Prestcold was a British refrigerator manufacturer, established by the Pressed Steel Co. Ltd of Oxford in 1934. It manufactured both domestic and commercial refrigeration equipment. Through its history, it was closely related to automotive manufacturing, particularly that of Morris Motors and successor British Leyland . Refrigerators were originally produced alongside car bodies at the Pressed Steel facility built for Morris, adjacent to the Morris factory.
56-524: The Pressed Steel Co. Ltd was a joint venture formed in 1926 between William Morris of Morris Motors , the American Budd Company and J. Henry Schröder & Co. bank. It was formed primarily to make car bodies for Morris' car marques, and the factory was adjacent to the Morris works at Cowley . In 1930, disagreements between Morris and Budd led to court action, and Pressed Steel gained
112-485: A pro rata basis. In 1965 Pressed Steel was acquired by the British Motor Corporation and BMC set about combining Pressed Steel with its existing body-making subsidiary Fisher and Ludlow , acquired by BMC some twelve years earlier, thereby creating Pressed Steel-Fisher (PS-F). At the time of the merger Pressed Steel was the largest independent manufacturer of car bodies and car body tooling in
168-675: A Rolls-Royce or Bentley radiator. Though he stretched the demand to 2,000 per year, Pressed Steel were "nonplussed" by their small demand. The body was used for the Bentley Mark VI and Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn . They were assembled at Roll-Royce's Crewe works previously used for the Merlin aero engine, on a new body production line. When compared with USA and France the British automotive industry then had little vertical integration. Britain's "Big Five" looked to their body suppliers. In
224-461: A broad range of industries, including oil and gas , power generation , chemicals , water treatment , and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, as well as aerospace and defense solutions. In recent years, Emerson has expanded its portfolio through strategic acquisitions and investments in digital transformation technologies . The company's focus on automation , data analytics , and artificial intelligence has positioned it as
280-746: A decision by Emerson to pivot towards higher-growth areas such as automation, while also benefiting from Blackstone’s expertise in scaling businesses. Following a nearly year-long negotiation, in April 2023, Emerson finalized an agreement to acquire National Instruments in an all-cash transaction valued at $ 8.2 billion. This acquisition was designed to enhance Emerson’s automation technology capabilities, adding advanced testing and measurement technologies to its product portfolio and enabling further innovation in its industrial automation business. Emerson has undergone significant leadership transitions and strategic shifts since its founding in 1890. Key leadership in
336-624: A distributor of Prestcold fridges, and joint branding of Rolls-Prestcold. This was initially successful, but when Rolls went into administration in 1964, Prestcold was owed $ 1.2m, and the debt caused Prestcold to withdraw completely from the domestic appliance market, focusing on the commercial market instead. As a result the Crymlyn Burrows factory was sold to the Ford Motor Company in 1965, and used to manufacture car parts. Prestcold, along with other parts of Pressed Steel,
392-408: A leader in industrial solutions, helping businesses improve operational efficiency and sustainability. Emerson's digital platforms, such as Plantweb and DeltaV, are now widely adopted across industries to enable real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance , and enhanced decision-making processes. Emerson deeply integrates software engineering into its operations, with a focus on automation and
448-571: A measure of independence, producing for manufacturers other than Morris. Following this, in 1935, the company became fully independent. Initial production of refrigerators was conducted in 1933 at the Cowley plant (now the Plant Oxford site, manufacturing Mini cars for BMW ). In 1936, a wholly owned subsidiary, Refrigeration (Birmingham) Ltd was formed to manufacture fridges. The company engaged in innovative advertising strategies, including
504-572: A new plant in Swindon to provide extra capacity, and in 1961 they opened their Linwood , Scotland plant alongside the new Rootes Linwood plant to provide bodies for the new Hillman Imp being produced there. By the end of the 20th century the Linwood site had been completely cleared. It is now partly occupied by a cinema complex. Pressed Steel was a major manufacturer of press tooling for Morris, Hillman, Rover and Rolls-Royce and car companies across
560-660: A total of $ 440 million, a strategic move aimed at strengthening its position in the rapidly growing telecommunications sector at the time. In 2010, Emerson sold its U.S. Motors brand to Nidec Corporation , marking a significant shift in Emerson’s focus towards more advanced technology-driven industries. On July 26, 2011, Emerson publicly announced its decision to establish its Latin American regional headquarters in Sunrise, Florida , as part of its strategy to expand its footprint in
