Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds, PLC

▪ British engineering group

      major British group of engineering companies. The group has a variety of manufacturing interests, with an emphasis on the production of components for the automotive field. Headquarters are in Warley, Eng.

      The company was established in 1900 as Guest, Keen and Company by the merger of two older manufacturing companies. It assumed the name Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds, Ltd., in 1902 with the acquisition of a screw- and wire-manufacturing business founded by John Sutton Nettlefold. With steady growth into an increasing number of product areas, the company expanded into a worldwide conglomerate. In 1982 it reregistered as a public limited company.

      The company emphasizes the production and sale of primary metal products, automotive components, and general engineering products. The automotive components unit manufactures transmissions, power takeoff equipment, gearings, shafts, and suspension systems. The company also manufactures various types of basic steel products and is a major distributor of such products. It also is a leading producer of fasteners and other types of hardware. Other interests range from agricultural ventures to the manufacture of beer kegs. In the early 1980s the company became involved in a series of joint ventures, including an arrangement with British Steel Corporation in 1981 to manufacture together steel wire, rods, and bars for consumer products.

      The company operates throughout the world, with emphasis on the European, North American, and Australian markets.

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