The Vono Co of Hope Works, Dudley Port, Tipton, Staffs. Telephone: Tipton 1841-6. Cables: "Vono, Tipton". Export Division: 75-77 Worship Street, London, EC2.
Later the name Duport was adopted which was a contraction of Dudley Port.
1896 The Vono Company was formed.
c.1926 Bertram Silcock joined the business.
1933 Castor makers, wire mattress makers, wooden bedstead fittings and combination and spiral spring mattresses[1]
1939 Incorporated as a private company to acquire the business of The Vono Company.
WWII Production of Bailey Bridges, pontoons, ammunition and other equipment for the armed services.
1946 Converted to a public company, which was concerned with production of domestic equipment, wood and metal components required for the Housing Programme; manufacture of high-class engineering accessories for the motor, aircraft, electrical, gas and refrigeration trades; speciality castings; plastic mouldings; fibre upholstery and components for the railway, motor, aircraft and furnishing trades. Several of the directors were also directors of Revo Electric Co. Subsidiary companies were[2]:
- Portways Ltd
- Ewarts Ltd
- Duport Foundries Ltd
- Cromwells Ltd
1947 British Industries Fair Advert for Perfect Sleep Equipment and Vono Sleep Comforts. Manufacturers of Spring Interior Mattresses, Overlays, Divans, Wire Mattresses, Bedstead Fittings, Metal Camp Folders, Adjustable Bedstead Castors. (Furniture Section - Earls Court, 1st Floor, Stands No. 709 and 749) [3]
1950 Death of first chairman of Vono as a public company; appointment of W.L. Barrows as chairman[4]. Company's name changed to Vono Industrial Products.
1951 Subsidiary companies of Vono Industrial Products included[5]:
- Vono Ltd including flock factories Portways and West Bromwich
- Ewarts Ltd
- Duport Foundries Ltd
- Cromwells Ltd
1952 Acquired Vowles Brothers Ltd of West Bromwich.
1953 Acquired a small electronics company in Dudley, Teledictor Ltd.[6]
1955 Preference share issue. Acquired Burman and Sons Ltd makers of motor steering gears.
1956 Acquired the remaining shares in Haybridge Steel Co of Wellington, Shropshire which owned F. W. Ratcliff and Co of Oldbury[7]. Name of company changed from Vono Industrial Products Ltd to Duport to better reflect the business and because the old name was too cumbersome[8].
1965 The M.D. of Vono Ltd wrote an article calling for more novelty in British furniture (design and production methods) to attack export markets[9]