Nobel Industries (Scotland)

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For Nobel Industries (Sweden), see Akzo Nobel

Nobel Enterprises is a chemicals business based at Ardeer, near to near Stevenston in Scotland. It specialises in nitrogen-based propellants and explosives and nitrocellulose-based products such as varnishes and inks. It was formerly ICI Nobel, a division of the chemicals group, ICI, but is now owned by Inabata & Company, a Japanese trading firm.

[edit] History

Nobel Industries Limited was founded in 1870 by the chemist and industrialist, Alfred Nobel, for the production of the new explosive dynamite. Ardeer, on the coast at Ayrshire, was chosen for the company's first factory. The business later diversified into the production of blasting gelatine, gelignite, ballistite, guncotton, and cordite. At its peak, the factory was employing nearly 13,000 workerss.

In 1926, the firm merged with Brunner, Mond & Company, the United Alkali Company, and the British Dyestuffs Corporation, creating a new group, Imperial Chemical Industries, then one of Britain's largest firms. Nobel Industries continued as the ICI Nobel division of the company.

In the late 1960s construction began on a nylon and nitric acid plant, but this would have a short life, closing down just 12 years later.

In 2002 the division, now named Nobel Enterprises, was sold to Inabata.

[edit] References

Dolan, John E. and Oglethorpe, Miles K. (1996). Explosives in the Service of Man: Ardeer and the Nobel Heritage. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. ISBN 0-7480-5811-7.
McSherry, R. & M. (1998). Old Stevenston, Stenlake Publishing, Catrine.
Miles, F.D. (1955). A History of Research in the Nobel Division of I.C.I.. Stevenston: Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, Nobel Division.
Reader, W.J. (1970). Imperial Chemical Industries. A History: Volume 1. The Forerunners 1870-1926. London: Oxford University Press.