History

Both Riviere and Moreda were founded by French technicians and engineers involved in the financial sector and railway companies. The connections that the founders maintained with overseas industries would prove to be key for establishing and consolidating the wire drawing and iron and steel businesses in Catalonia and Asturias. Both companies were able to overcome domestic recessions thanks to their commitment to the overseas sector, innovating and exploiting their competitive advantages.

Riviere started its wire mesh manufacturing activity in 1854, in a workshop created by the Frenchman Pierre Mage. It continued its activity in several manufacturing centers (in Madrid, Bilbao, Barcelona and Pamplona) owned by the Rivière family (1860-1979), later by Manuel Varela Mató, Aceralia and other companies (1979-1999) and finally by Celsa (1999 to present).

Moreda was created in 1879, starting its wire production in 1881 in the vicinity of Gijón. A group of French investors (bankers and industrialists), represented in the management of the factory by Isidoro Clausel de Coussergues (and later his brother Henri), led the initiative and financing of this company. The Sociedad Industrial Asturiana Santa Bárbara bought the Moreda y Gijón factory in 1899 and put it under the management of José Tartière Lenegre. The Tartière family controled the destinies of the Gijón wire drawing plant to the 1980s, when Celsa progressively entered into ownership.

In 1990 CELSA Group™ acquired Moreda S.A. and in 1999 Riviere S.A. Celsa is one of the leading European multinationals in long steel products, the most diversified and vertically integrated. MRT benefits from this integration, as it now has full control over all stages of manufacturing of its products.

One of the characteristics of MRT is the continuous innovation in its production processes and products. For example, in 2004 its factories were equipped with 2 most technologically advanced painting lines. Subsequently, the pressing and strapping processes were automated.
In addition, new machines were acquired for the production of FK MRT and XK MRT meshes, and ZnAl wire production was started up.