About Bridon
Bridon International Ltd - A world leading specialist in the manufacture of wire and rope solutions for the most demanding applications - Delivering reassurance through unrivalled experience.
Bridon was originally formed in 1924 from an amalgamation of wire rope manufacturers, the earliest of which date back to the late 18th Century. Bridon is now a major supplier to key industries throughout the world, with numerous strategically positione global operations. Bridon has now been acquired by Melrose PLC, a specialist manufacturing investor listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Company History
- 1789 - Earliest rope works founded
- 1924 - Consolidated as British Ropes Limited
- 1974 - Registration of Bridon name
- 1978 - Bridon Plc listed on LSE
- 1997 - Purchased by FKI
- 2004 - FKI strategic review classifies Bridon as one of its five major businesses
- 2006 - Acquisition of offshore and marine fibre rope business
- 2008 - Acquisition by Melrose
Bridon operates nine manufacturing units worldwide, with market focused technical and sales offices, supported by a global network of agents and distributors.
Bridon Worldwide
Bridon's standing in demanding, worldwide markets stems from the ability to provide a comprehensive and competitive range of solutions in steel wire, wire rope and strand. Bridon delivers more than high quality wire and rope products, as our customers benefit from a seamless service from initial inspection and product selection, through to on-site operational support where desired.
Our superior products and services rely on continuous innovation, quality assurance and technical expertise throughout the organisation and along the supply chain. As the world leader in specialist high performance wire and wire ropes, Bridon is constantly expanding the boundaries of technology. Extensive research and development ensures continual revisions and improvements to our comprehensive product range.
Bridon products provide solutions to the most arduous and technically demanding challenges, extensively used in construction, mining oil & gas extraction, telecommunications, automotive components and other specialised areas of engineering - Markets where there can be no compromise over product performance and integrity.
Working in the UK
Bridon International has four manufacturing sites in the UK - Doncaster (the Head Office), Newcastle and Glasgow.
Doncaster - South Yorkshire
The Doncaster site (Bridon's Head Office in the UK) dates back to 1934 and employs over 470 people, spanning over 100,000 square meters. It's current manning allows the Doncaster wire mill facility to produce 63,000 tonnes each year, to supply wire & rope to market sectors such as oil & gas, structural systems, industrial & mining.
Willington Quay - Newcastle
The site at Willington Quay in Newcastle dates back to 1789, when the first fibre-rope making factory was established by William Chapman. The site was taken over in 1843 by Robert Hood Haggie, who developed the business and expanded the site to 20,000 square meters.
Demand for higher breaking-loads and longer rope life, especially for mining applications, led to the start of wire-rope production on the site in 1885.
The Willington Quay site was part of the amalgamation of companies to form British Ropes back in 1924, which was latterley registered as Bridon in 1989.
Today, the site employs 175 people, and its output is roughly 26,000 tonnes per anum. Its major markets are mining, anchor & drilling lines, fishing, cranes and industrial products.
Coatbridge - Glasgow, Scotland
Acquired in 2006, the Coatbridge site employs 75 people and occupies almost 5000 square meters. previously a part of the British Ropes group of companies, and latterly owned by Marlow Ropes prior to its acquisition, the site produces fibre ropes for a range of market sectors including marine & fishing, oil & gas, and project work. Its main materials are polypropylene, polyester, nylon and Dyneema.
