Dauby Beton
Hidden in the industrial veins of Marchienne-au-Pont lies the crumbling shell of what was once a proud Belgian concrete manufacturer: Dauby Beton. What remains today are fading memories of a family business that stood strong for eight decades.
Founded in 1939, Dauby Beton was once a reliable name in the Walloon construction scene. The company specialized in producing concrete pipes, paving stones, curbs, and manholes, both reinforced and plain. For many years, its products formed the literal foundation of countless streets and buildings across Belgium.
But even concrete empires can crumble. In 2018, Dauby reported a net loss of €263,000, despite generating revenues between €1 and €2 million. The workforce had shrunk to just 15 employees. On August 6th, 2019, the curtain fell: Dauby Beton was declared bankrupt. The gates of the factory closed for good.
Today, the site stands empty. Moss creeps over the factory floors. Graffiti marks the walls where invoices once hung. The land is currently up for sale, waiting for someone to rewrite the story. A warehouse? Housing? Or perhaps, another forgotten relic in Charleroi’s industrial graveyard?
One important note: Dauby Beton has no ties to Dauby, the designer hardware company known for artisanal fittings. Different world, same name.
I visited the site in 2020, just a few months after the company was officially declared bankrupt. What remains today is a skeleton of the factory, stripped bare.
