Basileiades

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Basileiades is one of the most historic Greek machine building companies and the largest in its field in the country (as well as one of the most important Greek companies) during the second half of the 19th century. It was founded in Piraeus in 1859, and along with similar companies like Ifaistos and Koupas in the same city, Neorion in Syros, Vlahanis-Petropoulos in Athens, Glavanis-Kazazis in Volos and others founded in the 19th century, mark the contribution of the machine building sector in the Greek version of Industrial Revolution.

The evolution of this company was connected with the rapid development of Piraeus as an industrial and commercial center in Greece, replacing Ermoupolis in Syros. Except for shipbuilding (this company's first all-metal steamship was built in 1892), Basileiades produced an extensive range of metal and mechanical products, including steam engines, boilers, pumps, cranes, farm equipment, hydraulic devices, metal bridges, railroad material etc., while it was undertaking setting up of entire factories and customized machine building. It was also exporting some of its products, while in its advertisements it called itself "the most significant machine builder in Greece and the East". Although railway wagons were produced in Greece since (if not before) 1880, no proper locomotive had been built until Basileiades, already engaged in railway equipment construction, undertook in 1899 an order for a Steam Locomotive for Attica Railways. Construction was done on French designs. The historic locomotive, called "Hellenis" (Greek lady), was delivered in 1900 and offered its services for nearly 50 years before it was scrapped (only its badge was saved, exhibited today in the Railway Museum in Athens). Although the Basileiades company had already proudly announced (among other things) its "Locomotive producer" status in contemporary advertisements, it soon determined that further production of such steam locomotives would be unprofitable. In the early 20th century Basileiades focused on shipbuilding before being eclipsed by other shipyards and companies that flourished in that century.

[edit] References

• L.S. Skartsis and G.A. Avramidis, Made in Greece, Typorama, Patras, Greece (2003)
• G. Anastasopoulos, Istoria tis Ellinikis Viomihanias (History of Greek Industry) 1840-1940, Elliniki Ekdotiki Etairia, Athens (1946).