When his much loved uncle Heinrich Simon was forced to seek political refuge in Switzerland, Henry followed him and it was here that he went on to gain his Engineering Diploma from Zurich Technical Polytechnical School.

[4] Not only did this form the foundation of his own successful business, Henry Simon, converted to a limited company in 1896/7, but it also transformed the 'slow, laborious and costly' batch pattern previously used, into one of the most 'highly mechanised industries in the world'.

A conservative and crude process, the use of 'beehive ovens' to produce a deposit of coke also caused the creation of by-products which proved harmful to the environment; posing another 'promising development' for Henry Simon to introduce a technological change.

[6] Visiting the Besseges works at Terrenoire along with a large party of engineers in 1878, Henry Simon saw the potential for the coke oven business in development by Francois Carves.

Also in 1890, Henry Simon left a note to his sons, urging them to acquire a sound technical education and to keep closely in touch with scientific developments throughout the world.

[10] Providing a 'comprehensive range of services to the Process and Energy industries world wide', Simon Carves Engineering continues to exhibit a 'constant willingness to embrace new technologies, innovative project methodologies and construction methods'.