Gustav De Lavals smedja

Gustav de Laval was one of Sweden’s great technical geniuses in the nineteenth century. In the forge beside the pond he devoted all his time to inventions and experiments. His most famous inventions were the steam turbine and the separator, a machine that separated cream from milk.

Gustav De Laval obtained 92 patents and during his lifetime he worked on more than 200 projects. He had grand visions, constantly searching for new ideas, jumping from one project to another, and founding many companies. Gustaf de Laval, however, was less successful at managing his economy and he died in poverty. His motto was “You have to make your way over scrap heaps.” De Laval’s eagerness to move quickly from idea to action often led to a heap of scrap.