Dowty Group

Dowty Group was a major British aerospace and engineering company whose origins lay in the aircraft-equipment business established by inventor and engineer George Dowty. The enterprise began in 1931 as the Aircraft Components Company, initially developing internally sprung wheels and aircraft shock-absorber technology. Its decisive early breakthrough came in 1934, when the Gloster Aircraft Company selected Dowty’s oleo struts for the Gloster Gauntlet. Dowty established Dowty Aviation in 1935 to manufacture and commercialize the technology, and the business rapidly expanded as demand grew for landing gear, hydraulic equipment and associated aircraft systems. The company became particularly important during the Second World War. Dowty products were installed in a wide range of British military aircraft, including the Hawker Hurricane, Bristol Beaufighter, Hawker Typhoon, Avro Lancaster, Handley Page Halifax, Short Sunderland and Gloster Meteor. Its portfolio included undercarriage assemblies, tail wheels, hydraulic systems, electrical instrumentation and warning equipment. By 1945, the company had manufactured tens of thousands of landing gears and hundreds of thousands of hydraulic units, while operating manufacturing facilities in Britain, Canada and the United States. This wartime industrial base established Dowty as one of the United Kingdom’s leading aircraft-equipment manufacturers. After the war, Dowty broadened its technology base beyond aircraft. It applied hydraulic and mechanical expertise to motorcycle suspension forks, industrial pumps, hydraulic control systems, mining equipment and other commercial applications. The group formed or acquired specialist businesses including Dowty Seals, Dowty Hydraulic Units and Dowty Fuel Systems, and purchased companies such as New Mendip Engineering and Coventry Precision. To coordinate its growing collection of operating companies, Dowty Group Limited was incorporated in 1954 with headquarters at Arle Court in Cheltenham. Aerospace remained the group’s central field. The acquisition of Rotol Airscrews in 1960 created the Dowty Rotol propeller business, while the purchase of Boulton Paul Aircraft in 1961 added aircraft structures, powered controls and research-aircraft capabilities. Dowty participated in important British aerospace programs, supplying fuel-control systems for the Harrier jump jet and power-control equipment for Concorde. It also maintained a long-running technical relationship with the French Messier organization in landing gear and hydraulic systems. During the late 1980s, Dowty pursued diversification into telecommunications, software and computer-related services. It acquired Datatel in 1987, Case Group in 1988 and Dataco in 1990. The expansion moved the group beyond its traditional industrial and aerospace identity, but the business later became subject to a major corporate transaction. TI Group acquired Dowty Group in 1992, after an initially unwelcome approach that was ultimately completed without being characterized as a hostile bid. Dowty ceased to operate as an independent listed group following the acquisition. TI Group subsequently restructured the former Dowty businesses, making substantial workforce reductions and disposing of several electronics operations. In 1993, seven former Dowty electronics companies were sold through a management buyout that created Ultra Electronics. In 1994, the landing-gear business was placed into a joint venture with SNECMA, forming Messier-Dowty. That venture later became wholly owned by Safran in 1998. Dowty therefore survived not as an independent corporate group but through the continuation and sale of specialist aerospace businesses, particularly in landing gear and propeller technology.

Dowty Group developed from Aircraft Components Company, founded by George Dowty in 1931. Dowty initially worked from Cheltenham while developing aircraft wheels and shock-absorber equipment. After an early financial setback, the business obtained an order for internally sprung wheels from Kawasaki. In 1934, Gloster adopted Dowty’s oleo struts for the Gauntlet, providing the commercial breakthrough that led to the formation of Dowty Aviation in 1935. Dowty Aviation expanded rapidly during the Second World War. Its landing gear, hydraulic equipment, tail wheels, instrumentation and warning systems were incorporated into many British aircraft types, including fighters, bombers, transports and flying boats. Production was expanded through facilities in Britain and overseas, notably Canada and the United States. The company emerged from the war with a substantial manufacturing base and a strong position in aircraft equipment. The post-war period brought both diversification and corporate consolidation. Dowty applied its technologies to industrial pumps, mining equipment, motorcycle suspension, hydraulic control systems and other non-aerospace products. It established specialist subsidiaries and acquired engineering businesses, eventually incorporating Dowty Group Limited in 1954 to manage the expanding organization. The group’s Canadian operations were an important contributor to its turnover during this period. Aerospace acquisitions strengthened the company’s portfolio. Rotol Airscrews was acquired in 1960 and became the basis of Dowty Rotol, while Boulton Paul Aircraft was acquired in 1961. Dowty supplied systems for notable British programs such as the Harrier and Concorde and collaborated with France’s Messier organization on landing gear and hydraulics. The group also became involved in tubular systems, aircraft structures, turbine-engine components and industrial equipment. In the late 1980s, Dowty diversified into telecommunications and information technology through the acquisitions of Datatel, Case Group and Dataco. This strategy broadened the group’s commercial exposure but did not prevent its eventual acquisition by TI Group in 1992. The transaction ended Dowty Group as an independent entity. TI Group then restructured the operations, sold several electronics businesses through a management buyout and placed the landing-gear activities into Messier-Dowty with SNECMA in 1994. Messier-Dowty later became wholly owned by Safran, leaving Dowty’s principal legacy embedded in successor aerospace businesses rather than in a continuing Dowty Group corporation.

