Hoffmann Manufacturing Co
Hoffmann Manufacturing Co ball and bearing manufacturers, of Chelmsford
1892 Ernst Gustav Hoffmann patented a ball lathe
1897 Geoffrey Foster Barrett and Charles Barrett persuaded Hoffmann to come to the UK
1898 Public company formed to acquire from Mr E. G. Hoffmann of USA certain patent rights connected with the manufacture of steel balls.[1]
1898 Built works at New Street, Chelmsford. The first single story building was erected on a 4-acre site.
1901 Single thrust bearing patented.
1901 Acquired a ball grinding patent
1903 Hoffmann left the company. Ball and roller bearings and steel rollers were added to the company's product portfolio.
1906 Factory extended.
1908 Roller bearings produced
1911 Electrical Exhibition. Ball and roller bearings.
1911 November Geoffrey Barrett is Managing Director, Paul C. Low, a Director and W. B. Mair is Works Manager.
1917 the Hoffman Manufacturing Co. factory at Chelmsford became a National Factory. The Ministry of Munitions acquired the company because the existing owners were reluctant to expand to cope with the additional demands for product from the aircraft industry.
By 1918 230,000 ball-bearings a month were being produced.[2]
This was a huge complex situated just to the north of Marconi Works.
1919 March. Advert for ball and roller bearings
1920 Employing 4,750 persons.
1922 The London office of the company moved from 59, New Oxford-street to 8, Bedford-square, WC1[3]
1922 Acquired half-share in the Norma Ball Bearing Co of USA[4]
1927 Advert for bearings.
1928 Control of the company was acquired by Messrs Brown, Bayley[5]
1931 Works cover 36 acres and employ 3,500 persons
1937 Manufacturers of ball and roller bearings, steel balls and steel rollers. "Hoffmann" Ball and Roller Bearings.
1938 Opened a factory for aerospace bearings at Stonehouse, Gloucestershire - see Hoffmann Gloucester
1939 See Aircraft Industry Suppliers
1940 Advert. Ball and roller bearings
1945 Advert. Ball and roller bearings
1945 Hoffmann Tweedales established at Stonehouse
1961 Manufacturers of Hoffmann steel balls and rollers, ball and roller bearings.
1969 The Industrial Reorganisation Corporation supported the formation of a new bearings group Ransome Hoffmann Pollard Co by amalgamating Ransome and Marles Bearing Co, Pollard Ball and Roller Bearing Co and Hoffmann Manufacturing Co[6].
See Also
Sources of Information
- The Autocar of 29th March 1919 p11
- The Engineer of 13th October 1911 p388
- Mechanical World Year Book 1927. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert p37
- Mechanical World Year Book 1940. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert on Bookmark
- Mechanical World Year Book 1945. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert p151