616-632: Is a leader in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning and refrigeration technologies through its Copeland brand, known for its compressors and related technologies that improve energy efficiency. Other notable brands and products in this segment include: Emerson Electric also plays a significant role in the aerospace and defense industry , producing high-performance avionics equipment. The AN/APQ series of radar systems, which provide advanced targeting and navigation capabilities for military aircraft , are key products in this segment. Notable products include: On December 22, 2014, Emerson announced
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#1732794175880672-563: Is actively pursuing goals related to energy efficiency , emissions reduction , and community development , making strides toward carbon neutrality in its operations. Emerson was established 1890 in St. Louis , Missouri, as Emerson Electric Manufacturing Co. by Civil War Union veteran John Wesley Emerson to manufacture electric motors using a patent owned by the Scottish-born brothers Charles and Alexander Meston. In 1892, it became
728-467: Is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Ferguson, Missouri . The Fortune 500 company delivers a range of engineering services, manufactures industrial automation equipment, climate control systems, and precision measurement instruments, and provides software engineering solutions for industrial, commercial, and consumer markets. Operating in over 150 countries, Emerson supports
784-537: The University of Massachusetts Amherst identified Emerson as the 97th largest corporate producer of air pollution in the United States , down from its previous rank of 56th. Major pollutants indicated by the study include nickel compounds, manganese , diisocyanate , and lead . Since then, Emerson has made strides in reducing its environmental footprint . According to its 2023 sustainability report,
840-699: The industrial internet of things . The company's platforms, such as the Plantweb Digital Ecosystem, DeltaV, and Ovation, are developed to improve operational efficiency across multiple industries. These platforms integrate technologies like artificial intelligence , real-time data analytics , machine learning , and predictive maintenance to enhance performance and optimize asset management in sectors including power generation and water utilities . In addition to its commitment to technological advancements, Emerson has prioritized sustainability and corporate social responsibility . The company
896-606: The A4142 spanned by a special bridge between plants. This was several years after Andre Citroen was co-operating with Budd in France for building Citroen car bodies. The venture was not a success. In May 1930 it was announced that arrangements had been concluded to place the Pressed Steel plant under British control. Operations had not gathered pace as expected. Many difficulties had been encountered. The British steel industry
952-499: The American Governor Company, a provider of technologies used to control hydroelectric turbines . This acquisition was aimed at boosting Emerson’s capabilities in renewable energy sectors. In October 2022, Emerson reached a significant deal to sell a 55 percent controlling interest in its climate technologies business to private equity firm Blackstone Inc. for $ 14 billion, including debt. This sale represented
1008-686: The Board, and Lal Karsanbhai serves as CEO. Emerson operates through two primary business units: Automation Solutions and Commercial & Residential Solutions. Its Automation Solutions division focuses on process automation and digital transformation , providing software and engineering services to industries like oil and gas , power generation , and pharmaceuticals . The Commercial & Residential Solutions unit focuses on climate technologies and residential products, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, tools, and compressors . In 2008 (using data from 2005), researchers at
1064-493: The British motor industry - over 90% of turnover - were by value 40% to BMC and a similar share to Rootes. However BMC's bodies were relatively unfinished, whereas Rootes' bodies were painted and trimmed, so 61% of unit volume went to BMC and 27% to Rootes. BMC purchased only a quarter to a third of its requirements from Pressed Steel, obtaining the rest from subsidiaries Fisher & Ludlow, Nuffield Metal Products, Austin, Morris Commercial Cars and Morris Motor Bodies. Rootes Group
1120-612: The British motor industry but also for Volvo , Alfa Romeo and Hindustan Motors . Under BLMC the Pressed Steel-Fisher business became the Pressed Steel Fisher division. In 1975 BLMC was nationalised and became British Leyland Limited . When BMW acquired Rover Group in 1994 it became owner of the Swindon pressing plant. Although BMW disposed of much of Rover Group's assets in 2000, they retained
1176-545: The Glasgow-based industrial refrigeration specialist L. Sterne and Co for £3m in 1968, which doubled the size of the refrigeration business. Divestments left Prestcold as one of the only non-automotive manufacturing divisions within the British Leyland group, but it was retained due to its research on air conditioning for cars, which was seen as strategically important. There were a number of acquisitions for
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#17327941758801232-492: The High Court the directors of Morris Motors Limited were obliged to retire from the Pressed Steel board, with the share interests of Morris Motors either taken over by other interests or surrendered to the company. This was followed by the announcement of a reduction of Pressed Steel's capital from £1.6 million to £1.2 million. Morris lost the capital he had invested and the right to appoint directors, Pressed Steel
