Royal Ordnance

Royal Ordnance plc was formed on 2 January 1985 as a public corporation, owning the majority of what until then were the remaining United Kingdom government-owned Royal Ordnance Factories (abbreviated ROFs) which manufactured explosives, ammunition, small arms including the Lee–Enfield rifle, guns and military vehicles such as tanks.

On 2 January 1985, vesting day, the twelve ROFs that still remained open, plus the Waltham Abbey South site, RSAF Enfield and three agency factories, became a UK government-owned company: Royal Ordnance plc.

In mid-1985 a target date of July 1986 was set; however, by June 1986 the government announced that flotation would not be possible and that it intended to sell the company privately.

The following problems were identified as barriers to a flotation: The problems associated with ROF Leeds were solved when Royal Ordnance agreed the sale of the factory and intellectual property rights of the Challenger tanks to Vickers plc on 4 October 1986, the final agreement was signed on 31 March 1987 valuing ROF Leeds at £15.2 million.

The financial position of the company was resolved by a Treasury cash injection and the proceeds of the ROF Leeds sale.

Shortly after privatisation, it has closed and sold its sites at ROF Patricroft, RSAF Enfield and Waltham Abbey South.

In April 1992 BAe / RO Defence bought BMARC and Poudreries Réunies de Belgique (PRB) from the receivers of the failed Astra Holdings; and later Muiden Chemie.

View of the cleared ROF Chorley site. The explosive filling site was to the right of the railway; the area between the railway and the hedge was the site of ROF Chorley Halt; and to the right of the hedge is the former Headquarters building for ROF Chorley.