Kynoch
Kynoch is a historic British ammunition and explosives name that survives principally as a sporting-cartridge brand.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Kynoch originated in Birmingham during the nineteenth-century expansion of the British percussion-cap, explosives, and ammunition industries. The business developed from the percussion-cap manufactory operated by Pursall and Phillips at Whittall Street. George Kynoch, a Scottish entrepreneur, joined the firm in 1856 and took control after a succession of serious industrial accidents and operational changes. The company was subsequently known as G. Kynoch and Co., and its manufacturing activity moved to Witton in 1862, where the works occupied a strategically useful site beside the London and North Western Railway's Grand Junction line. The early enterprise was marked by the hazards of explosives production. An explosion destroyed the Birmingham works in 1859 and killed 19 employees. Further explosions during the 1860s and in 1870 caused additional deaths and injuries. These events formed part of the broader industrial history of nineteenth-century ammunition manufacturing, when black powder, percussion caps, cartridge components, and related materials were produced in facilities close to growing urban and transport networks. Kynoch expanded from percussion caps into a broad range of military and industrial explosives and ammunition. In 1895 it established a large explosives plant east of Shell Haven Creek in Essex, at the site later known as Coryton. The facility opened in 1897 and was accompanied by an employee settlement called Kynochtown. Its output included cordite, guncotton, gunpowder, and cartridges. The company also established a major munitions works on the north side of Arklow in Ireland. That plant employed several thousand people during the First World War, although an explosion on 21 September 1917 killed 17 workers. The cause was disputed at the time, with a German U-boat attack being considered as one possible explanation. After the First World War, the British explosives and ammunition sector was consolidated. Kynoch became part of Nobel Explosives and then Nobel Industries, one of the principal constituent businesses that formed Imperial Chemical Industries in 1926. The original Witton works became the head office and a principal manufacturing center of ICI's Metals Division. Kynoch ceased to function as an independent industrial corporation in the earlier sense, but its name remained in use as a brand associated with ammunition and related subsidiary businesses. Eley was another important ammunition name linked to this corporate history. The post-war ammunition market changed substantially. During the 1950s, Witton still carried out occasional munitions test firing, but the standardization of cartridges among Western powers and reduced military demand weakened the commercial rationale for maintaining a wide range of ammunition production. Imperial Metal Industries discontinued Kynoch's sporting-cartridge sideline in 1970, although more economically viable shotgun and rimfire ammunition continued to be produced. Following IMI's separation from ICI in 1977, the ammunition operation remained active, and the ammunition division was incorporated separately as Eley Limited in 1983. The Kynoch name was revived for specialist ammunition in the 1990s. In 1996, David Little, operating through Kynamco Ltd, acquired the Kynoch brand. Production initially took place in Royston, Hertfordshire, before moving in 2000 to a purpose-built facility in Mildenhall, Suffolk. Under the Kynoch trademark, Kynamco manufactured a selection of historically significant and specialist sporting cartridges, reportedly covering 51 calibres from 6.5x54 mm through .700 Nitro Express. The business also supplied ammunition for industrial applications, film work, and historical re-enactment. Kynamco entered liquidation in July 2025, creating uncertainty around the continuation of Kynoch-branded production and the future control or use of the trademark. The name nevertheless has a long historical presence in British ammunition and explosives, and remains associated with classic sporting cartridges, large-bore hunting ammunition, and the industrial heritage of Birmingham, Witton, Coryton, and Arklow. Kynoch also maintained a notable printing legacy. The Kynoch Press was established in 1876 to produce company packaging and publicity material. It later developed into a fine and private press, undertaking both Kynoch's own printing and independent commissions. After the 1926 formation of ICI, the press continued as a named division, giving Kynoch an unusual connection with British commercial printing, typography, and book production in addition to its better-known ammunition history.
