A. Reyrolle & Company

A. Reyrolle & Company was a British engineering firm, which for many years was one of the largest employers on Tyneside.

The company was founded by Alphonse Constant Reyrolle [ [http://www.theiet.org/about/libarc/archives/institution-history/obituaries-q-t.cfm Institution of Engineering & Technology] ] , a Frenchman, in 1886 at Fitzroy Square in London to produce scientific instruments. [ [http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/login.jsp?url=/iel1/2188/10495/00489746.pdf?arnumber=489746 IEEE Xplore] ] He moved the business to Hebburn on Tyneside in 1901. [http://www.openwriting.com/archives/2007/10/50_the_office_m_1.php The Office Messenger] ] At its peak it employed 12,000 people and manufacturered switchgear for power stations worldwide including Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire.

The company even had its own football team which evolved into Hebburn Town F.C.

The company merged with C.A. Parsons and Company to form Reyrolle Parsons in 1968. [http://www.nzrcranes.org/manufact.html NZR Cranes] ] In 1977 Reyrolle Parsons merged with Clarke Chapman to form Northern Engineering Industries plc, which itself was acquired by Rolls Royce plc in 1989.

The business was acquired by VA Technologie AG in 1998 [ [http://ec.europa.eu/competition/antitrust/cases/decisions/38899/non_conf_dec_fin.pdf Ani-trust case decisions] ] which itself was acquired by the industrial conglomerate, Siemens in 2005. [ [http://www.siemens.com/index.jsp?sdc_p=c10fi1464048lmo1464048ps6uz1 Ruling by European Union Anti-trust Authorities] ]

References

ee also

* C.A. Parsons and Company
* Clarke Chapman

Further reading

* The Reyrolle Story, Robert Owen, Write Good Books, 2007, ISBN 978-1905295074