Business History Explorer Supported by the Business Archives Council

Metal Industries Ltd

Other Business Names:

  • McCrone, Robert Watson
  • Alloa Shipbreaking Co Ltd
  • Shipbreaking Industries Ltd
  • Thorn Electrical Industries Ltd
  • Cohen, George, 600 Group

Locations city-town / local authority / county1974 / region-state / country:

  • Charlestown, Fife, Fife, Scotland, Scotland
  • Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Strathclyde, Scotland, Scotland
  • Helensburgh, Argyll & Bute, Strathclyde, Scotland, Scotland
  • Rosyth, Fife, Fife, Scotland, Scotland

Sectors:

  • Electrical & electronic engineering Electrical & electronic engineering, general
  • Recycling & waste management Metal recycling
  • Recycling & waste management Shipbreaking
  • Chemical production industrial & medical gases production

Notes:

Traced origins to 1922 when established by Robert Watson McCrone, b1893, as Alloa Shipbreaking Co Ltd at Charlestown. Soon established a larger shipbreaking facility at Rosyth. Dealt, inter alia, with German warships scuttled at Scapa Flow. 1925 established a land scrap plant at Coatbridge. Emerged as a leading scrap metal and oxygen manufacturing business although electrical and mechanical engineering were later to dominate. 1929 renamed Metal Industries Ltd. 1946 established a major yard at Faslane, Helensburgh. By 1950s shipbreaking activities carried on by Shipbreaking Industries Ltd. 1967 acquired by Thorn Electrical Industries Ltd and in 1970 scrap metal interests merged with those of George Cohen 600 Group

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