Société générale de Belgique
The Société générale de Belgique was a large conglomerate in Belgium founded in 1822 and existing until 2003 .
The company was founded in 1822 by King Wilhelm I of the Netherlands to promote the country's economic development. After the revolution of 1830 and the breakaway from the Netherlands, it served as the central bank of Belgium, which had become independent, until 1850 . As a result, the company invested heavily in road, rail and canal construction.
The economic exploitation of the natural resources of the Belgian Congo was entrusted to a subsidiary of Société générale, the Union minière du Haut Katanga . Together with the Force Publique , it made a major contribution to the inhuman colonial economic conditions that became known as the Congo Abomination .
In the Great Depression of 1930, the company's banking business was separated.
Olivetti acquired 18% of the share capital of Société Générale de Belgique and tried in 1988 in vain to increase it to a blocking minority. In 2003, the Société générale was merged with the Tractebel company by its sole owner, Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux .