South Yorkshire Times, January 17, 1970
Commerce the Key for South Yorkshire
For Over I million people in South Yorkshire, industry is no longer a dirty word. “Them” and “Us” are on the way out, along with that other old partnership, muck and money. Industry is now a vital sink-or-swim factor in our area, on investment in the future, an insurance policy for the estimated 2 ¼ million of us who will live here by 2001. Though there is an ever pressing need for new industry, South Yorkshire firms have not been standing still, as our Annual Review aims to show.
N. Corah Ltd. describes the long talked about it as a player
Production at the Bolton factory of N Cora Ltd has continued to expand over the last year, and a big buildup in output and staff is expected during the next year.
At present the company employs 400 staff, producing a wide variety of knitted underwear for all ages, and by the end of the year a further 100 employees are expected to have been taken on. Some of these will join the company’s training centre, which can cater for up to 60 girls.
Although many of the new employees will be school leavers the company takes an older, experienced people, and all undergo full training at the factory.
The proposed expansion for the coming year will be possible within the existing factory, which is not being used to capacity at the moment.
Manager, Mr RA Wessel, said this week that the company completed a very good year and order books were still full.
He added that they had just negotiated a new wage agreement with the union, and wage increases throughout the firm will be coming into effect, including an increase in the starting rate.
P. J. Burke of Wombwell
A man who has progressed from building site labourer to the head of a successful and expanding firm is Mr. P. J. Burke of Park Street, Wombwell, whose subsidiary companies now number seven.
Latest expansion of this go-ahead firm is a subsidiary named “Seala Seal”, which is engaged on a scientific sealing of gas leaks which does not require any interference in gas supply.
This was a method discovered in the United States over 30 years ago, but which has only recently been adopted in this country, and being one of the first in the field in England, Mr. Burke’s company is being widely employed by the gas industry. Says Mr. Burke, “The method is to inject a fluid into the live gas, and this seals the whole pipe. It is estimated that 75 per cent of the gas mains in this country require attention.” In all his companies Mr. Burke employs about 200 men, working up and down the country and has many items of plant which cost about £25,000 each. His men have been engaged on motorways, opencast, and many aspects, of civil engineering.
He obtained his “know how” of the business by working on various sites when he first came to this country from his native Ireland, and, spent his lunch-hours and tea -breaks learning about plant and machinery. He is now considered a great expert in his field.
C. F. Booth Group
Rotherham based C, F. Booth Group, manufacturers and merchants of iron, steel, and non-ferrous metals, provides a service to the scrap-starved steel industry, and also plays its part in helping the country’s balance of payments by reducing the amount of imported iron ore we require.
Full production has now been reached at its Non-Ferrous Smelting Company, where new furnaces have been installed, and supplies of specification aluminium input, oxydising sticks and other non-ferrous alloys go out to foundries and steelworks.
The Rotherham Stainless Nickel Alloy Company is also in full swing, producing stainless steel ingots, billets and bars for home markets as well as Germany, Austria, France, Belgium and Holland.
A full order book MS necessitated the introduction of shift work recently, and in Autumn last year a new seven ton electricty arc furnace was commissioned.
The group also processes electric cables, and dismantles transformers and electric motors.
Ben Bailey Construction Ltd.
The Mexborough based company of Ben Bailey Ltd. was founded by its present chairman. Mr. Bailey, in 1933, and went public three years ago after growing from strength to strength in the construction field.
In a statement Mr. Bailey has said the company was constantly reviewing designs, materials and installations, particularly in the light of new materials which were becoming available in the industry.
The company’s main concern at the moment is private house building, and it is responsible for a wide variety of designs ranging in price from £2,450 upwards. It is at present engaged on developing sites at Mexborough, Swinton, Tickhill, Royston, Chapeltown and Goole.
Although the strength of its manpower varies, as with most construction firms. Ben Bailey employs about 120 men, and at the last Annual Meeting a turnover increase of 12 per cent and a net profit increase of 5 per cent over the previous year were announced.
E.V. Waddington Ltd.
E Swinton boat building firm of E. V. Waddington Ltd., face the coming decade with optimism, but not with complacency, says a spokesman for the firm.
Established over a century ago, the firm have maintained pace with development in the past and, says their spokesman,” We would consider it to be out of keeping not to encourage further development. We face the future with confidence and a will to develop wherever we can.”
At present reaching an advanced stage of development is the company’s massive scheme for their wharf at Burton-on-Stather, near Scunthorpe. When completed, the wharf will allow the company to deal with oceangoing vessels and shows obvious potential for the country’s economic interests.
The company also feel that a development policy by the Waterways Board would greatly enhance the possibilities for larger vessels on the canals. The firm at present have a fleet of over 70 vessels, and if plans for improved canals went through, it would allow the vessels to be enlarged from their present 100 ton size to a possible 300 to 400 tons.
Thomas Hill (Rotherham) Ltd.
Thomas Hill Ltd., who from their Vanguard Works, Kilnhurst supply most of the industries who use diesel shunting locomotives, are able to boast more than 11 month’s work on their books at this moment.
A subsidiary of Rolls-Royce, the firm employs about hundred and men at Kilnhurst and have many vacancies in the firm, especially in the welded publication department.
Danish Bacon Co.
The Danish Bacon Company (Wholesale) Ltd., formed at the beginning of the century, was commissioned to sell Danish bacon and butter primarily, with offices in London (Smithfield) and Hull only
There are now eight important offices, 44 wholesale branches, and one industrial branch, the latter to service wholesale branches.
D.B.C. are the biggest bacon distributors in the United Kingdom, serving the wholesale and retail trade, together with a growing catering business. Specialisation in bacon processing has been a blessing to the retailer and forms part of the well-known D.B.C. service.
The local branch at Carlisle Street, Kilnhurst, has the largest wholesale group membership in Sheffield and adjacent areas.
D.B.C. House label “Maid Marian.” on canned goods and groceries, is to be seen in practically all shops and stores within the area.