Listed on the London Stock Exchange and once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index, Racal was a diversified company, offering products including voice recorders and data recorders, point of sale terminals, laboratory instruments and military electronics, including radio and radar.

[1] The purchase was expected to roughly double the size of the French defence giant's operations in the UK, a country that already represented one of its biggest export markets in Europe.

[2] Ernest Harrison joined the company as employee number 13 as an accountant,[3][4][5] but later held the positions of chief buyer, personnel director and contract negotiator.

On outgrowing this site it moved to Bracknell, Berkshire in 1954, enticed by a 99-year lease at four shillings and sixpence per square foot – and no rent reviews.

[7] Harrison joined the company board in 1958, and as deputy managing director from 1961 helped Racal to obtain a Stock Market listing.

[9] In 1980, Harrison agreed a deal with Lord Weinstock of the General Electric Company to allow Racal to access some of GEC's tactical battlefield radio technology.

Racal re-established a telecoms division with a major government contract in 1988 and the acquisition of British Rail Telecommunications in 1995.

In 1994, Camelot Group – in which Racal had a 22.5% share – won the franchise to operate the UK National Lottery.

In October 1999, Racal decided to sell its telecoms business to the American communications group, Global Crossing, for £1bn.

[24] In December 2008, Racal Acoustics Ltd was acquired by Esterline Technologies, and has become part of their Communications Systems business.