E G Wrigley and Company

E G Wrigley and Company was a British engineering and component manufacturer based in Birmingham. Founded by Edward Greenwood Wrigley in 1898, the business began as a tool-making concern at 232 Aston Road before expanding to premises on Foundry Lane in Soho in 1902. Its early production centered on high-speed twist drills and specialized cutting and reaming equipment, including milling cutters, taper and adjustable reamers, gear cutters, hobs, metal-splitting saws, gauges, and other custom tools. The company broadened its activities into the manufacture of toothed gearing and mechanical assemblies. It produced gears for a wide range of mechanisms and assembled them into gearboxes and other transmission units. By the early twentieth century, Wrigley had developed a reputation for high-quality engineering, although contemporary commentary was not uniformly complimentary; the engineer Dr Frederick Lanchester reportedly made a disparaging joke about the company's worm gears. Regardless, the firm's technical capabilities enabled it to move beyond individual tools and components into complete automotive transmission systems. Wrigley exhibited a complete automobile gearbox at the 1906 Olympia Show. Its automotive products included three-speed gearboxes, worm-driven rear axles, propeller shafts, torque mechanisms, transmission brakes, and front axles with steering gear. At a new building opened at Foundry Lane in 1912, the business was organized around three principal activities: small-tool manufacture, machining toothed gearing, and assembly of gearboxes and other complete units. Contemporary descriptions indicate a substantial workforce, including eighteen draughtsmen, 47 staff, and approximately 280 workshop employees. In 1913 the company experimented with producing its own cyclecar. The vehicle used a two-cylinder engine, available in air-cooled or water-cooled form, and a two-speed gearbox. Only a small number appear to have been completed before the First World War redirected the company's capacity toward war-related production, including aircraft components. After the war, Wrigley continued making axles, gearboxes, and other engineering products. Because of ill health, Edward Wrigley transferred operational responsibility to F G Woollard; Wrigley died in January 1941. The company's later financial difficulties were linked in part to an unsuccessful investment strategy. In early 1920, Wrigley issued shares to obtain control of engine manufacturer J. Tylor and Sons, which supplied engines to Angus-Sanderson. Angus-Sanderson's plans for high-volume vehicle production proved unsustainable, and Wrigley stopped supplying it in November 1920. Angus-Sanderson failed in 1921, placing J. Tylor and Sons into receivership and leaving Wrigley to write off its interests in both businesses. For the financial year ending in April 1921, the company reported a loss of £548,300, a figure that requires interpretation in its historical accounting context rather than comparison with modern values. Wrigley itself entered receivership at the end of 1923. On 1 January 1924, William Morris acquired the company's complete assets from the receiver, including its buildings. The former Wrigley operation was incorporated into Morris Commercial Cars Limited, which began manufacturing light commercial vehicles at the site on 4 February 1924. Thus, E G Wrigley and Company ended as an independent business, but its Birmingham facilities and engineering assets continued in commercial-vehicle production under Morris ownership.

E G Wrigley and Company emerged from Birmingham's expanding late-nineteenth-century engineering economy. Edward Greenwood Wrigley established the tool-making business in 1898 at 232 Aston Road. Its initial specialization was in high-speed twist drills and related precision tooling. In 1902, part of the operation moved to Foundry Lane in Soho, allowing the company to expand its manufacturing capacity and product range. The firm developed expertise in milling cutters, taper and adjustable reamers, gear cutters, hobs, gauges, metal-splitting saws, and other specialized tools. It also manufactured gears for many kinds of mechanical equipment and assembled them into gearboxes and boxed transmission units. This combination of precision tooling, gear cutting, and mechanical assembly became central to the company's identity. Wrigley was regarded as a high-quality producer, although the company's worm gears were also the subject of a reported quip by engineer Dr Frederick Lanchester. Automotive engineering became increasingly important. Wrigley produced transmission components and complete systems, including three-speed gearboxes, worm-driven rear axles, propeller shafts, torque mechanisms, transmission brakes, and front axles with steering gear. The company displayed a complete car gearbox at the 1906 Olympia Show and was manufacturing front and live rear axles by that period. These products placed Wrigley within the supply chain serving Britain's early motor industry rather than limiting it to the hand-tool trade. A new building at Soho Foundry Lane opened in 1912. At that stage, the company's reported activities comprised the production of twist drills, cutters, and small tools; the machining of toothed gearing; and the assembly of gearboxes and other complete mechanical units. Its reported staffing included eighteen draughtsmen, 47 other staff, and 280 workshop employees, suggesting a sizeable industrial operation for the period. In 1913 Wrigley moved briefly toward complete vehicle manufacture by experimenting with a cyclecar. The design used a two-cylinder engine, which could be air-cooled or water-cooled, and a two-speed gearbox. Production was very limited. The First World War interrupted the project and redirected the company's facilities toward war work, including aircraft parts. After the war, the company returned to its established role as a producer of axles, gearboxes, gears, tools, and other mechanical components. Wrigley's subsequent decline was associated with its exposure to other automotive businesses. In early 1920 it issued shares to take control of engine manufacturer J. Tylor and Sons, which supplied engines to Angus-Sanderson. Angus-Sanderson intended to expand production but became financially overstretched and was undercut by Morris. Wrigley ceased supplying Angus-Sanderson in November 1920. Angus-Sanderson failed in 1921, and J. Tylor and Sons entered receivership. Wrigley consequently had to write off its investments in both companies. The loss reported for the year ending April 1921 was £548,300. The financial damage could not be overcome. E G Wrigley and Company was placed in receivership at the end of 1923. William Morris purchased the complete assets from the receiver on 1 January 1924, including the buildings. On 4 February 1924, the former Wrigley operation began trading within Morris Commercial Cars Limited and produced a one-ton truck. By 1930 the successor works manufactured commercial vehicles ranging from 10-cwt trucks to five-ton trucks, as well as Dictator and Imperial single- and double-decker buses. Wrigley's independent existence therefore ended in 1923, while its site and industrial capabilities continued under Morris.