1288-613: The Swindon pressings plant and set up a subsidiary, Swindon Pressings Limited (SPL), there in 2000. SPL now provides most of the body panels and body sub-assemblies for the Mini models produced at Plant Oxford in Cowley, at what was the Pressed Steel site. Linwood was a pressing site for Chrysler, pushed for and subsidized by the British Government Under the Prestcold name Pressed Steel supplied refrigerators for
1344-426: The acquisition of Textron Tools and Test Businesses for a total of $ 810 million, which included brands such as Greenlee , Klauke, HD Electric, and Sherman + Reilly. This acquisition further expanded Emerson’s offerings in the professional tools and test equipment market, adding valuable assets to its business. On April 1, 2020, Emerson strengthened its presence in the hydropower control systems industry by acquiring
1400-463: The acquisition of Scotland-based Cascade Technologies Ltd., expanding their gas-analysis portfolio with laser-based measurement analyzers and systems for enhanced industrial emissions monitoring, production efficiencies, and regulatory compliance. Other main Emerson acquisitions and brands include: On October 2, 2006, Emerson filed suit in federal court against NBC regarding a scene that appeared in
1456-534: The back, two sides and the front. The doors were also stamped in one. These all-steel bodies were said to give the cars lightness with great strength, more room inside and better visibility. At the very end of 1935 Budd agreed to sell their controlling interest to British interests and then Pressed Steel was fully independent having from mid-1930 also produced car bodies for Morris's competitors. The degree of completion of Pressed Steel's finished product varied widely. In some cases unpainted stampings were shipped to
1512-1129: The company achieved a 52% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions intensity compared to 2021 levels. Additionally, Emerson procures 49% of its electricity from renewable sources and has set long-term goals for further emissions reductions. In recognition of these efforts, Emerson was named the 2023 Energy Star Partner of the Year for energy management. Emerson provides advanced process automation , control systems, and software solutions critical to industries such as oil and gas, power generation, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and water treatment. The company's Plantweb Digital Ecosystem integrates advanced sensing technologies, analytics software, and industrial internet of things solutions to optimize manufacturing processes. Emerson's automation solutions also include predictive maintenance technologies, remote monitoring, and control systems that leverage artificial intelligence , machine learning , and edge computing for enhanced performance. Key products include: Emerson
1568-467: The company had over 100 employees, and had opened a brand new £5M factory at Crymlyn Burrows , Swansea , The factory covered 450,000 square feet (42,000 m) and took just a year to build, with many of the workers being relocated by the company from Cowley. In the early 1960s, John Bloom ’s Rolls Razor company sub-contracted Prestcold to manufacture his low price Rolls Rapide washing machines. As part of an extensive deal, which involved Rolls becoming
1624-672: The company was named The Pressed Steel Company of Great Britain Limited. It acquired Budd's patent rights and processes for use in the United Kingdom. Morris transferred his interest to his company, Morris Motors Limited. Pressed Steel was acquired in 1965 by the British Motor Corporation and this led to BMC's acquisition of Jaguar later in 1965. At the end of 1966 BMC changed its name to British Motor Holdings (BMH). BMH merged with Leyland Motors in 1968 to create British Leyland and Pressed Steel's businesses were absorbed into
1680-774: The company, including the Gardiner Refrigeration and Air Conditioning company in 1975, and in 1976, Prestcold bought the Searle company from Hall Thermotank , giving the company around half of the UK's capacity for building heat exchangers . The former L Sterne factory in Glasgow was closed in 1979 with the loss of 900 jobs. In 1981 Prestcold was acquired by Suter plc, a diverse engineering and chemicals company based in Grantham , Lincolnshire , and headed by David Abell ,
1736-607: The creation of over 100,000 miniature fridge-shaped money boxes to emphasise how their product could save the consumer money. The Prestcold Packaway refrigerator won the inaugural Duke of Edinburgh 's Prize for Elegant Design (later the Prince Philip Designers Prize ) in 1959. The model was successful, with a number of design elements including a small exterior dimension compared to its internal capacity, and being sized with both British Standard and European Free Trade Area requirements in mind. By 1961,
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1792-432: The customer's plant for finishing and assembly. In other cases, customers were sent their bodies fully assembled, painted, trimmed and glazed. In 1944 W. A. Robotham saw that there would be limited postwar demand for Rolls-Royce or Bentley chassis with a body from a specialist coachbuilder, and negotiated with the company a contract for a general-purpose body to carry four people in comfort on their postwar chassis behind
