IRVIN-GQ
Encyclopedia
IRVIN-GQ is a company based in Llangeinor
, Wales
, United Kingdom
that designs, manufactures and supplies a range of parachutes and emergency, rescue and survival equipment to the military, coastguard and civilian aerospace markets. Its factory in Llangeinor employs around 250 people.
IRVIN-GQ, together with Aircraft Materials Limited and Advanced Inflatable Products of the UK, Para-Flite Inc. and Irvin Aerospace Inc. of the United States
and Irvin Aerospace Canada Limited of Canada
, forms Airborne Systems Group, a company wholly owned by Alchemy Partners
.
, United States
in 1919 by Leslie Irvin, who had made the world's first free-fall parachute jump in that year. In 1925 the Royal Air Force
ordered Irvin Airchute Company parachutes for its crews. It was acquired by GQ Parachutes, which since the 1930s has played a prominent role in the development of emergency escape parachutes.
Since 1991, the company has operated a specialised outsourced service facility, the Airborne Forces Parachute Support Unit (AFPSU), which repairs, maintains and packs all of the parachutes and related equipment for The Parachute Regiment of the British Army
.
In December 2002 the company announced a £5 million investment programme including the creation of around 200 jobs and the move of its main UK production site from Blackmill in Bridgend to Llangeinor. In September 2006 the company formed part of a trade mission to China
led by the then First Minister for Wales
Rhodri Morgan
. In January 2010 the company secured a £50 million contract with the French Ministry of Defence.
Llangeinor
Llangeinor is a small village located in the Garw Valley around 5 miles north of Bridgend in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. The entire village is now protected as part of a conservation area.-Transport:...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
that designs, manufactures and supplies a range of parachutes and emergency, rescue and survival equipment to the military, coastguard and civilian aerospace markets. Its factory in Llangeinor employs around 250 people.
IRVIN-GQ, together with Aircraft Materials Limited and Advanced Inflatable Products of the UK, Para-Flite Inc. and Irvin Aerospace Inc. of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Irvin Aerospace Canada Limited of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, forms Airborne Systems Group, a company wholly owned by Alchemy Partners
Alchemy Partners
Alchemy Partners is a British private equity firm, which specialises in leveraged management buyouts, management buy-ins and the provision of later stage development capital.Alchemy was founded in 1997 by Martin Bolland and Jon Moulton...
.
History
The Irvin Airchute Company was founded in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1919 by Leslie Irvin, who had made the world's first free-fall parachute jump in that year. In 1925 the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
ordered Irvin Airchute Company parachutes for its crews. It was acquired by GQ Parachutes, which since the 1930s has played a prominent role in the development of emergency escape parachutes.
Since 1991, the company has operated a specialised outsourced service facility, the Airborne Forces Parachute Support Unit (AFPSU), which repairs, maintains and packs all of the parachutes and related equipment for The Parachute Regiment of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
In December 2002 the company announced a £5 million investment programme including the creation of around 200 jobs and the move of its main UK production site from Blackmill in Bridgend to Llangeinor. In September 2006 the company formed part of a trade mission to China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
led by the then First Minister for Wales
First Minister for Wales
The First Minister of Wales is the leader of the Welsh Government, Wales' devolved administration, which was established in 1999. The First Minister is responsible for the exercise of functions by the Cabinet of the Welsh Government; policy development and coordination; relationships with the...
Rhodri Morgan
Rhodri Morgan
Hywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...
. In January 2010 the company secured a £50 million contract with the French Ministry of Defence.
Associated companies
Co-located at Llangeinor with Irvin-GQ are:- Aircraft Materials Limited, a company for design, development and manufacture of a wide range of systems for the aerial delivery of cargo, aerial material handling, personnel and cargo restraint and safety harnesses.
- Advanced Inflatable Products, a manufacturer of balloons, inflatable and fabric engineered products for the defence and aerospace markets.