Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

Registered UK Charity (No. 115342)

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 162,256 pages of information and 244,497 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Difference between revisions of "Associated Ethyl Co"

From Graces Guide
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1928 The British Government set up an inter-departmental committee to enquire into the health effects of the use of lead tetra-ethyl as a petrol additive; all supplies of lead tetra-ethyl were imported from USA where it was made<ref>The Times Mar. 1, 1928</ref>
1928 The British Government set up an inter-departmental committee to enquire into the health effects of the use of lead tetra-ethyl as a petrol additive; all supplies of lead tetra-ethyl were imported from USA where it was made<ref>The Times Mar. 1, 1928</ref>


c.1928 Cdr [[Francis Rodwell Banks|F. R. Banks]] joined [[Anglo-American Oil Co]]'s Ethyl Petrol section to develop fuels for the British entrants for the Schneider Trophy<ref>The Times, 14 May 1985</ref>.  
1928 Cdr [[Francis Rodwell Banks|F. R. Banks]] joined [[Anglo-American Oil Co]]'s Ethyl Petrol section; later worked for ... to develop fuels for the British entrants for the Schneider Trophy<ref>The Times, 14 May 1985</ref>.  


1930 The '''Ethyl Gasoline Co''' of the USA set up '''Ethyl Export''' in the UK to sell leaded gasoline overseas<ref>The shadows of consumption: consequences for the global environment, by Peter Dauvergne</ref>.
1930 The '''Ethyl Gasoline Co''' of the USA set up '''Ethyl Export''' in the UK to sell leaded gasoline overseas<ref>The shadows of consumption: consequences for the global environment, by Peter Dauvergne</ref>.

Revision as of 12:55, 4 December 2021

1954. Ellesmere Port Works.

Associated Ethyl Co, makers of fuel additives, of 20 Berkeley Square, London.

Later known as Associated Octel Co, a joint venture owned by BP, Shell and other oil majors.

1925 Lead tetra-ethyl was introduced as a petrol additive in the USA

1928 The British Government set up an inter-departmental committee to enquire into the health effects of the use of lead tetra-ethyl as a petrol additive; all supplies of lead tetra-ethyl were imported from USA where it was made[1]

1928 Cdr F. R. Banks joined Anglo-American Oil Co's Ethyl Petrol section; later worked for ... to develop fuels for the British entrants for the Schneider Trophy[2].

1930 The Ethyl Gasoline Co of the USA set up Ethyl Export in the UK to sell leaded gasoline overseas[3].

1938 Name changed to Associated Ethyl Co. ICI began manufacture of tetraethyl lead; a French affiliate was established.

ICI built the British Ethyl Works near the Hayle Power Station, taking electricity and waste hot water from the station.

1939 See Aircraft Industry Suppliers

1940 Factory completed at Northwich, to produce anti-knock compounds for aircraft fuel, just in time for the Battle of Britain, alleviating the need to import from USA[4].

Postwar: The anti-knock additives activity for aviation fuel was transferred from ICI to the Associated Ethyl Company, a joint venture of a number of oil companies[5], Shell, BP, Texaco, Mobil and Chevron.

1948 Dr R. O. Gibson, co-inventor of polyethylene, after working on anti-knock compounds for aircraft fuel, left ICI and joined Associated Ethyl to set up the research department[6].

1954 New works at Ellesmere Port were built for the company. Leaded gasoline was made with its products[7].

1957 Advert: maker of anti-knock compounds containing tetra-ethyl lead, as well as other chemicals including bromine and compounds, sulphuric acid, ethyl chloride, etc. Manufacturing at Ellesmere Port and Northwich (Cheshire), Amlwch (Anglesey), Hayle (Cornwall). Research and testing facilities at Ellesmere Port and Bletchley[8].

1961 Name changed to Associated Octel.

1972 Associated Octel was developing a lead trap for cars, under licence from USA[9].

1974 Government tests showed that lead traps reduce lead emissions by about 70%, based on prototypes developed by Associated Octel in conjunction with TI and Texaco[10].

1982 2800 employees in UK. Advert publicised the lead filter which could reduce emissions of lead by 90%[11].

Successor company: Innospec[12].

See Also

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Sources of Information

  1. The Times Mar. 1, 1928
  2. The Times, 14 May 1985
  3. The shadows of consumption: consequences for the global environment, by Peter Dauvergne
  4. The Times, 29 September 1982
  5. Biography of Dr R. O. Gibson, ODNB [1]
  6. The Times, 28 July 1983
  7. The shadows of consumption: consequences for the global environment, by Peter Dauvergne
  8. The Times, 4 July 1957
  9. The Times, 27 January 1972
  10. The Times, 21 October 1974
  11. The Times, 29 September 1982
  12. Innospec [2]
  • Octel at Amlwch [3]