Vickers
British engineering company / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Vickers?
Summarize this article for a 10 years old
Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 1867, acquired more businesses, and began branching out into military hardware and shipbuilding.
 | |
| Industry | Engineering |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1828 |
| Founder | Edward Vickers |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Fate | Acquired |
| Successor | Rolls-Royce plc |
| Headquarters | London, England |
| Products | Aircraft Armaments Ships |
| Subsidiaries | Metropolitan-Vickers |
In 1911, the company expanded into aircraft manufacture and opened a flying school. They expanded even further into electrical and railway manufacturing, and in 1928 acquired an interest in the Supermarine.
Beginning in the 1960s, various parts of the company were nationalised, and in 1999 the rest of the company was acquired by Rolls-Royce plc, who sold the defence arm to Alvis plc. The Vickers name lived on in Alvis Vickers, until the latter was acquired by BAE Systems in 2004 to form BAE Systems Land Systems.