Alfred Herbert Ltd And The British Machine Tool Industry 1887 1983

At the beginning of the twentieth century Britain was amongst the world leaders in the production of machine tools, yet by the 1980s the industry was in terminal decline. Focusing on the example of Britain's largest machine tool maker, Alfred Herbert Ltd of Coventry, this study charts the wider fortunes of this vital part of the manufacturing sector. Taking a chronological approach, the book explores how during the late nineteenth century the industry developed a reputation for excellence throughout the world, before the challenges of two world wars necessitated drastic changes and reorganisations. Despite meeting these challenges and emerging with confidence into the post-war market place, the British machine tool industry never regained its pre-eminent position, and increasingly lost ground to foreign competition. By using the example of Alfred Herbert Ltd to illuminate the broader economic and business history of the British machine tool industry, this study not only provides a valuable insight into British manufacturing, but also contributes to the ongoing debates surrounding Britain's alleged decline as a manufacturing nation.

"At the beginning of the twentieth century Britain was amongst the world leaders in the production of machine tools, yet by the 1980s the industry was in terminal decline. Focusing on the example of Britain's largest machine tool maker, Alfred Herbert Ltd of Coventry, this study charts the wider fortunes of this vital part of the manufacturing sector. Taking a chronological approach, the book explores how during the late nineteenth century the industry developed a reputation for excellence throughout the world, before the challenges of two world wars necessitated drastic changes and reorganisations. Despite meeting these challenges and emerging with confidence into the post-war market place, the British machine tool industry never regained its pre-eminent position, and increasingly lost ground to foreign competition. By using the example of Alfred Herbert Ltd to illuminate the broader economic and business history of the British machine tool industry, this study not only provides a valuable insight into British manufacturing, but also contributes to the ongoing debates surrounding Britain's alleged decline as a manufacturing nation."--Provided by publisher.

At the beginning of the twentieth century Britain was amongst the world leaders in the production of machine tools, yet by the 1980s the industry was in terminal decline. Focusing on the example of Britain's largest machine tool maker, Alfred Herbert Ltd of Coventry, this study charts the wider fortunes of this vital part of the manufacturing sector. Taking a chronological approach, the book explores how during the late nineteenth century the industry developed a reputation for excellence throughout the world, before the challenges of two world wars necessitated drastic changes and reorganisations. Despite meeting these challenges and emerging with confidence into the post-war market place, the British machine tool industry never regained its pre-eminent position, and increasingly lost ground to foreign competition. By using the example of Alfred Herbert Ltd to illuminate the broader economic and business history of the British machine tool industry, this study not only provides a valuable insight into British manufacturing, but also contributes to the ongoing debates surrounding Britain's alleged decline as a manufacturing nation.

The First World War was above all a war of logistics. Whilst the conflict will forever be remembered for the mud and slaughter of the Western Front, it was a war won on the factory floor as much as the battlefield. Examining the war from an industrial perspective, Arming the Western Front examines how the British between 1900 and 1920 set about mobilising economic and human resources to meet the challenge of 'industrial war'. Beginning with an assessment of the run up to war, the book examines Edwardian business-state relations in terms of armament supply. It then outlines events during the first year of the war, taking a critical view of competing constructs of the war and considering how these influenced decision makers in both the private and public domains. This sets the framework for an examination of the response of business firms to the demand for 'shells more shells', and their varying ability to innovate and manage changing methods of production and organisation. The outcome, a central theme of the book, was a complex and evolving trade-off between the quantity and quality of munitions supply, an issue that became particularly acute during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. This deepened the economic and political tensions between the military, the Ministry of Munitions, and private engineering contractors as the pressure to increase output accelerated markedly in the search for victory on the western front. The Great War created a dual army, one in the field, the other at home producing munitions, and the final section of the book examines the tensions between the two as the country strove for final victory and faced the challenges of the transition to the peace time economy.

Although projects always carry risk, too many projects run late or exceed their original budgets by eye-watering amounts. This book is a comprehensive guide to the procedures needed to ensure that projects will be delivered on time, to specification and within budget. Eight expert contributors have combined their considerable talents to explain all aspects of project control from project conception to completion in an informative text, liberally supported where necessary by clear illustrations. This handbook will benefit all project practitioners, including project managers and those working in project management offices. It will also provide an invaluable guide for students studying for higher degrees in project management and its associated disciplines.

Dive into the heart of wartime innovation and manufacturing through this groundbreaking book, unveiling a riveting narrative of technological mastery and organizational ingenuity. This meticulously researched work challenges conventional views of wartime production, offering a fresh perspective on the incredible efforts that drove the Allies to victory. Young's insightful analyses illuminate the strategic collaboration between the aerospace and automotive industries, showcasing their collective adaptation that created the engines powering victory. Spanning continents, Young examines the transformation of aircraft engine manufacturing during World War II. Unearthing the operations of key players such as the Bristol Aeroplane Company, Pratt & Whitney, and Wright Aeronautical, he sheds light on the monumental shift from traditional batch production to revolutionary quantity production. Readers will witness the birth of new factories, the development of advanced machine tools, and the innovation required to produce engines of unparalleled complexity and precision. Through Young's fresh perspective, the book unveils the intricate interplay of crisis techno-politics, engineering resilience, and the pivotal role of innovation in shaping the tides of history. This book is not just a study of the past; it is a critical foundation for understanding the dynamics of wartime production that continue to influence our world today. "Edward Young's reconstruction and analysis of the Allies' massive World War II aircraft engine programs is priceless, unique, thorough and critical - all at once." Philip Scranton Professor Emeritus, History of Industry and Technology, Rutgers University (ISBN 9781468606645, ISBN 9781468606652, ISBN 9781468606669, DOI 10.4271/9781468606652)

This book is the first comprehensive history of the development of the British bicycle industry from the perspective of business and economic history. Focusing on themes such as entrepreneurship, personal capitalism, and organisational, technological and cultural change, the shifting fortunes of the industry are traced through the business history of one of its leading firms, Raleigh. The history of the company is then set within the context of more general trends in the industry’s evolution over three chronological periods: 1870 to 1914, 1914 to 1939, and 1939 to 1960. In addition to the story of Raleigh, the business activities of other leading bicycle firms such as Rudge-Whitworth, Hercules, BSA, J. A. Phillips and BCC, the bicycle division of Tube Investments, are examined to inform our understanding of the business evolution of the industry. The book demonstrates that the British bicycle industry was both tenacious and dynamic, typified by the personal leadership of entrepreneurs such as Frank and Harold Bowden at Raleigh.