A. Reyrolle & Company

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A. Reyrolle & Company
TypePublic
IndustryEngineering
Founded1886–1998
FateAcquired
SuccessorSiemens
HeadquartersHebburn, UK
ProductsSwitchgear

A. Reyrolle & Company was a British engineering firm based in Hebburn, Tyne and Wear in the North East of England. For many years the company was one of the largest employers on Tyneside.

History[]

Example of typical Siemens switchgear

The company was founded by  [de], a French electrical engineer and entrepreneur,[1] in 1886 at Fitzroy Square in London to produce scientific instruments.[2] He moved the business to Hebburn on Tyneside in 1901.[3] At its peak it manufactured switchgear for power stations worldwide and employed 12,000 people.[3]

The company 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.[4] In 1977 Reyrolle Parsons merged with Clarke Chapman to form Northern Engineering Industries plc,[4] which was acquired by Rolls Royce plc in 1989.[4]

The business was acquired in 1998 by VA Technologie AG,[5] which was acquired by the industrial conglomerate Siemens in 2005, reuniting the company with Parsons under the new owners.[6] Siemens support the Reyrolle installed base on a global basis, with Operations and Protection based at the remaining section of the original Reyrolle Works in Hebburn, although this constitutes only around 10 percent of the original site.[7] The Major Projects division is based at a modern office building on the nearby Monkton Business Park.[8]

The New Zealand division, Reyrolle Pacific, was sold by Siemens AG/VA Tech to a private individual in New Zealand.[9] This included the switchgear factory in Petone, with a staff of about 100.[10] Reyrolle Pacific Switchgear became RPS Switchgear and manufactures retrofit breakers for the original LMT switchgear, and vacuum breakers and panels for 11 kV substations.[10]

References[]

  1. ^ Son of Martial Reyrolle and Marie Faye
  2. ^ Jones, W.S (1996). "A lesson in industrial survival". IEE Review. IEEE Xplore. 42 (2): 75–78. doi:10.1049/ir:19960214.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Open Writing: 50 - The Office Messenger". Openwriting.com. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Cranes in NZR Service". Nzrcranes.org. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Reyrolle switchgear and Peebles Transformers sold by Rolls-Royce to VA Tech". International Power Generation. October 1998. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Siemens". Siemens.com. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  7. ^ Welcome to Siemens Reyrolle Archived April 17, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Staff devastated by redundancy news Shields Gazette, 21 May 2010
  9. ^ Reyrolle PAcific Board records - History of Reyrolle Pacific Swicthgear, 7 - 17 Bouverie Street, Petone, Lower Hutt
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b "RPS Switchgear Home". Rpsswitchgear.com. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

Further reading[]

  • Arcs, Sparks & Engineers: A Centenary History of A. Reyrolle & Co. Ltd. (1901–2001), Alan Wright (ed.), Reyrolle Heritage Trust Press, 2001, ISBN 978-0-9538972-0-9
  • The Reyrolle Story, Robert Owen, Write Good Books, 2007, ISBN 978-1-905295-07-4
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