Vickers plc
Encyclopedia
Vickers plc was the remainder of Vickers-Armstrongs after the nationalisation of three of its four operating groups: aviation (as a 50% share since 1960 of British Aircraft Corporation
(BAC) in 1977), shipbuilding (Vickers Limited Shipbuilding Group in 1977) and steel. It was purchased by Rolls-Royce plc
in 1999, and the Vickers company name became defunct in 2004.
In 1980, Vickers plc acquired Rolls-Royce Motors
. This was not Vickers' first involvement with Rolls-Royce. In 1966, Rolls-Royce Limited
(the original aero-engine and motor car company) acquired Bristol Aeroplane
for its Bristol Siddeley
engine business, but declared it had no interest in Bristol's 20% shareholding in BAC; Vickers Armstrong
and English Electric
(EE) each having 40% of BAC's shares. Despite this declaration Rolls-Royce had still not disposed of its BAC stake when the former was declared bankrupt in 1971. The 20% share was eventually acquired from receivership by Vickers and GEC (EE's parent company). In 1990, the Cosworth
automotive engineering group was purchased. Vickers divested its automotive interests in 1998, selling Cosworth and Rolls-Royce Motors to Volkswagen Group
. The disposal of Rolls-Royce was a complicated affair, involving BMW
and legal issues surrounding the use of trademarks which were shared with Rolls-Royce plc
.
(ROF Leeds) was purchased and became the core component of Vickers Defence Systems. These interests were primarily centred around land warfare products and brought the Challenger 1 tank
into Vickers' portfolio. Vickers would later develop this into the Challenger 2 tank
, the current main battle tank of the British Army
and Oman. In 1999 Reumech, owner of OMC, the South African defence company was purchased and renamed as Vickers OMC. In 2004, Vickers OMC was sold to BAE Systems
.
a Swedish manufacturer of waterjets, followed in 1998 by Ulstein
(Norway
), a major marine propulsion and engineering company. The companies were formed up as Vickers Ulstein Marine.
(the post bankruptcy nationalised aero-engine manufacturer) was privatised in 1987 and in a turn-about of affairs, purchased Vickers plc in 1999 for its marine engineering businesses. In 2002, Vickers Defence Systems was purchased by Alvis plc
to form the subsidiary Alvis Vickers. In 2003, Rolls Royce renamed its Vickers subsidiaries Vinters plc . The Vickers name lived on in Alvis Vickers. In 2004, the board of the parent group Alvis approved a £309m takeover bid by the American defence company General Dynamics
. Within 3 months BAE Systems
, which already had a 29% stake in the company, bid £355m for the company. The action was seen as a defence of the home market from a foreign rival. The bid was accepted by the majority of shareholders. In September 2004, BAE announced the creation of BAE Systems Land Systems, a new company bringing together the BAE subsidiaries, RO Defence and Alvis Vickers. This saw the end the famous Vickers name after 176 years. In 2005, the acquisition of United Defense
led to the creation of BAE Systems Land and Armaments
Group.
British Aircraft Corporation
The British Aircraft Corporation was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs , the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Hunting Aircraft in 1960. Bristol, English Electric and Vickers became "parents" of BAC with...
(BAC) in 1977), shipbuilding (Vickers Limited Shipbuilding Group in 1977) and steel. It was purchased by Rolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce Group plc is a global power systems company headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines , and also has major businesses in the marine propulsion and energy sectors. Through its defence-related activities...
in 1999, and the Vickers company name became defunct in 2004.
Automotive Engineering
Rolls-Royce Motors
Rolls-Royce Motors was created from the de-merger of the Rolls-Royce car business from Rolls-Royce Limited in 1973. The original Rolls-Royce Limited had been nationalised in 1971 due to the financial collapse of the company, caused in part by the development of the RB211 jet engine...
. This was not Vickers' first involvement with Rolls-Royce. In 1966, Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
(the original aero-engine and motor car company) acquired Bristol Aeroplane
Bristol Aeroplane Company
The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines...
for its Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd was a British aero engine manufacturer. The company was formed in 1959 by a merger of Bristol Aero-Engines Limited and Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited. In 1961 the company was expanded by the purchase of the de Havilland Engine Company and the engine division of...
engine business, but declared it had no interest in Bristol's 20% shareholding in BAC; Vickers Armstrong
Vickers Armstrong
Vickers-Armstrongs Limited was a British engineering conglomerate formed by the merger of the assets of Vickers Limited and Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Company in 1927...
and English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
(EE) each having 40% of BAC's shares. Despite this declaration Rolls-Royce had still not disposed of its BAC stake when the former was declared bankrupt in 1971. The 20% share was eventually acquired from receivership by Vickers and GEC (EE's parent company). In 1990, the Cosworth
Cosworth
Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...
automotive engineering group was purchased. Vickers divested its automotive interests in 1998, selling Cosworth and Rolls-Royce Motors to Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....
