Hans Renold
Encyclopedia
Hans Renold was a Swiss
engineer
. The son of a burgher
family in Aarau
, Switzerland, Hans came to Manchester
, England
at the age of 21 and found work with a firm of machinery exporters.
In 1879 he purchased a small textile-chain making business in Salford, England from James Slater and so founded the Hans Renold Co. the firm which still bears his name today. The following year he invented the Bush Roller chain
which represented a great advance on the common pin-and-link chains of the day and which laid the design foundation upon which all modern precision roller chains are based.
Hans Renold, however, was not only a brilliant engineer and a model employer who built around him a very skilled labour force, but was also a very astute businessman. From the outset, Hans Renold's business, started on £300 borrowed from his prospective father-in-law, prospered and he steadily ploughed back his growing profits into premises and plant. In 1889 a rapid expansion of the business took place and a new factory was built.
Hans Renold had long been devoted to the ideal of establishing a firm sense of community among his employees and their families and in 1909 gave his active support to the establishment of the Hans Renold Social Union for the encouragement of a wide range of leisure activities.
After his death in 1943, Priestnall Hey, his former home adjacent to the Renold works at Burnage
, was presented by his son for the use of the Social Union.
Hans Renold had six children Mary Katharine Renold, Charles Garonne Renold
, Amy Madeleine Renold, Mary Robberds Renold (died young), Hans Herford Renold (died young) and Austen Hugh Renold
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
. The son of a burgher
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
family in Aarau
Aarau
Aarau is the capital of the northern Swiss canton of Aargau. The city is also the capital of the district of Aarau. It is German-speaking and predominantly Protestant. Aarau is situated on the Swiss plateau, in the valley of the Aar, on the river's right bank, and at the southern foot of the Jura...
, Switzerland, Hans came to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
at the age of 21 and found work with a firm of machinery exporters.
In 1879 he purchased a small textile-chain making business in Salford, England from James Slater and so founded the Hans Renold Co. the firm which still bears his name today. The following year he invented the Bush Roller chain
Roller chain
Roller chain or bush roller chain is the type of chain drive most commonly used for transmission of mechanical power on many kinds of domestic, industrial and agricultural machinery, including conveyors, wire and tube drawing machines, printing presses, cars, motorcycles, and simple machines like...
which represented a great advance on the common pin-and-link chains of the day and which laid the design foundation upon which all modern precision roller chains are based.
Hans Renold, however, was not only a brilliant engineer and a model employer who built around him a very skilled labour force, but was also a very astute businessman. From the outset, Hans Renold's business, started on £300 borrowed from his prospective father-in-law, prospered and he steadily ploughed back his growing profits into premises and plant. In 1889 a rapid expansion of the business took place and a new factory was built.
Hans Renold had long been devoted to the ideal of establishing a firm sense of community among his employees and their families and in 1909 gave his active support to the establishment of the Hans Renold Social Union for the encouragement of a wide range of leisure activities.
After his death in 1943, Priestnall Hey, his former home adjacent to the Renold works at Burnage
Burnage
Burnage is a neighbourhood of the city of Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire it was included in the county of Greater Manchester in 1974. It is about south of Manchester city centre, bisected by the busy dual carriageway of Kingsway, part of the A34...
, was presented by his son for the use of the Social Union.
Hans Renold had six children Mary Katharine Renold, Charles Garonne Renold
Charles Garonne Renold
Sir Charles Garonne Renold J.P. LL.D , was a British engineer and pioneer of management science. Born in Altrincham, he was the son of Hans Renold, a Swiss born engineer and businessman. He became chairman of the company his father started Renold Chains and Gears in Manchester later to become...
, Amy Madeleine Renold, Mary Robberds Renold (died young), Hans Herford Renold (died young) and Austen Hugh Renold