La Brugeoise et Nivelles
| Company type | Subsidiary (after acquisition) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway rolling stock manufacturing |
| Predecessor | La Brugeoise et Nicaise et Delcuve, Les Ateliers Métallurgiques de Nivelles |
| Founded | 1851 (origins in hardware shop founded by Joseph De Jaegher) |
| Fate | Acquired by Bombardier Transportation in 1988; facilities closed or integrated by 2011 |
| Headquarters | Bruges, Nivelles, Manage (Belgium) , Belgium |
| Products | Railway locomotives, rolling stock, trams, metro trains, bridges, locks, sluice gates, cranes, chemical and sugar processing equipment |
| Parent | Bombardier Transportation (from 1988) |
La Brugeoise et Nivelles, subsequently known as BN Constructions Ferroviaires et Métalliques, was a Belgian enterprise specializing in the manufacture of railway locomotives and rolling stock. It originated from the merger of La Brugeoise et Nicaise et Delcuve with Les Ateliers Métallurgiques de Nivelles.
After being acquired by Bombardier Transportation in 1988, its facilities in Nivelles and Manage were shut down in 1989 and 2000 respectively. By 2011, the Bruges plant was operating as Bombardier Transportation Belgium.
History
The company’s roots trace back to 1851 when Joseph De Jaegher founded a hardware shop in Bruges. This venture expanded into steel manufacturing workshops and merged with Usines Ferdinand Feldhaus in 1891, creating Ateliers de Construction Forges et Aceries de Bruges. By 1905, operations had moved to a larger site near the Ghent Ostend Canal at Sint-Michiels, functioning under the name Société Anonyme La Brugeoise.
In 1913, the formation of La Brugeoise et Nicaise et Delcuve occurred through a consolidation during restructuring under Trust Métallurgique Belge-Français. The company was capitalized at 10 million francs and featured modern steelworks and forging facilities at Sint-Michiels.
Following the destruction caused by World War I, the company underwent rebuilding and growth; control transferred to Société Générale de Belgique in 1919.
A merger with Les Ateliers Métallurgiques de Nivelles in 1956 led to the creation of La Brugeoise et Nivelles. Later, in 1977, it joined forces with Constructions Ferroviaries du Centre (CFC), resulting in BN Constructions Ferroviaries et Métalliques (BN).
Bombardier initially acquired a 45% stake in BN in 1986, increasing its ownership to 90.6% by 1988. The Bruges and Manage plants became part of Bombardier Eurorail's BN division in 1991, while the Nivelles facility closed and was demolished by 1990.
In 2000, Bombardier announced the closure of the Manage factory, which sparked backlash from trade unions and the Belgian government amid concerns about job losses linked to contract reductions. Production of trains ceased at this location, which was later repurposed by Duferco for steel plate processing.
By 2011, the Bruges site continued operations as Bombardier Transportation Belgium.
Products
The Manage facility manufactured its first railway vehicles in 1875, followed by the Bruges plant producing its inaugural tram in 1885. Initially, production concentrated predominantly on freight wagons. In addition to rail vehicles, the company also fabricated bridges, locks, sluice gates, cranes, and equipment for chemical and sugar processing industries.
In 1961, it obtained a license from Anglo-Franco-Belge to build GM-EMD locomotives for European markets, including models such as Class 55, Class 62, and CFL 1800. By 1973, factories at Bruges and Familleureux had developed their first metro trains for Brussels Intercommunal Transport Company.
BN manufactured 26 light rail vehicles (VLT) for Rio de Janeiro Metro’s Line 2; eight units were produced in Belgium (1979) while eighteen were constructed by Cobrasma in São Paulo between 1980 and 1982. Some Cobrasma-built cars operated briefly on Campinas’ short-lived light rail system during the 1990s.
The original "Type 1" cars for Portland’s MAX Light Rail (ordered in 1981) were largely built by Bombardier based on a modified BN design from Rio de Janeiro Metro vehicles. BN produced components of the bogie frame in Belgium; assembly took place in North America with bodyshells supplied from La Pocatiere, Canada.
A consortium consisting of BN and ACEC delivered first-generation LRTA 1000 class light rail vehicles for Manila’s LRT Line 1 (inaugurated in 1984), financed through a Belgian government loan. Initially configured as two-car sets, these were later converted into three-car sets equipped with air conditioning. These units are currently being replaced by newer CAF-built LRTA 13000 class trains.
In 1989, a partnership between BN, ANF Industrie, and Bombardier secured a €36 billion contract for constructing Eurotunnel Shuttle wagons; BN’s portion was valued at €8 billion.
In 1994, BN collaborated with INKA and Holec to manufacture commuter trains for Indonesia’s KRL Jabotabek network.
Following Bombardier’s takeover in 1998, BN won a contract worth approximately 22.2 billion Belgian francs to build 105 Bombardier Voyager trains for Virgin Rail Group, Midland Mainline, and Hull Trains in the UK at Bruges and Manage plants; BN’s share was estimated between 8 and 10 billion francs. Deliveries occurred during the early years of the new millennium.
Under Bombardier management, production included Flexity Outlook trams for Brussels and Flexity Swift vehicles for Rotterdam, bodyshells for SNCF’s Autorail à grande capacité trains, as well as B09 units for London’s Docklands Light Railway. The company continues to supply passenger rail vehicles to Belgian Railways (NMBS/SNCB).
See also
- Ateliers de Constructions Electriques de Charleroi, producer of electrical components for BN locomotives
- Alstom Crespin, manufacturer of rolling stock located in northern France, affiliated with Bombardier Transportation
- La Brugeoise cars (Buenos Aires Underground)
External links
- , Historic protected former gatehouse of the La Brugeoise factory
- , Location of the Alstom Transportation Belgium S.A. manufacturing facility