Lost in time stand the ruins of Ex Fabricaciones Militares Pilar. It whispers stories of industry, community, and tragedy. Inaugurated on April 30, 1945, this military factory became an emblem of Pilar. Hundreds of locals worked here. Many also fulfilled their military service here.
Ex Fabricaciones Militares Pilar operated for almost five decades. Its location was at the end of Savio Street in the Pellegrini neighborhood. Today, only ruins and rubble remain.
The German firm J. Meissner from Cologne built the facilities. The factory’s production was divided into three sections. These sections included fuses and detonating cords. There were also common and electric detonators. Finally, the factory made initiating explosives.
What did they produce at Ex Fabricaciones Militares Pilar? Grenades and firecrackers were made here. They also produced flares and railway torpedoes. Even tear gas was manufactured on this site. The complex had a thermal power plant. It included two boilers and a power plant. Diesel engines provided 900 kW of power. Maintenance workshops kept everything running.
For half a century, Ex Fabricaciones Militares Pilar was home and workplace to many. Pilar families like the Gladarios and Ambrosettis worked here. The Villarreals and Montenegros also lived and labored here. You would also find the Zaneks and Escobars living in this industrial community. The military conscripts were also housed here. The factory separated military and civilian housing. About thirty houses stood within the complex.
Tragedy struck Ex Fabricaciones Militares Pilar in the early 1950s. An explosion destroyed a large part of the factory. It was then known as the Military Factory of Pyrotechnic Materials. Four civilian employees died in the accident. Armando Ferreyra and Pedro Cabral were among them. Another employee named Musladini also perished. Amílcar Lubo was another casualty of this tragedy. Streets in Villa Buide and Pilar center honor these men today.
In 1994, the government of Carlos Menem privatized Fabricaciones Militares. This included nuclear power plants and a petrochemical complex. The IAMP group bought Ex Fabricaciones Militares Pilar for about two million dollars. However, the payment was never completed.
Since then, many ideas have been proposed for the site. A civic center and a country club were among the suggestions. Some even wanted a lagoon. But the grounds became a quarry. Today, the ruins of Ex Fabricaciones Militares Pilar only hold the ghosts of its past. It closed its doors on December 15, 1994.
The story of Ex Fabricaciones Militares Pilar involves both triumph and loss. It reminds us of the lives intertwined with its machinery. Though in ruins, it remains an emblem. It stands as a testament to Pilar’s industrial past.