Grace's Guide
British Industrial History
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Adamant and Western Engineering
From Graces Guide
of Reading and Luton
1955 Formation of public company by merger of Adamant Engineering Co of Luton and Western Manufacturing of Reading[1] in order to acquire more capacity to meet demand in face of shortage of labour in Luton.
Business was mainly concerned with manufacture of the Marles steering gear; also continued the Western activities in electrical actuators for aircraft, the Miller printing machine (from USA), high pressure wax thermostats (handled by a new joint subsidiary Western and Thomson Controls)[2]
1956 Formed an electronics division which licensed an automatic weighing device from ICI[3].
1958 Intention to concentrate steering gear production at Reading and sell the Luton factory; new factory opened at Southampton to supply UK Atomic Energy Authority[4].
1959 Had developed a mechanical handling system as a diversification product in view of the reducing demand for components for aircraft[5]. Acquired Steel Fabricators (Cardiff)[6].
1960 Acquired Charles S. Madan and Co[7].
1961 Agreement with Bendix Corporation of USA for manufacture and sale of Bendix manual and power assisted steering[8].
1962 Announced development plans for Reading airport at Woodley, which the company owned; the airport would close in 1963[9].
1963 Acquired Southern Areas Electric Corporation[10]
c.1964 Name changed to Adwest Group[11].
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The Times 12 February 1955
- ↑ The Times 30 December 1955
- ↑ The Times 9 November 1957
- ↑ The Times 27 November 1958
- ↑ The Times 4 November 1959
- ↑ The Times 28 November 1959
- ↑ The Times 12 July 1960
- ↑ The Times 31 August 1961
- ↑ The Times 29 September 1962
- ↑ The Times, 8 October 1963
- ↑ The Times 16 October 1964