British Light Steel Pressings

British Light Steel Pressings Ltd (BLSP) was a London-based automotive manufacturing company that produced pressed-steel body shells and components for the vehicle industry. Its factory stood at Warple Way in Acton, an area associated with the London motor-manufacturing industry. The company was established in 1930 and initially undertook presswork for a variety of applications rather than concentrating exclusively on one vehicle marque or product family. A major change came in 1937, when BLSP was acquired by the Rootes Group. The acquisition aligned the company with Rootes' expanding portfolio of British automotive marques, including Humber, Hillman, Sunbeam-Talbot, Singer, Commer and Karrier. BLSP subsequently became an important supplier of body shells and pressed components, particularly for Sunbeam passenger cars. Its work illustrates the division of manufacturing responsibilities within the British motor industry: vehicle brands could design and market cars while specialist group companies manufactured body structures, panels and other assemblies. BLSP remained active after the Second World War, even after production of Sunbeam-Talbot cars moved from the former London Talbot factory to a new government-funded site at Ryton. In 1948, Sunbeam-Talbot 80 and 90 models were available with saloon bodywork produced by BLSP, while drophead coupé bodies were supplied by another Rootes company, Thrupp & Maberly. During the 1950s the Acton works produced bodies for several Rootes models, including the Sunbeam Mark III saloon and convertible, the 1953–1955 Sunbeam Alpine, and later the Humber Hawk, Humber Super Snipe and Humber Imperial. Both saloon and estate versions were included among the body types associated with the plant. By the 1960s BLSP possessed some of the largest presses in Britain. Its output had broadened beyond complete body shells to include suspension units, petrol tanks, smaller pressings and commercial-vehicle components. This made the factory a significant internal supplier to Rootes, rather than merely a producer of finished car bodies. The company also operated an apprenticeship programme covering professional engineering and skilled trade training, providing a formal route into industrial employment. The plant's later history was marked by severe industrial-relations difficulties. From the late 1950s and particularly in 1961, a succession of strikes disrupted production. One early dispute became known as the “Honeymoon Strike,” after newly married night-shift employees sought transfers to day work. In 1961, 82 mainly unofficial strikes reportedly resulted in the loss of more than 27,000 working hours at BLSP and a further 17,000 hours at other Rootes plants. The wider disruption was later cited in accounts of the operational and financial problems that contributed to Rootes' eventual takeover by Chrysler, although BLSP was only one part of a much larger group-wide situation. Rootes announced a plan to close the Acton plant in July 1966. At that point, BLSP was producing commercial-vehicle cabs and van body pressings. The closure plan marked the end of the company's role as a major London-based Rootes manufacturing operation. No current independent business, website, listed security or surviving consumer-facing brand presence is identified in the available reference material.

British Light Steel Pressings Ltd was formed in 1930 and operated from Warple Way in Acton, London. The business began as a general presswork manufacturer, producing pressed-metal items for different purposes. Its later importance came from its integration into the Rootes Group, which acquired the company in 1937. Under Rootes ownership, BLSP became a specialist source of steel body shells and related components for the group's automotive marques. The company initially served Sunbeam particularly closely. It produced body shells for Sunbeam cars and continued to operate after the postwar transfer of Sunbeam-Talbot production from the old London Talbot works to a new government-funded facility at Ryton. The division of work between Rootes companies can be seen in the 1948 Sunbeam-Talbot 80 and 90: BLSP supplied saloon bodywork, while Thrupp & Maberly, another nearby Rootes operation, built drophead coupé bodies. During the 1950s the range of vehicle bodies associated with the plant expanded. BLSP produced bodies for the Sunbeam Mark III saloon and convertible, the 1953–1955 Sunbeam Alpine, and later Humber models such as the Hawk, Super Snipe and Imperial. The company handled both saloon and estate body versions. Its role was not limited to passenger cars. By the 1960s the factory had some of the largest presses in Britain and manufactured a broad range of Rootes components, including body shells, suspension units, petrol tanks, smaller pressings and commercial-vehicle parts. BLSP also maintained an apprenticeship scheme covering professional engineering and trade programmes. This training activity reflected the technical demands of large-scale presswork, which required engineering, tooling, production and skilled shop-floor capabilities. The plant was therefore both a manufacturing supplier and a source of trained industrial labour within the Rootes system. The company's later years were increasingly affected by industrial unrest. An early dispute involving newly married night-shift workers seeking transfers to day shifts acquired the nickname “Honeymoon Strike.” In 1961, the plant experienced 82 mainly unofficial strikes. The reported effect was the loss of more than 27,000 working hours at BLSP, with a further 17,000 hours lost at other Rootes facilities because of related supply and production disruption. One later strike resulted in an ultimatum requiring approximately 1,000 workers to return or face dismissal. A recruitment effort was begun to replace striking employees, while the continuing industrial crisis coincided with redundancies affecting thousands of workers elsewhere in the Rootes network. These disputes have been described as one element of the difficulties that eventually contributed to Rootes being taken over by Chrysler. They should be understood in the context of broader problems facing Rootes and the British motor industry rather than as the sole cause of the group's later change in ownership. In July 1966 Rootes announced its intention to close the BLSP plant. At that time its production included commercial-vehicle cabs and van body pressings. The closure plan brought the company's documented manufacturing history toward an end and ended the Acton works' place as a major Rootes body and component supplier. Available reference material does not establish a separate successor brand, a later owner, or a present-day operating business under the BLSP name.

