Charleroi to host visitors from its namesake in Belgium
CHARLEROI – As many as 500 glassblowers from Belgium settled in Charleroi more than a century ago when the town was attempting to compete with Pittsburgh Plate Glass.
The borough was even named after Charleroi, Belgium, which, in 1890, was the largest glass manufacturing center in the world.
“They went to work for Macbeth-Evans, which became Corning and is now World Kitchen,” said Charleroi Mayor Ed Bryner, who will host a group of officials from Charleroi, Belgium, Wednesday.
“I think it’s a good idea to have our sister city come to Charleroi,” Bryner said.
Charleroi, Belgium, Mayor Paul Magnette and three other representatives of his city were expected to arrive in Pittsburgh Monday for discussions about how Pittsburgh’s industrial transition can inspire the city in Belgium.
They wanted to visit former industrial sites, the international strategy department at Carnegie Mellon University and Fallingwater before traveling to Charleroi and then heading Wednesday night to Detroit.
“We would like to visit the municipality of Charleroi – quite fun that the (borough) was named after ours,” Thomas Dermine, head of economic development in the Belgian city, stated in an email to the borough.
“It will be a cool picture with the two mayors of Charleroi,” Dermine said.
The group from Belgium was interested in touring the historic district in the Washington County borough along the Monongahela River.
The borough was attempting to arrange a tour of World Kitchen, which produces Pyrex, and the group will have lunch at Riverhouse Cafe, the borough said.