• 1998

  Messier-Dowty becomes wholly owned by Safran

  [1]Dowty Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The successor landing-gear venture became fully owned by French aerospace group Safran.

• 1994

  Messier-Dowty formed

  [1]Dowty Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Dowty’s landing-gear business was transferred into a joint venture with SNECMA.

• 1992

  Acquired by TI Group

  [1]Dowty Groupen.wikipedia.org

  TI Group acquired Dowty Group, ending its independent corporate existence.

• 1987

  Datatel acquired

  [1]Dowty Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Dowty entered a more substantial software and technology diversification phase.

• 1961

  Boulton Paul Aircraft acquired

  [1]Dowty Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Dowty added aircraft structures, powered controls and research-aircraft capabilities through the acquisition.

• 1960

  Rotol Airscrews acquired

  [1]Dowty Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition created the Dowty Rotol propeller business.

• 1954

  Dowty Group Limited incorporated

  [1]Dowty Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was incorporated to coordinate its expanding collection of aerospace and industrial companies.

• 1945

  Wartime production reaches major scale

  [1]Dowty Groupen.wikipedia.org

  By the end of the war, Dowty had produced 87,786 landing gears and 984,388 hydraulic units, according to the cited reference material.

• 1935

  Dowty Aviation founded

  [1]Dowty Groupen.wikipedia.org

  A dedicated manufacturing company was established to produce Dowty aircraft equipment.

• 1934

  Gloster adopts Dowty oleo struts

  [1]Dowty Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Gloster ordered Dowty’s oleo struts for the Gloster Gauntlet, creating the company’s first major aviation breakthrough.

• 1931

  Aircraft Components Company established

  [1]Dowty Groupen.wikipedia.org

  George Dowty founded the enterprise that became Dowty Group, initially to develop and manufacture aircraft components.

A diversified British engineering group centered on aerospace equipment, combining specialist aircraft systems with hydraulic, actuation, propeller, industrial and later technology businesses.

• Aerospace components · 1934

  Dowty aircraft landing gear

  Landing gear and undercarriage systems were Dowty’s defining aerospace products. The company developed oleo struts, internally sprung wheels, complete undercarriage units and related assemblies for military and civil aircraft. Dowty equipment was used across a broad range of British aircraft during the Second World War and remained central to the group’s aerospace activities after 1945.

• Aircraft hydraulics and actuation · 1931

  Dowty hydraulic systems

  Dowty manufactured hydraulic units and control systems for aircraft, supporting landing gear, flight controls and other powered functions. Hydraulics became one of the group’s principal technical disciplines and were later applied to industrial pumps, mining equipment and other non-aerospace uses.

• Aircraft propellers · 1960

  Dowty Rotol propellers

  Dowty Rotol was the group’s propeller and airscrew business, established after Dowty acquired Rotol Airscrews in 1960. It gave the group a specialized position in advanced propeller systems alongside its existing landing-gear, hydraulic and actuation businesses.

• Flight-control systems · 1961

  Aircraft powered controls

  Through its aerospace operations, including the former Boulton Paul activities, Dowty supplied powered control equipment and related actuation technologies. These systems contributed to major British aerospace programs, including Concorde and other advanced aircraft projects.

• Aircraft engine systems

  Fuel-control systems

  Dowty developed fuel-control equipment for aircraft propulsion applications. The group’s fuel-control work included participation in the Harrier program and complemented its broader portfolio of hydraulic, actuation and aircraft subsystems.

• Industrial equipment

  Industrial hydraulic and mining equipment

  Dowty applied its aerospace-derived hydraulic expertise to industrial pumps, hydraulic control systems and mining equipment such as hydraulic pit props. These activities reflected the group’s post-war effort to diversify its engineering technologies into commercial and industrial markets.

• 1994

  Create Messier-Dowty landing-gear joint ventureM&A

  Background

  TI Group sought a new structure for Dowty’s landing-gear operations and partnered with SNECMA’s Messier business.

  Action taken

  The landing-gear business was transferred into the Messier-Dowty joint venture.

  Aftermath

  Messier-Dowty became a major successor to Dowty’s landing-gear activities and was later wholly owned by Safran.

  Source

• 1993

  Dispose of former Dowty electronics businessesStrategy

  Background

  TI Group decided to exit seven former Dowty companies involved in electronic equipment after the acquisition and restructuring.

  Action taken

  The businesses were sold through a management buyout, creating Ultra Electronics.

  Aftermath

  The divestment separated the electronics operations from the remaining TI Group aerospace and engineering activities.

  Source

• 1992

  Accept TI Group acquisitionM&A

  Background

  TI Group identified Dowty as a priority acquisition target. Dowty’s board initially rejected the approach, although the eventual transaction was not treated as a hostile bid.

  Action taken

  TI Group completed the acquisition of Dowty Group, removing Dowty from independent corporate operation.

  Aftermath

  The former group was heavily restructured, and its businesses were subsequently sold, reorganized or placed into joint ventures.

  Source

1. 1Dowty Groupen.wikipedia.org