• 1966

  Closure announced

  [1]British Light Steel Pressingsen.wikipedia.org

  Rootes announced plans to close the Acton plant while it was producing commercial-vehicle cabs and van body pressings.

• 1961

  Major industrial disruption

  [1]British Light Steel Pressingsen.wikipedia.org

  Eighty-two mainly unofficial strikes reportedly caused more than 27,000 lost working hours at BLSP.

• 1953

  Sunbeam Alpine body production

  [1]British Light Steel Pressingsen.wikipedia.org

  The factory was associated with body production for the Sunbeam Alpine during the 1953–1955 period.

• 1948

  Sunbeam-Talbot saloon bodywork

  [1]British Light Steel Pressingsen.wikipedia.org

  BLSP supplied saloon bodywork for versions of the Sunbeam-Talbot 80 and 90.

• 1937

  Acquired by Rootes Group

  [1]British Light Steel Pressingsen.wikipedia.org

  Rootes took over BLSP to support production of pressed-steel body shells, initially including bodies for Sunbeam cars.

• 1930

  Company formed

  [1]British Light Steel Pressingsen.wikipedia.org

  British Light Steel Pressings Ltd was established and began producing pressings for a variety of applications.

A specialist, vertically integrated Rootes Group manufacturing operation supplying pressed-steel bodies and components to the group's passenger-car and commercial-vehicle marques.

• Automotive body structures

  Automotive body shells

  Pressed-steel body shells formed the company's principal automotive output under Rootes ownership. BLSP supplied bodies for several Rootes passenger-car marques, including Sunbeam and Humber, and produced saloon, convertible and estate-related bodywork. The company's function was primarily industrial and business-to-business rather than consumer-facing.

• Commercial-vehicle components

  Commercial-vehicle cabs and van body pressings

  In its final documented period, BLSP produced pressed structures for commercial vehicles, including cabs and van body components. These products extended the factory's role beyond Rootes passenger cars and supported the group's commercial-vehicle activities.

• Automotive components

  Pressed metal components

  By the 1960s the Acton works manufactured a broad selection of smaller and supporting components, including suspension units, petrol tanks and other pressings. The range reflected the capacity of BLSP's large presses and its position as an internal Rootes component supplier.

• 1966

  Planned closure of Acton plantStrategy

  Background

  The factory had experienced prolonged industrial disruption and was producing commercial-vehicle cabs and van body pressings when Rootes reviewed its future.

  Action taken

  Rootes announced plans in July 1966 to close the British Light Steel Pressings plant.

  Aftermath

  The announcement marked the planned end of BLSP's documented manufacturing operations at Warple Way.

  Source

• 1937

  Rootes acquisition of BLSPM&A

  Background

  Rootes required manufacturing capacity for pressed-steel bodies and components across its growing group of vehicle marques.

  Action taken

  Rootes acquired British Light Steel Pressings and incorporated its Acton works into the group's supply and production structure.

  Aftermath

  BLSP became a major Rootes source of body shells and other automotive pressings.

  Source

1. 1British Light Steel Pressingsen.wikipedia.org