Forges de Zeebrugge

FdZ logo

Forges de Zeebrugge is an arms manufacturer in Belgium.

Forges de Zeebrugge was initially founded as a munitions factory between Zeebrugge and Zwankendamme, in the 1930s, as a subsidiay of Carcoke. During World War 2, the site was taken over by German forces. Allied bombing, especially in July 1943, devastated the factory site; the original munitions factory was never rebuilt and later remediation of this site was difficult due to unexploded munitions.[1]

The surviving FZ business changed focus to rocketry.[2] In 1971, FZ bought the Fort d'Évegnée, using it to store explosives.[3]

Modern-day FZ is a subsidiary of Thales, and is a leading manufacturer of aircraft rockets.[4] In 2011, FZ workers briefly went on strike, in response to a Belgian government reform of arms exports - which was triggered by FN exporting arms to Libya.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Carcoke, Zeebrugge". aDeDe. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "Home Page". FZ. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  3. ↑ "The Fort of Evegnée". FZ. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "FORGES DE ZEEBRUGGE (FZ)". Australian Munitions. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "Reprise du travail à la FN Herstal, aux Forges de Zeebrugge et chez Pratt & Whitney". Le vif. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2013.