Charles-Louis Carels assembled steam engines for domestic and foreign companies from 1839 onwards. In 1863, he moved his construction halls to Dok-Noord in the old port of Ghent.

Brewery

From Carels to ACEC

Carels merged with machine builder Van den Kerckhove (based at the Coupure in Ghent) in 1934; after 1961, Carels was taken over by ACEC (Ateliers de Constructions Électriques de Charleroi). ACEC was a manufacturer of electrical appliances with a branch in Ghent.

Ended in 2005

In 1989, ACEC was dismantled and the various branches were left on their own. The curtain finally fell for the Ghent branch of the former ACEC factory in 2005.

Reconversion

The 60-hectare site, from the Dampoort to the Muide, has now been completely converted into homes, office spaces and a shopping center, which reopened in 2016 as Dok Noord.

This photo series dates from 2012, just before the major construction project was launched.