English Steel Corporation:1935 Review
Note: This is a sub-section of English Steel Corporation
Visit of the Iron and Steel Institute to the Iron, Steel and Engineering Industries of Manchester and District
English Steel Corporation Limited, North Street Works, Openshaw, Manchester.
Nearly a century ago Joseph Whitworth (later Sir Joseph Whitworth) established the works in Whitworth Street, Manchester, which became famous the world over for the manufacture of small tools and tool steels.
In 1929 the steel interests of Armstrong Whitworth, Vickers and Cammell Laird were merged to form the English Steel Corporation, the whole of the small tools and tool steel business carried out by these firms being concentrated at Openshaw.
It will be realised that the combined experience of these three great firms, together with a plant which has been entirely reorganised and brought up-to-date by the installation of modern machinery, places the English Steel Corporation in a unique position for the manufacture of the products for which their Openshaw branch is now responsible, namely, small tools, tool steels, magnets and other light castings, steel bars in carbon and alloy steels, including 'Vibrac,' a nickel chromium molybdenum steel, and other light engineering products.
The steel melting plant comprises one electric arc furnace and two of the latest type high frequency furnaces, and supplies carbon and alloy steels in ingot form as well as the steel required in the foundry. 10", 12" and 18" rolling mills together with numerous hammers are responsible for the high grade tool and alloy steels which are sold in large quantities and are also used in the various departments.
In the small tool department the latest types of machines are used in the manufacture of twist drills, end mills, reamers, milling cutters, taps, dies, gauges, etc., in standard sizes and various qualities of steels, also special types to meet customers' requirements.
In the warehouse from which steel is delivered to the various production departments, an extensive stock covering a very wide range of engineers' tool requirements is always maintained to meet outside demands.
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