Graseby plc, maker of systems for detecting potentially lethal chemical and biological warfare agents.
1950 Formation Pye Dynamics
1970s Began supplying the Ministry Of Defence with products for anti-terrorist work, to detect explosive vapours; developed the Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) technology and became a global leader in vapour detection based on this.
1981 The name of Pye Dynamics Ltd was changed to Graseby Dynamics Ltd of Bushey, Herts. Part of Cambridge Electronic Industries
1981 Acquired the assets and liabilities of Graseby Instruments Ltd, founded in 1944 to make military electro-acoustic underwater technology[1]
1980s The IMS expertise was extended to detecting chemical warfare agents.
1992 Cambridge Electronic Industries, having sold its electronics division, changed its name to Graseby[2]. Expertise in emission monitoring was being applied to detection of Semtex explosive
Late 1990s: Graseby won the contract for the Prototype Biological Detection System (PBDS) for the UK Ministry of Defence - the forerunner of modern bio-detection and identification systems.
1997 Graseby plc was acquired by Smiths plc. Graseby Dynamics became Smiths' first venture into the detection sector. Graseby Medical was involved in hospital medication delivery pumps and monitors.