cité
Ardente” a major pole of global metallurgy.
The world as the objective
For nearly two centuries, at the cost of an exemplary expansion and integration policy,
the company has maintained a central position in the production and processing of zinc
in all its presentations.
The heart of the Vieille Montagne Company continues to
beat valiantly today through its trademark VMZINC, distributed worldwide.
International expansion
From Liège to the assault of the world
Mines and mining concessions, zinc production sites in all its presentations, processing workshops, sales counters and networks of depositaries on the 5 continents: Vieille Montagne deploys its influence and develops its markets well beyond the Liège basin.
Germany
Lüderich · Bensberg
England
Nenthead
Sardinia
San Benedetto
Algeria
Hamman N’Bails
Sweden
Zinkgruvan
The Archives
An ARCHIVAL COLLECTION finally classified and made ACCESSIBLE
The Vieille Montagne Company’s archives are one of the richest industrial collections in Europe. Now classified, they reveal 200 years of the dense and complex life of one of the first true multinational companies in the world.
They offer a unique insight into an extraordinary technological, social, political and human adventure, and also tell the story of Belgium’s birth, industrial Europe and those who contributed to the company’s success.
- Save
1989 - Inventory
2018-2019 - Classify and Scan
2020-2026 - Make available
2026
Know more
To go further
October 22nd 2026
The event
Date
Thursday October 22nd 2026
at 6 pm
Location
Maison de la Métallurgie et de l’Industrie de Liège
(House of Metallurgy and Industry of
Liège)
Boulevard Raymond Poincaré 17
4000 Liège - Belgium
Partners
· Archives de l’État de Liège (Belgian State Archives in Liège)
· AVAE (Association for the
Valorization of Corporate Archives)
· Maison de la Métallurgie et de l’Industrie de Liège
(House of Metallurgy and Industry of Liège)
· Vieille Montagne Heritage
Programme
- Welcome of participants
- Welcome address Eric Pirard · Professor Emeritus at the University of Liège, Director of the Maison de la Métallurgie et de l’Industrie de Liège (MMIL)
- Screening of the film “Des Zincroyables Archives !”
- Introduction by Mrs Vanessa Matz Minister for Public Action and Modernisation, responsible for Public Enterprises and the Civil Service
-
Round-table discussion
- Sébastien Dubois Historian · Professor at UCLouvain · Operational Director at the State Archives of Belgium
- Jean Louis Moreau Archivist and historian · Association for the Valorization of Corporate Archives (AVAE)
- Thomas Leysen Chairman of the Board, Umicore · President of the King Baudouin Foundation
- Caroline Lamarche Writer · Member of the Royal Academy of French Language and Literature of Belgium
- Norbert Schneider Sales Director, VM Building Solutions · VMZINC brand
- Eric Pirard Professor Emeritus at the University of Liège, Director of the Maison de la Métallurgie et de l’Industrie de Liège (MMIL)
- Questions and answers
- Reception Informal discussions with the speakers
- Guided tour of the temporary exhibition
Take part
WHY COME?
Learn
The heritage of an industry born in Liège and became a worldwide adventure.
Understand
The zinc industry, its uses, its innovations and the reasons of its success.
Discover
Unpublished documents, plans, reports, patents and photographs.
Meet
Experts, researchers, archivists and industrial heritage enthusiasts.
Know more
A temporary exhibition to extend the discovery after the conference.
Registration / Contact
Request information or register
The form allows you to indicate an intention to participate in the event, to send a request for information or to contact the organization. Messages are sent to info@sagazinc.com.