. The disposal of Rolls-Royce was a complicated affair, involving BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
and legal issues surrounding the use of trademarks which were shared with Rolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce Group plc is a global power systems company headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines , and also has major businesses in the marine propulsion and energy sectors. Through its defence-related activities...
.
Defence
In 1986, Royal Ordnance Factory LeedsRoyal Ordnance Factory
Royal Ordnance Factories was the collective name of the UK government's munitions factories in and after World War II. Until privatisation in 1987 they were the responsibility of the Ministry of Supply and later the Ministry of Defence....
(ROF Leeds) was purchased and became the core component of Vickers Defence Systems. These interests were primarily centred around land warfare products and brought the Challenger 1 tank
Challenger 1 tank
The British FV4030/4 Challenger 1, was the main battle tank of the British Army from 1983 to the mid 1990s, when it was superseded by the Challenger 2. It is also currently used by the Jordanian Armed Forces as their main battle tank after heavy modifications...
into Vickers' portfolio. Vickers would later develop this into the Challenger 2 tank
Challenger 2 tank
FV4034 Challenger 2 is a British main battle tank currently in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman. It was designed and built by the British company Vickers Defence Systems . The manufacturer advertises it as the world's most reliable main battle tank...
, the current main battle tank 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...
and Oman. In 1999 Reumech, owner of OMC, the South African defence company was purchased and renamed as Vickers OMC. In 2004, Vickers OMC was sold to BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
.
Marine Engineering
Vickers was the parent company of the Brown Brothers group who produced marine steering gear and stabilisers. In 1986, it purchased KamewaKamewa Waterjets
Kamewa Karlstad Mekaniska Werkstads Aktiebolag founded in the city of Karlstad in the central of Sweden was a Swedish world famous company in its line of business, which was acquired by the British Vickers group in 1986. Acquiring Vickers in 1999, Rolls-Royce plc now owns the Kamewa portfolio...
a Swedish manufacturer of waterjets, followed in 1998 by Ulstein
Ulstein
Ulstein is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The commercial and administrative centre of Ulstein is Ulsteinvik, population 5,251 . The municipality occupies the western half of the island of Hareidlandet, as well as about 30 or more smaller...
(Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
), a major marine propulsion and engineering company. The companies were formed up as Vickers Ulstein Marine.
Break-up
Rolls-Royce plcRolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce Group plc is a global power systems company headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines , and also has major businesses in the marine propulsion and energy sectors. Through its defence-related activities...
(the post bankruptcy nationalised aero-engine manufacturer) was privatised in 1987 and in a turn-about of affairs, purchased Vickers plc in 1999 for its marine engineering businesses. In 2002, Vickers Defence Systems was purchased by Alvis plc
Alvis plc
Alvis Ltd. was created when United Scientific Holdings plc acquired the Alvis division of the nationalised vehicle manufacturer British Leyland in 1981. United Scientific maintained its own name until 1992 when the group was renamed Alvis plc. Alvis acquired Swedish armoured vehicle manufacturer...
to form the subsidiary Alvis Vickers. In 2003, Rolls Royce renamed its Vickers subsidiaries Vinters plc . The Vickers name lived on in Alvis Vickers. In 2004, the board of the parent group Alvis approved a £309m takeover bid by the American defence company General Dynamics
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
. Within 3 months BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
, which already had a 29% stake in the company, bid £355m for the company. The action was seen as a defence of the home market from a foreign rival. The bid was accepted by the majority of shareholders. In September 2004, BAE announced the creation of BAE Systems Land Systems, a new company bringing together the BAE subsidiaries, RO Defence and Alvis Vickers. This saw the end the famous Vickers name after 176 years. In 2005, the acquisition of United Defense
United Defense
United Defense Industries was a United States defense contractor which is now part of BAE Systems Land and Armaments. This company produces combat vehicles, artillery, naval guns, missile launchers and precision munitions.-History:...
led to the creation of BAE Systems Land and Armaments
BAE Systems Land and Armaments
BAE Systems Land & Armaments is a subsidiary of BAE Systems Inc. and is responsible for the design, development and production of combat vehicles, ammunition, artillery systems, naval guns and missile launchers. It is the largest such company in the world...
Group.