Forges de Clabecq was part of a former blast furnace and steel company that was founded in 1888.

Activities on the site had already been known since 1752, when a forge powered by a watermill was established. Although the company initially grew and expanded its operations with several installations, including a small blast furnace, bankruptcy and a takeover followed in 1829. Thanks in part to the newly constructed canal that ran alongside the site, the new owners were able to significantly grow and expand the company. By 1850, it was a fully-fledged steelworks. A new rolling mill was installed, and a connection to the railway network was established. In 1888, the company was converted into a public limited company, which would become the region's main employer for over 100 years.

In the mid-1970s, the steel mill was at its peak, employing over 6,000 workers. However, the 1973 oil crisis heralded—as it did for many other companies—a particularly troubled period. Due to highly fluctuating raw material prices and the questionable role of the banks, bankruptcy ultimately proved unavoidable. In 1996, the mill was declared bankrupt.