1848-464: The first to sell electric fans in the United States. It quickly expanded its product line to include electric sewing machines , electric dental drills , and power tools . During World War II , under the leadership of Stuart Symington , Emerson became the world's largest manufacturer of airplane armament. Emerson ranked 52nd among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts. In 1954, W.R. "Buck" Persons
1904-602: The former managing director of Leyland Special Products. Abell had to resign his post as then Managing Director of BL Commercial Vehicles because of the potential conflict of interest created. In 1984, Prestcold was sold by Suter to the American Copeland Corporation (now part of Emerson Electric ), with the Prestcold brand disappearing in the 1990s from the UK. The Theale site still manufactures compressor systems for Emerson. The Prestcold brand name
1960-555: The home, industrial cold rooms and marine installations. The Domestic Refrigeration Factory (DRF)—it was publicly acknowledged the product of the first four years was not reliable —started in 1933 and was located within the Cowley site for many years before transferring to Swansea in a government sponsored regeneration scheme, an ill-fated venture with Rolls washing machines. As a supplier to entrepreneur John Bloom 's company when Rolls Razor went into liquidation in July 1964 Pressed Steel
2016-540: The industry. In the late 1960s, and the early 1970s, the R&;D function pioneered the use of Finite Element Analysis for the body structure, and developed computerised crash simulation techniques for the complete vehicle, the occupants and the pedestrian. Between 1973 & 1980 the R & D function also developed plastic fuel tanks that proved superior to the only other current ones of the time produced by Volkswagen. By 1965 Pressed Steel employed 26,000 people. Its sales to
2072-419: The mid-20th century includes W.R. Persons, who focused on diversification and expansion from 1954 to 1973, followed by Charles Knight , under whom Emerson pursued aggressive acquisitions and global growth between 1973 and 2000. David Farr , who served as CEO from 2000 to 2021, continued to expand the company's reach into international markets and advanced technology sectors. Jim Turley is the current Chair of
2128-496: The new Mini. Lastly, Pressed Steel's former factory in Castle Bromwich now forms part of Jaguar's main assembly plant. William Morris had recognised the potential of pressed steel car bodies being developed by Budd Corporation in U.S.A.and wanted them for his own cars. The new joint venture initially supplied car bodies to Morris's Morris Motors, with its plant located alongside the new Pressed Steel plant with what became
2184-496: The new conglomerate. Many components of the former Pressed Steel business were gradually divested following British Leyland's bankruptcy, nationalization and subsequent restructuring. Today three major Pressed Steel factories are still in operation. The Cowley plant is now where BMW's Mini is assembled, known as Plant Oxford . At the old Swindon plant the BMW subsidiary Swindon Pressings Limited, or Plant Swindon, produces parts for
2240-568: The only remaining independent supplier of mass-produced car bodies in Britain. In December 1953 Pressed Steel Company Limited was able to advertise: "The largest press shops in Europe with over 350 power presses working with pressures up to 1000 tons . . . a factory area at Cowley alone more than half the size of Hyde Park . . . Here, indeed, with its 12,000 and more workers, is one of Britain's greatest industrial enterprises." In 1956 they opened
2296-414: The pilot episode of the network's TV series Heroes . The scene depicted Claire Bennet reaching into an active garbage disposal, severely injuring her hand. Emerson's suit claims the scene "casts the disposer in an unsavory light, irreparably tarnishing the product" by suggesting that serious injuries will result "in the event consumers were to accidentally insert their hand into one." Emerson asked for
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2352-539: The region and better serve its growing customer base in Latin America. On December 1, 2016, Platinum Equity acquired Emerson’s Network Power division for more than $ 4 billion, rebranding the business as Vertiv . This acquisition encompassed several well-known brands, including ASCO , Chloride , Liebert , NetSure, and Trellis, significantly enhancing Platinum Equity ’s portfolio in the critical infrastructure technology sector. In July 2018, Emerson completed
2408-443: The spring of 1953 Briggs Motor Bodies , American like Budd, had the bulk of its British operation swallowed by Ford . The following autumn The British Motor Corporation acquired Fisher & Ludlow . Fisher & Ludlow supplied Standard-Triumph who were then obliged to take control of the relatively small Mulliners but that took a few more years to develop and Mulliners was to close at the end of 1960. Pressed Steel stood alone as
2464-470: The world including Vauxhall, Alfa Romeo etc. The R&D function, which was set up at the Cowley site in the early 1960s, and later transferred to their development site at Gaydon [1980], was a centre of excellence for the industry with many new processes including the development of electrophoretic painting (electrocoat), full mould casting, robotic welding and assembly, robotic adhesive and sealant application and robotic painting amongst many other firsts in
