At the end of the 19th century, the area between Tournai and Antoing was the world's leading producer of lime and cement. The St. André lime kilns near Cherq were built from 1840 and have served for a century to process local limestone at high temperature into lime and natural cement. Lime kilns were use to the year of 1945.

The complex of the eight kilns of St. André - 100 meters long - is located along the banks of the river Scheldt.