Our Heritage

Our Heritage

Throughout the Quartzelec business, everything we do is underpinned by our heritage of superb British engineering, acknowledged as the highest quality and most innovative in the world

Our Heritage

Throughout the Quartzelec business, everything we do is underpinned by our heritage of superb British engineering, acknowledged as the highest quality and most innovative in the world.

Solid foundations, demonstrating over 100 years’ experience and technical expertise with our heritage derived from such great electrical engineering names.

1896British Thomson Houston (BTH)

Established in May 1896 after acquiring patents and exclusive manufacturing rights to products previously imported from USA.

1899Metropolitan Vickers

Grew out of American owned firm of British Westinghouse. New company located at Manchester (Trafford Park).

1902BTH

BTH begins manufacturing at new site in Rugby on land purchased in 1900.

1919Metropolitan Vickers

British Westinghouse acquired by Vickers Ltd - changes name in September 1919 to Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Co.

1928BTH/Metropolitan Vickers

BTH merges with Metropolitan Vickers.

1929AEI

AEI formed as a financial holding company for manufacturers supplying the electrical industry.

BTH and Metropolitan Vickers also merge with AEI.

1947

UK electrical power industry nationalised with 600 companies merge into 12 area Electricity Boards.

1959AEI

Becomes trading company and AEI brand name used.

1960BTH

BTH brand name discontinued as of 1 January 1960.

1967GEC/AEI

The General Electric Company (GEC) makes a £120 million bid for AEI, 9 November 1967.

1968GEC/English Electric

GEC acquires English Electric 6 September 1968. 

1989Manweb/Norweb

Following privatisation of Electricity Boards, Mersey & North Wales Electricity Board becomes Manweb plc.

North Western Electricity Board becomes Norweb plc.

1989GEC Alsthom

Power engineering interests of GEC separated through joint venture with Alsthom.

1991Manweb

Manweb Contracting Services Ltd formed, wholly owned subsidiary of Manweb plc.

1992GEC Alsthom Electrical Services Ltd

The construction and service division of GEC Large Machines Ltd becomes an independent company.

1994Norweb/United Utilities

Norweb plc acquired by North West Water Ltd. Combined businesses rebranded United Utilities plc.

1995Scottish Power

Manweb plc acquired by ScottishPower plc. Manweb Contracting Services becomes a division of ScottishPower Contracting.

1998Alstom Electrical Services Ltd

GEC Alsthom floated on the Stock Exchange and the company becomes independent as Alstom. Business re-named as Alstom Electrical Services Ltd.

2000Alstom Contracting

Alstom acquire Norweb Contracting and ScottishPower Contracting, Electrical Service business re-named as Alstom Maintenance and Services Ltd. All businesses transferred into Alstom’s Contracting Division.

2001Cegelec

The Alstom Contracting division divested through an LMBO on a worldwide basis and rebranded as Cegelec.

2007Quartzelec

Cegelec in the UK rebranded as Quartzelec following an MBO acquisition by the incumbent management team in 2006.  

2008Quartzcoil

Independent coil manufacturer Clarich acquired and rebranded as Quartzcoil.

2008TS Metals

Welding and fabrication specialists TS Metals, acquired by the Quartzelec group.

2008Middle East

Quartzelec continues to invest in supporting a global presence, establishing facilities in the U.A.E.

2011Quartzteq GmbH

Quartzteq GmbH established as an independent business with a mission to develop a suite of condition monitoring solutions, marketed as LIFEVIEW®.

2012Maser Quartzelec Services

Joint venture with MASER in Malaysia is formalised, extending our presence in the ASEAN region.

201710 Years independence

10 years of OEM independence and 100 Years of Heritage achieved and celebrated.

2021Quartzelec Sdn. Bhd.

Quartzelec acquires 100% of the Ordinary Shares of Maser Quartzelec Services.

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Quartzelec Ltd, Castle Mound Way, Central Park, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV23 0WB
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