Edward Wood and Co:1935 Review
Note: This is a sub-section of Edward Wood and Co
Visit of the Iron and Steel Institute to the Iron, Steel and Engineering Industries of Manchester and District
Edward Wood and Company Limited, Ocean Ironworks, Trafford Park.
The works of this firm of constructional engineers, with a capital of approximately a quarter of a million, cover an area of 10 acres and were designed and erected by the Company's own staff. A special feature of the layout is the orderly sequence of operations, the raw material corning in at one end of each bay and proceeding through all operations to the opposite end from which the finished girders, stanchions, etc., are despatched.
Each bay is 700 feet long with a span of 65 feet. Single pieces up to 35 tons can be easily handled with the overhead cranes, and the up-to-date layout of the works ensures great rapidity to of construction.
Many large contracts have been carried out all over the country and among the interesting buildings in Manchester for which this Company has supplied the steelwork are the Ship Canal House, Allied Newspapers' Offices, Lewis's Store in Market Street, and the Telephone House, Salford. During this summer the Company has supplied the steelwork for the new extension to the Manchester Town Hall, approximately 5,000 tons. This contract has created great interest locally, not only to laymen but also to building experts, and the amazing speed of construction has been a topic of conversation. It is interesting to know that Edward Wood and Company Ltd., commenced operations on the site on 7th February, and on 8th May, twelve weeks later, there were 2,5oo tons completely manufactured and erected. It speaks volumes for the internal organisation of the Company, especially when one considers that the Company was, at the same time, engaged in supplying the steelwork for the reconstruction of the old Hippodrome where steelwork was being manoeuvred into the new Cinema while the old Music Hall was &appearing.
The present Chairman is Mr. R. C. Irwin CBE formerly the Secretary of the L. M. and S. Railway Co., who succeeded the founder of the Company, the late Sir Edward Graham Wood, in 1931.
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