2520-668: The world. In the third quarter of 1966 BMC completed its takeover of Jaguar Cars On 14 December 1966 BMC shareholders approved the change of its name to British Motor Holdings (BMH) and it took effect from that moment. Early in 1968 BMH merged with the Leyland Motor Corporation (LMC) to form the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC), By this time PS-F had become the world's largest independent car body and car body tool manufacturer, and supplied bodies and tools not only for
2576-626: Was absorbed into BMC in 1966 which became part of British Leyland in 1969. Prestcold became part of Leyland Special Products after the Ryder Report of 1975. This once again put it back in the same ownership as the former Morris Motors sites adjacent to the Cowley factory. Prestcold was part of the Leyland Special Products division, later SP Industries, along with diverse interests such as Aveling-Barford and Nuffield Press . Under British Leyland, Prestcold acquired
2632-476: Was almost entirely dependent on Pressed Steel for its car bodies. Jaguar and Rover were wholly or very largely dependent on Pressed Steel for their car bodies. A factor covered in the Monopolies Commission report was Chrysler's association with Rootes Group, so that there was the possibility of a take-over from the United States putting Jaguar's and Rover's body supplies at risk if BMC's proposal
2688-505: Was also used for household refrigerators by McAlpine Prestcold Limited in New Zealand. Pressed Steel Company Pressed Steel Company Limited was a British car body manufacturing business founded at Cowley near Oxford in 1926 as a joint venture between William Morris , Budd Corporation of Philadelphia USA, which held the controlling interest , and a British / American bank J. Henry Schroder & Co . At that time
2744-459: Was chairman from 1974 to 2004. His tenure marked the development of a rigorous planning process, new product and technology development, acquisitions and joint ventures, and international growth. David Farr succeeded him as chairman, and was also the CEO until 2021. On December 15, 1999, Emerson Electric reached an agreement to acquire Jordan Industries Inc.'s telecommunications equipment division for
2800-633: Was named company president. Under his leadership, Emerson diversified its business by acquiring 36 companies. When he retired in 1973, the company had 82 plants, 31,000 employees, and $ 800 million in sales. In 1962, it acquired the United States Electrical Manufacturing Company as the U.S. Electrical Motors Division, including the brand U.S. Motors. In 1968, it acquired the InSinkErator company. Charles F. Knight served as CEO from 1973 to 2000, and
2856-413: Was now free to supply other customers. In the coachwork exhibition at the 1931 Olympia Motor Show alongside the products of Salmons, Thrupp and Maberly, Windovers etc. Pressed Steel Company displayed bodies of a Twelve-six Harley de luxe Austin saloon, a Hillman Wizard 75 de luxe saloon and a 12-horsepower six-cylinder Rover Pilot . Readers of The Times were told the bodies were made in four pieces,
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#17327941758802912-572: Was owed $ 1,200,000. So ended Prestcold domestic appliances. Industrial refrigeration supplied on a large scale to supermarkets and food retailing groups was to continue for many years operating out of the Theale site nr. Reading. Former associate Budd Corporation built passenger rolling stock. An existing engineering factory in Linwood , Scotland , was acquired by Pressed Steel in 1947 where they manufactured railway rolling stock. A peak of production
2968-469: Was persuaded by Sir Peter Masefield to invest in light aircraft through the formation of its Beagle Aircraft division. Beagle was sold to the government in December 1966. This venture lost Pressed Steel about £3M. Beagle's facilities at Shoreham-by-Sea were purchased with their take-over of Miles Aircraft and those at Rearsby with Auster . Emerson Electric Emerson Electric Co.
3024-502: Was reached in the late 1950s – early 1960s. The types of rolling stock produced were of standard British Railways design, and included: standard carriages, British Rail Class 117 Diesel Multiple Units , British Rail Class 303 "Blue Train" Electric Multiple Units , and specialist vehicles like restaurant cars. Pressed Steel received few orders after the completion of the changeover to diesel trains and modern carriages. British Executive and General Aviation Limited. In 1960 Pressed Steel
3080-532: Was unable to provide steel sheets large enough for the Budd machines and, once they came available, in any case American supplies were still 25% cheaper than local supplies. Tycoons William R. Morris and Edward G. Budd were unable to settle their differences. Budd took his troubles with Morris to the High Court, which decided in Budd's favour and in June 1930, by a resolution of the shareholders supported by an order of
3136-441: Was vetoed. It was also noted by the commission that an internal document drawn up while negotiations between BMC and Pressed Steel were in progress set out the terms and assurances to be offered to customers, including that the continuance of supply of bodies or tools to customers other than BMC would be subject to BMC's own requirements . The commission subsequently obtained assurances that allocations will be made to all customers on
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