Figure 1.--

France was not one of the two major aluminum producers, but was important producing about 35,000 t of aluminum during the 1930s. The French aluminum industry began with Pechiney SA, an aluminum producer established (1855), This was followed by the first industrial operation -- electrolytic production facilities (1880s). Société Ugine Kuhlmann, an aluminum maker and chemical company was established (1889. The St-Jean-de-Maurienne aluminum works was constructed by PCAC on the Arc River in the Maurienne Valley (1907). The French unlike America, Germany, and Britain had bauxite deposit to mine for domestic industry and to export. Germany for strategic reasons did not import its bauxite needs from France. Something like 90 percent of Frances's aluminum was controlled by the Cie. De Produits Chimiques et Electrometallurgiques Alais Froges et Camarque (Pechiney). The only other producer was Ste. d’Electrochimie, d’Electrometallurgie et des Acieries Electriques d’Ugine (Ugine). It was Pechiney that had entered into the cartel agreements with IG Farben (1927). Most of France's bauxite resource was mined in the south of the country long the Mediterranean coast. Fluorspar, pyrites and a small amount of bauxite was mined in France's central plateau region. Most of France’s aluminum production was also located in the south of France. Pechineyc was a vertically integrated operator. and mined bauxite and coal near the Mediterranean coast It produced aluminum and magnesium metal as well as a range of aluminum products. It operated two of its three large alumina refineries along the Mediterranean coast close to the bauxite mines. Here they benefited from the hydro-electric power generated in France's the Alpine region to the north. This area became the center of the French aluminum aluminum smelting industry. Smaller smelting operations took place near the Pyrenees further west for the same reason. Unfortunately unlike World War I, France fell to the Germans (June 1940). This deprived the British war effort of both French bauxite and aluminum production and Britain had o make major adjustments. With the fall of France, the Germans essentially looted the country and the pickings were rich indeed. One bonanza was the French strategic reserve of industrial metals. And what they found could be easily shipped back to German on the French rail system, now in German hands. The Germans exploited both French industry and raw materials. Hitler's, war plan was to run the German war economy on the vast resources to be obtained by seizing the Soviet Union in the East. When that did not go to plan, he had four years to exploit the occupied countries and France was by far the most important. And one of those resources was the French bauxite mines as well as the aluminum industry. Göring plan to massively increase aluminum German production was a total failure, but he did successfully exploit the French aluminum industry, both bauxite and refined aluminum. German plans to integrate French industry into its war economy generally failed, but the aluminum industry was an exception, in large part because of the collaboration of Pechiney.

History

France was not one of the two major aluminum producers, but was important producing about 35,000 t of aluminum during the 1930s. The French aluminum industry began with Pechiney SA, an aluminum producer established (1855), This was followed by the first industrial operation -- electrolytic production facilities (1880s). Société Ugine Kuhlmann, an aluminum maker and chemical company was established (1889. The St-Jean-de-Maurienne aluminum works was constructed by PCAC on the Arc River in the Maurienne Valley (1907).

Bauxite Mining

The French unlike America, Germany, and Britain had bauxite deposit to mine for domestic industry and to export. Germany for strategic reasons did not import its bauxite needs from France. Most of France's bauxite resource was mined in the south of the country long the Mediterranean coast. Fluorspar, pyrites and a small amount of bauxite was mined in France's central plateau region.

Companies

Something like 90 percent of Frances's aluminum was controlled by the Cie. De Produits Chimiques et Electrometallurgiques Alais Froges et Camarque (Pechiney). The only other producer was Ste. d’Electrochimie, d’Electrometallurgie et des Acieries Electriques d’Ugine (Ugine). It was Pechiney that had entered into the cartel agreements with IG Farben (1927).

Aluminum Processing

Most of France’s aluminum production was also located in the south of France. Pechineyc was a vertically integrated operator. and mined bauxite and coal near the Mediterranean coast It produced aluminum and magnesium metal as well as a range of aluminum products. It operated two of its three large alumina refineries along the Mediterranean coast close to the bauxite mines. Here they benefited from the hydro-electric power generated in France's the Alpine region to the north. This area became the center of the French aluminum aluminum smelting industry. Smaller smelting operations took place near the Pyrenees further west for the same reason.

Fall of France (1940)

Unfortunately unlike World War I, France fell to the Germans (June 1940). This deprived the British war effort of both French bauxite and aluminum production and Britain had to make major adjustments.

German Occupation(1940-44)

With the fall of France, the Germans essentially looted the country and the pickings were rich indeed. One bonanza was the French strategic reserve of industrial metals. And what they found could be easily shipped back to German on the French rail system, now in German hands. The Germans exploited both French industry and raw materials. Hitler's, war plan was to run the German war economy on the vast resources to be obtained by seizing the Soviet Union in the East. When that did not go to plan, he had four years to exploit the occupied countries and France was by far the most important. And one of those resources was the French bauxite mines as well as the aluminum industry. Göring plan to massively increase aluminum German production was a total failure, but he did successfully exploit the French aluminum industry, both bauxite and refined aluminum. German plans to integrate French industry into its war economy generally failed, but the aluminum industry was an exception, in large part because of the collaboration of Pechiney. The NAZis controlled the French aluminum industry directly and indirectly by both securityb forces and investment. Capitalization of Pechiney tripled (1940-41). The Pechiney management were pro-German. Göring' plans to expabnd aluminum productiion was a total failure. The one glimmer of success was France. French aluminum production increased from 35,000 annually (1936) to 70,000 (1943). Some 70 percent of that total was exported to Germany. [U.S. Senate]

Allied Bombing (1943-44)

RAF's Bomber Command bgan the War with several basiucally obsoletre bombers wityhout the rnge to reacg Germany or German controlled areas. It was ionly with the devkopment of the Avro Lsancaster and oiher modern bombers (1942). Than the United States Eighth Air Force which had been building uop in Britain, joined the campaign, first by bombing targets in France (late-1942). Targets included French factories supplying the Gernmans like Renault. As well as French rail infrastructure. this made the shiopment of French bauxite to Germany increasingly diffiuclt. This left the Germans larfely left with Hungarian mines and to a lesser extent the Yugoslavian mines which were also being affected by the increasing Partisan activity there.

Sources

U.S. Senate. Subcommitte of the Committee on Military Afairs. "The Elimination of German Resources for War" (GPO: June 22, 1945).

Created: 9:21 PM 12/17/2022
Last updated: 9:21 PM 12/17/2022