The Harilaou Soap Factory was founded in 1875 by the Harilaou Brothers (Lysandros and Emmanouil), who arrived in Elefsina from the Romanian town of Galaţi, drawn there by a number of domestic soap works operating in the area. The Factory was steam powered, and processed olive pits and other raw materials. The location meant products could be easily transported to Patras, Syros and Piraeus by boat. Soap output reached 600,000 tonnes a year, some 175,000 tonnes of which were exported to countries along the Mediterranean. In its day, Elefsina Soap was on a par with that of France. In 1892, Epaminondas Harilaos — a chemist who had completed his studies in France and Germany — formed a partnership with fellow chemist Nikolaos Kanellopoulos to buy the Elefsina Soap Factory, which from then on bore their names: “E. Harilaos — N. Kanellopoulos”. When it first came into operation, the Factory employed 20 workers; by 1900 that number had risen to 90 (ten of whom were women), and by 1928 to around 250. Operations ceased in the 1960s. Today, the Old Oil Mill hosts cultural events, with arts venues, parks and a car park being added to its facilities and grounds.
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