• 1924

  Assets acquired by William Morris

  [1]E G Wrigley & Coen.wikipedia.org

  William Morris bought the company's assets from the receiver, and the works became part of Morris Commercial Cars Limited.

• 1923

  Company enters receivership

  [1]E G Wrigley & Coen.wikipedia.org

  After major losses associated with its automotive investments, Wrigley was placed in receivership at the end of 1923.

• 1920

  Investment in J. Tylor and Sons

  [1]E G Wrigley & Coen.wikipedia.org

  Wrigley issued shares to obtain control of engine maker J. Tylor and Sons, linking its finances to the troubled Angus-Sanderson vehicle enterprise.

• 1913

  Cyclecar experiments begin

  [1]E G Wrigley & Coen.wikipedia.org

  The company began experimenting with a two-cylinder cyclecar using a two-speed gearbox. Only very limited production was achieved.

• 1912

  New Soho works opened

  [1]E G Wrigley & Coen.wikipedia.org

  A new building at Foundry Lane supported the company's integrated activities in small tools, toothed gearing, and complete gearbox assembly.

• 1906

  Complete gearbox exhibited at Olympia

  [1]E G Wrigley & Coen.wikipedia.org

  Wrigley displayed a complete car gearbox at the Olympia motor show and was producing automotive axles and transmission components.

• 1902

  Expansion to Foundry Lane

  [1]E G Wrigley & Coen.wikipedia.org

  Part of the operation moved to Foundry Lane, Soho, providing a base for expanded tool, gear, and automotive-component production.

• 1898

  Tool-making business established

  [1]E G Wrigley & Coen.wikipedia.org

  Edward Greenwood Wrigley founded the business at 232 Aston Road in Birmingham, initially concentrating on high-speed twist drills and precision tools.

A Birmingham precision-engineering manufacturer positioned around high-quality tools, gears, and complete automotive transmission assemblies, later extending its capabilities into vehicle components and limited vehicle production.

• Industrial tools · 1898

  Precision cutting tools

  Wrigley's original product base included high-speed twist drills, milling cutters, taper and adjustable reamers, gear cutters, hobs, special cutters, metal-splitting saws, and gauges. These products served general engineering and gear-making operations and reflected the company's emphasis on precision machining.

• Mechanical components

  Industrial gears

  The company manufactured gears for a broad range of mechanical mechanisms and supplied them either as individual components or assembled into gearboxes and other transmission units. Gear cutting became one of the central activities of the Foundry Lane works.

• Automotive components · 1906

  Automotive transmission systems

  Wrigley's automotive range included three-speed gearboxes, worm-driven live rear axles, propeller shafts, torque mechanisms, transmission brakes, and front axles with steering gear. The company exhibited a complete car gearbox in 1906 and continued supplying transmission assemblies to vehicle manufacturers.

• Automobile · 1913

  Wrigley cyclecar

  In 1913 Wrigley experimented with a small cyclecar powered by a two-cylinder engine, offered in air-cooled or water-cooled form, and paired with a two-speed gearbox. The model was produced only in very small numbers before wartime manufacturing priorities ended the project.

• Aerospace components

  Aircraft components

  During the First World War, the company undertook war-related production that included aircraft parts. The available reference material does not identify specific aircraft programs or component types.

• 1923

  ReceivershipOther

  Background

  The company's losses from its automotive-related investments and the failure of associated businesses left it unable to recover financially.

  Action taken

  E G Wrigley and Company was placed in receivership at the end of 1923.

  Aftermath

  William Morris purchased the complete assets in January 1924, and the works were incorporated into Morris Commercial Cars Limited.

  Reported loss. £548,300 loss (Financial year ending April 1921)

  Source

• 1920

  Control investment in J. Tylor and SonsM&A

  Background

  Wrigley sought to strengthen its position in the automotive supply chain by issuing shares to obtain control of engine manufacturer J. Tylor and Sons, a supplier to Angus-Sanderson.

  Action taken

  The company acquired control through a share issue rather than remaining solely a supplier of tools, gears, and transmission components.

  Aftermath

  Angus-Sanderson became financially overstretched, Wrigley stopped supplying it in November 1920, and the subsequent failures of Angus-Sanderson and J. Tylor and Sons forced Wrigley to write off its investments.

  • Morris — Morris competed with and undercut Angus-Sanderson in the commercial-vehicle market; it later acquired Wrigley's assets from the receiver.

  Source

1. 1E G Wrigley & Coen.wikipedia.org