Northern Engineering Industries

Northern Engineering Industries plc (NEI) was a British engineering firm, which for over 10 years was one of the largest employers on Tyneside. Its headquarters were based at the Regent Centre at Gosforth in Newcastle upon Tyne.[1]

Northern Engineering Industries plc
Company typePublic
IndustryEngineering, Power Generation, Power Transmission, Power Distribution & Material Handling
Founded1977
Defunct1989
FateAcquired
SuccessorRolls-Royce plc
HeadquartersNewcastle, England, UK
Key people
Terry Harrison, (Chairman)
Dr Robert Hawley, (Managing Director)
ProductsIndustrial Engineering
Number of employees
40,000 (1991)

History edit

The company was established by way of a merger between Clarke Chapman and Reyrolle Parsons in 1977.[2] It manufactured cranes (Clarke Chapman), transformers (Bruce Peebles & Co. Ltd.), switchgear (A. Reyrolle & Company), boilers (Power Engineering Ltd), control systems (Control and Instrumentation Ltd.), and turbines (C.A. Parsons and Company).[3]

In 1981 the company acquired Amalgamated Power Engineering (APE), a leading manufacturer of engines.[4] APE was itself the result of a merger in 1968 of W.H. Allen, Sons & Co. (founded in 1880 and based in Bedford),[5] Belliss and Morcom of Birmingham, and Crossley Engines (founded in 1867 and based in Manchester).[6]

Northern Engineering Industries was led through much of its existence by Sir Duncan McDonald, first as Group Managing Director (1977 to 1980) and then as Chairman (1980 to 1986)[7] and by Sir Terence Harrison first as Chief Executive (1983 to 1986) and then as Chairman (1986 to 1989).[8]

The company was acquired by Rolls-Royce plc in 1989[2] later becoming known as the Rolls-Royce Industrial Power Group.[9]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "NEI Group Results". New Scientist. 7 May 1981. p. 343. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  2. ^ a b "The Crane Makers". NZR Cranes. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Threat to 2,500 jobs as Parsons goes on sale". The Independent. 20 July 1996. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Northern Engineering Industries". Grace's Guide. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Amalgamations". W H Allen Engineering Association. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Crossley Motors". Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  7. ^ "Obituary: Sir Duncan McDonald". The Independent. 1 March 1997. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  8. ^ Debretts People of Today 1994
  9. ^ "Clarke Chapman Marine Rolls-Royce Industrial Power Group". National Archives. Retrieved 21 February 2022.