The local presence
To satisfy the requirements of all its markets, the site at Varangéville, in Lorraine, developed a dual activity: vacuum salt and rock salt.
The salt works facility produces 625,000 tonnes/year with excellent thermal efficiency thanks to the cogeneration implemented in September 1999, and the mine of St Nicolas can produce 500,000 tonnes/year.
1855 : Ernest Daguin creates the company Société Daguin et Cie to exploit the Saint-Nicolas salt mine in Varangéville.
1855 : Creation of the salt works.
1855 : Start of the Saint-Maximilien mineshaft sinking work.
1856 : Start of mine operations.
1869 : St-Jean-Baptiste mineshaft sinking begins (the current service shafts).
1884 : Société Daguin et Cie becomes Société Marcheville Daguin et Cie.
1944 : Creation of the company Société Salinière Lorraine which rents, then buys, the St Nicolas – Varangéville mine and salt works.
1961 : Société Salinière Lorraine becomes Société Salinière de l’Est merging with several salt works companies in the Lorraine and Franche-Comté.
1966 : Modernisation of the salt works facilities at Varangéville with an increased production capacity of 150,000 tonnes/year.
1967 : Société Salinière de l’Est becomes Société Salinière de l’Est et du Sud-Ouest merging together the salt works of the east and south west of France.
1968 : Merger of Compagnie des Salins du Midi and Société Salinière de l’Est et du Sud-Ouest forming Compagnie des Salins du Midi et des Salines de l’Est.