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Montecatini S.G.E.M. - Polveriera di Taino

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The history of this factory began in 1914, when the "S.A. Davey Bickford Smith" (Italian branch of the French explosives manufacturing company) decided to built a new plant on the wooden hills nearby Lago Maggiore. The plant production reached the top between 1915 and 1945, changing the corporate name in 1935: it became "Società Italiana Brickford", being part of the national explosives trust called S.G.E.M. ("Società Generale Esplosivi e Munizioni" - General Society for Explosives and Ammoes). During the conflict it was renamed Nobel S.G.E.M. as joint-venture between S.G.E.M. and Nobel Dynamite Company. Ended the war, the plant was owned by Montecatini chemical company, later Montedison. Soon explosives lost their importance within the business of Montedison Group, until 1972 when the factory was dismantled and closed.
I want to share with you a dramatic report about a huge explosion happened in 1935, which made 53 victims, at this link. (in Italian)