Dating back to the 1920s, the industrial site in Corehem, France developed into a huge paper mill complex including several power stations.
Visited April 2018 Corbehem, Pas-de-Calais, France Demolished
The origins of the industrial site in Corbeham in northern France date back to 1920 when the Béghin family founded a candy factory. The factory developed and diversified its product range when various market opportunities became available. One of these markets, paper making, proved to be the most successful and the sites paper mill expanded rapidly, employing around 2,000 people in the 1960s.
The mill saw heavy investment and was expanded in the late 1980s when the Paper Machine no. 5 was built, along with numerous new buildings for processing wood pulp, water treatment and other associated processes.
In 1992 the site was sold to Stora Enso, who ceased all other production at the site to concentrate solely on the production of paper, retaining three paper making machines. Two of the three paper machines were taken out of service in 2006, and laid off 398 of the 751 employees.
Aerial view of the Corbehem factories
In 2003 the site’s ageing power plants were decommissioned and replaced with a new gas-fired steam production facility. From that point all electricity used was imported from the National Grid, while control of the substation was retained by the power plant.
By 2012 the mill was struggling to secure the contracts necessary to sustain production. The PM5 paper machine was only being used to produce a little over 250,000 tons of paper, vastly under its 330,000 ton capacity, and operated at a loss if production was below 285,000 tons. The mill finally closed in 2015 after owners tried to sell the mill but failed to secure a buyer.
The mill, associated buildings and power plants were demolished in 2018.
A fantastic history of the site has been compiled (in French) here: Béghin factories
Original 1934 Power Plant
The site’s original power plant was built in 1934 and contains a fantastic Rateau Schneider turbine
Stora Enso, Corbehem – Rateau Schneider turbine and old control panelsStora Enso, Corbehem – Original turbine hallStora Enso, Corbehem – Controls on the end of the turbineStora Enso, Corbehem – Alternator in front of control panelsStora Enso, Corbehem – A partially stripped turbine in the hallStora Enso, Corbehem – Pumps in the old power stationStora Enso, Corbehem – Side view of pump roomStora Enso, Corbehem – The huge old boilerStora Enso, Corbehem – Boiler forced draught fanStora Enso, Corbehem – Pipes in the power stationStora Enso, Corbehem – A stripped out control roomStora Enso, Corbehem – The power station while demolition was under way
1963 Power Plant
A second power plant was added in 1963 and was decommissioned in 2003.
Stora Enso, Corbehem – Turbine hall – the turbines had been removedStora Enso, Corbehem – Turbine hall ground floorStora Enso, Corbehem – Power station control roomStora Enso, Corbehem – Power station control roomStora Enso, Corbehem – Last log book entry was dated April 2000Stora Enso, Corbehem – Control panel detailStora Enso, Corbehem – Stairs in power stationStora Enso, Corbehem – Old records storage roomStora Enso, Corbehem – Control panels elsewhere in the power stationStora Enso, Corbehem – Old control panelsStora Enso, Corbehem – Power station laboratory
Sub Station Control Room
The site had its own substation connecting it to the national grid, with a dedicated control room.
Stora Enso, Corbehem – The sub station’s switch yardStora Enso, Corbehem – Substation control roomStora Enso, Corbehem – Grid commander’s deskStora Enso, Corbehem – Sub station control room and distribution panelStora Enso, Corbehem – Site distribution status panel
PM3 and PM4 Paper Mill
Most of the old mills had been demolished at the time of our visit
Stora Enso, Corbehem – Old paper machine equipmentStora Enso, Corbehem – Old paper machine equipmentStora Enso, Corbehem – Coated colour kitchenStora Enso, Corbehem – Chemical pulping tanksStora Enso, Corbehem – Small control room
PM5 Paper Mill Building
The huge PM5 paper machine had been removed, but the building still contained all of the other associated facilities and machinery
Stora Enso, Corbehem – Ground floor of the PM5 buildingStora Enso, Corbehem – Top of the huge calender’s roller assemblyStora Enso, Corbehem – Super calender machineStora Enso, Corbehem – Various stages of the calender machinesStora Enso, Corbehem – Inside the calender machineStora Enso, Corbehem – Winder control roomStora Enso, Corbehem – One of the winder machinesStora Enso, Corbehem – Packaging equipmentStora Enso, Corbehem – Packaging lineStora Enso, Corbehem – Packaging lineStora Enso, Corbehem – Packing control room
The PM5 Machine
Stora Enso, Corbehem – The PM5 paper machine in 2014Stora Enso, Corbehem – The empty space where PM5 used to be locatedStora Enso, Corbehem – PM5 trench
TMP Building
The TMP building was erected in 1989 to support PM5, providing pulp cleaning, screening and bleaching processes.
Corbehem, Pas-de-Calais, France Demolished 
Un beau gachis
Que d émotions en voyant ses photos !!!!!
triste de revoir cela
Que de souvenirs avec les copains et quel gachis pour nous tous
Bonjour, ce site est-il toujours visitable ?
The place has now been demolished