SOLV Ernest Gaston

SOLV, Ernest GASTON (Solvay, Ernest Gaston) (1838-1922). Solvay is considered first as an engineer-technologist in the field of industrial production of soda. He was born in April 16, 1838 in the small Belgian town of Rebec-Ronone in the quarry owner's family and a small saltworks. In his youth Solvay often sick and was only home-schooling. He read many books on chemistry and was fascinated by this science. And in the age of twenty Solvay has already started to help his uncle in the management of the plant to obtain domestic gas. In the factory in Solvay revealed the talent of the inventor of chemical apparatus. Using the study of British and French chemists on the use of ammonia in the production of soda, . Solvay has created large-scale equipment for the continuous production of soda and in 1861 received a patent for a method of producing this substance all the necessary,
. Energetic and persistent, he took his father borrowed a large sum (all family savings) and built a small factory. In 1863, Solvay has already established a joint-stock company 'Solvay and K б°', and his 'little factory' in three years began to produce 1500 kg of soda a day. It took a little more time, and Solvay built in France's two largest soda factory and began to displace from the market of producers of soda, working on old-fashioned way Leblanc. The cost of soda Solvay was lower, and quality - above. In 1916, closed last soda factory, used technology Leblanc. A Solvay soon became one of the richest and most influential people in the world.

In 1880 he created the first in the history of chemical industry concern, which included soda factory in Belgium, France, Germany and Russia. In 1916, despite the war, under the control of the group Solvay was all world production of soda and even glass (glassmaking was the main 'consumer' soda). Solvay for 60 years in business, bought 38 castles with estates in different countries and became the owner of the two major Belgian banks.

Died Solvay in Brussels on 26 May 1922.