In 1938 an Erie 8,000-lb steam hammer was installed which made it possible to produce motor car crankshafts more rapidly and also aircraft components including the crankshafts for the Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah engines which were used extensively in British training aircraft.
After the war profits, largely resulting export, from motor vehicle and aircraft parts, enabled the company to purchase the extensive equipment that the UK Government had installed for wartime defence production and a healthy profit in the company's trading accounts was reported in 1948.
[3] In 1950 Mr H M H Fox, the works superintendent spent six weeks in the USA studying forging techniques and this resulted in an immediate increase in productivity.
In May 2000 United Engineering Forgings (UEF)aerospace, which occupied the site, was purchased by Wyman Gordon, an American company.
This includes forging crankshafts, shaped shafts and wheel parts efficiently, reducing time and materials.
Smaller components are manufactured on a DG40 counterblow hammer, originally installed by Smith-Clayton Forge in 1964.
The hammers are supported by a Zdas 630 controlled pull down press which is utilised in the manufacture of pre-forms for asymmetric structural parts and long aero engine shafts.
Wyman-Gordon is a leading forging company for the world aerospace and energy markets from high grade titanium and nickel based alloys.