Colvilles and the Scottish Steel Industry

Notes:

Winner of the Wadsworth Prize for Business History, 1979. Scholarly history of the leading 20th century Scottish steel business and also of the late 19th and 20th century Scottish iron and steel industry. Initiated as a commissioned history although completed as a private initiative. Focuses on particular themes in Colvilles' history. 'If the book possesses a unifying theme beyond the evolution of the Scottish steel industry, it is that of the influence of personality on industrial development. The way in which Colvilles grew and the strengths and weaknesses of the firm reflect the character, motives and ideals of a handful of ambitious, single-minded, powerful and gifted men ...'. Arranged in five parts, viz: 1] explores Steel Co of Scotland and reasons why it lost hegemony of steel industry in Scotland to Colvilles; 2] Rivalry between Colvilles and the Steel Co; 3] Impact of First World War and interwar rationalisation; 4] Post merger strategy and structure and impact of Second World War; 5] Difficulties of reconciling private enterprise and public policy. The chapter details are: 1] 'Birth and adolescence': 'Foundation of David Colville & Sons, 1861'; 'Establishment of Scottish steel industry'; 'reception of Bessemer process', 'Siemens process and formation of Steel Co of Scotland Ltd', 'steel and shipbuilding', 'Steel Co of Scotland years of monopoly, 1873-80'; 2] 'Competition and maturity, 1880-95': 'Rise of a competitor, 1880-95' - malleable iron producers and the ironmasters, Colvilles enter the steel trade, Steel Co of Scotland as weakened pioneers, technique and competition; 'Growth and maturity, 1895-1914' - ownership control and structure, associations and foreign competition, technique, changing relative positions; 3] 'War, depression and rationalisation': 'Impact of First World War, 1914-20' - growth of firm, new personalities and prospects, other firms in Scotland, immediate post war developments; 'The decade of frustration, 1920-30' - state of companies, 1920-30, Plender Report, Lord Pirrie's Scheme 1923, safeguarding and Committee of Civil Research 1925, a national scheme or a regional regrouping?, Brassert Report 1929, creation of Colvilles Ltd 1931; 'The turning point, 1931-36' - Colvilles' inheritance, McLintock proposals 1931, John Craig's independent initiatives, C Bruce Gardner's helping hand 1931-33, agreement with Stewarts & Lloyds 1933, Lithgows' purchase of Steel Co of Scotland 1934, public issue of shares in Colvilles Ltd 1936, final stages of rationalisation, 1935-36, capital investment 1931-36; 4] 'Recovery and War Again': 'Revival 1936-39' - new environment, expansion, Scottish iron and steel industry the other 20%; 'Second World War, 1939-45' - management and control, output maintenance and repair, genesis of post war planning; 5] 'Progress under planning': 'First development plan, 1945-50' - Clydeside rejected, framework of planning, development plan of 1945, Brassert revisited, proposed new Tidewater Plant, hiatus in planning, progress in production and organisation; 'Second development plan, 1951-57' - birth of Ravenscraig, continuity despite politics, proposed contribution to second development plan, fourth blast furnace, revision of Colvilles plan, troubled birth of Ravenscraig; 'Last decade of private enterprise, 1956-67' - Ravenscraig Strip Mill, return to private enterprise, 1956 development plan, strip mill question, final years under private enterprise'. Refers at length to several Scottish iron and steel businesses, viz: William Baird & Co Ltd; William Beardmore & Co Ltd; Lancashire Steel Co Ltd, Lithgows Ltd, Stewarts & Lloyds Ltd, Steel Co of Scotland Ltd. Also has much about British Iron & Steel Federation and H A Brassert & Co