HODEZ Edmond

Marie Paul Edmond HODEZ was born in Verdun on 18 April 1862.
In 1882 he came to Ettelbruck to set up a nail factory in the “Dagois-mill” in Ettelbruck. He imported the machinery from an industrial site in France (Chatel-St-Germain, near Metz).
Victor SPAS was his partner, at least as of 1887.
HODEZ also had a joint venture with “MERGEN”, judging from the fact that he took part with the latter in the “Exposition internationale d’Agriculture et d’Horticulture organisée par le Cercle grand-ducal agricole et horticole du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg” in 1891. HODEZ & MERGEN obtained a gold medal for the following products: copeaux et laines de bois pour brasseries et vinaigreries.
From a publication of 1893 it can be seen that MERGEN also had been a partner in the nail factory when it was sold to Egide HERCKMANNS. MERGEN possibly had taken over the parts that SPAS had held earlier in the joint venture.
The HODEZ factory in Ettelbruck was partly damaged by a fire in July 1891 and completely destroyed by another fire in October 1891.
HODEZ joined BRÉZOL in Bissen in 1892. He moved his factory equipment from Ettelbruck into the premises of Bissen.
In 1895 BRÉZOL decided to sell his part in the Bissen factory and to become a commercial agent in Luxembourg-city (4 rue Wallis) for selling machines à vapeur et chaudières.
He put his share of equipment and materials in the Bissen factory up for sale in an auction and HODEZ bought the stock of finished products and the stock of supplies, but did not take over the machinery which was put up for auction in January 1896.
In 1899 HODEZ associated with French citizen Georges ANDRÉ (born in Sierck) and bought the Bissen premises from KILBURG.
HODEZ died in 1908 in Bissen. He had seven children, all born in Bissen. The local newspaper wrote the following:

On nous annonce la mort de M. P.-Edm. Hodez, industriel à Bissen, officier de réserve, et de l’état-major français, décédé à l’âge de 47 ans. Depuis 1882 où le défunt était venu dans le Grand-Duché, il n’a cessé de résider dans le pays, d’abord à Ettelbruck, puis à Bissen, où il a dirigé son usine depuis plus de vingt ans. M. Hodez laisse le souvenir d’un homme aimable, charmant qui ne comptait que des amis. Il sera enterré à Nancy, le 30 avril.
After HODEZ’s death, ANDRÉ took over the Bissen nail factory under the name of ANDRÉ & Cie. Georges ANDRÉ obtained a French patent in 1908. The company, however, went bankrupt a year later, in 1909.

A new company by the name of Société métallurgique de Bissen was set up in September 1910. It became part of the ARBED group in 1922. The nail production unit in Bissen closed in 1970.

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