History
Kynoch's roots lie in the percussion-cap trade of mid-nineteenth-century Birmingham. Pursall and Phillips operated a percussion-cap manufactory at Whittall Street before George Kynoch joined the enterprise in 1856. A catastrophic explosion in 1859 killed 19 workers and destroyed the premises. The business relocated to Witton in 1862, next to the Grand Junction line of the London and North Western Railway, and Kynoch took control in 1863. The company adopted the name G. Kynoch and Co. Further explosions during the 1860s and in 1870 caused many additional deaths and injuries, illustrating the dangerous conditions of early explosives manufacture. The business expanded into military ammunition and explosives, producing materials including cordite, guncotton, gunpowder, and cartridges. In Essex, Kynoch established an explosives complex east of Shell Haven Creek in 1895. The plant opened in 1897 and was accompanied by Kynochtown, an employee settlement. Kynoch also created a major munitions factory north of Arklow in Ireland. It employed several thousand people during the First World War, but an explosion on 21 September 1917 killed 17 workers. Contemporary discussion included the possibility that a German submarine had shelled the site. The post-1918 restructuring of Britain's explosives industry transformed Kynoch's corporate identity. Several manufacturers were consolidated under Nobel Explosives and then Nobel Industries. In 1926, Nobel Industries became one of the founding elements of Imperial Chemical Industries. Kynoch Ltd consequently ceased to operate as a fully independent enterprise, while its Witton works became the head office and major production base of ICI's Metals Division. The Kynoch name survived as a brand, alongside names such as Eley, within successor companies. The ammunition market contracted and standardized after the Second World War. Although Witton still carried out occasional munitions testing in the 1950s, changing military requirements eventually led Imperial Metal Industries to discontinue Kynoch's sporting-cartridge sideline in 1970. Shotgun and rimfire ammunition remained commercially viable. IMI became independent of ICI in 1977, and the ammunition division was separately incorporated as Eley Limited in 1983. A new phase began in 1996, when David Little, through Kynamco Ltd, acquired the Kynoch brand. Production began in Royston and moved in 2000 to a purpose-built Mildenhall facility. Kynamco used the trademark for specialist sporting ammunition and manufactured 51 of the more popular Kynoch calibres, extending from 6.5x54 mm to .700 Nitro Express. It also produced ammunition for industrial work, film production, and re-enactment. Kynamco's liquidation in July 2025 placed the active commercial future of the brand in doubt. Kynoch's history also includes publishing. The Kynoch Press began in 1876 as a company press for packaging and publicity. It developed into a fine press that undertook external work as well as Kynoch commissions. After the formation of ICI, it continued under its own name as a division, making the Kynoch legacy relevant to both ammunition manufacturing and British printing history.
- 2025
Kynamco enters liquidation
[1]The company operating the revived Kynoch ammunition business entered liquidation in July, leaving the brand's commercial status uncertain.
- 2000
Production moves to Mildenhall
[1]Kynamco moved production from Royston to a purpose-built facility in Mildenhall, Suffolk.
- 1996
Kynamco acquires the Kynoch brand
[1]Kynamco Ltd, operated by David Little, took over the trademark and restarted specialist Kynoch ammunition production.
- 1983
Ammunition division incorporated as Eley Limited
[1]The continuing ammunition operation was separately incorporated as Eley Limited.
- 1970
Sporting-cartridge sideline discontinued
[1]Imperial Metal Industries ended the Kynoch sporting-cartridge sideline while retaining more viable shotgun and rimfire production.
- 1926
Kynoch enters ICI's founding corporate structure
[1]Nobel Industries, including Kynoch, became part of the group that formed Imperial Chemical Industries.
- 1917
Arklow factory explosion
[1]Seventeen workers died in an explosion at the Kynoch munitions plant in Arklow, Ireland.
- 1897
Coryton works open
[1]The Essex factory opened, with the associated worker settlement known as Kynochtown.
- 1895
Essex explosives factory established
[1]Kynoch began creating a major explosives site east of Shell Haven Creek in Essex.
- 1876
The Kynoch Press is founded
[1]Kynoch established a company press initially intended to print packaging and publicity material.
Products and positioning
A heritage British ammunition name positioned around historic, specialist, and sporting cartridges rather than mass-market consumer goods. In its later revival through Kynamco, Kynoch emphasized the preservation and manufacture of less-common calibres for sporting, collecting, film, industrial, and re-enactment uses.
Defence ammunition
Military ammunition
Kynoch developed from a percussion-cap manufacturer into a supplier of military cartridges and munitions. Its industrial facilities in Witton, Essex, and Arklow supported Britain's military and explosives industries, particularly during the First World War. The historic military range is no longer documented as an independent current product line.
Industrial explosives
Explosives and propellants
Historic Kynoch production included cordite, guncotton, gunpowder, and other explosive materials. These products were made for military and industrial purposes at large-scale facilities, including the Coryton works in Essex. They represent the company's industrial heritage rather than a documented current consumer offering.
Sporting ammunition
Kynoch sporting cartridges
Sporting cartridges became the most durable expression of the Kynoch name after the company's military and industrial activities were absorbed into larger corporate groups. The brand became associated with classic rifle and shotgun cartridges, especially ammunition for historic firearms and specialist sporting applications.
Sporting ammunition · 1996
Specialist rifle cartridges
Under Kynamco, the revived Kynoch trademark was used for a broad selection of specialist rifle cartridges. The documented range covered 51 of the more popular Kynoch calibres, beginning at 6.5x54 mm and extending to the .700 Nitro Express. The range served owners of historic, uncommon, and large-bore sporting rifles.
Sporting ammunition
Shotgun and rimfire ammunition
Shotgun and rimfire ammunition remained among the more economically viable parts of the post-war ammunition business after IMI discontinued the Kynoch sporting-cartridge sideline in 1970. Later corporate arrangements connected this continuing ammunition activity with Eley rather than with an independent Kynoch company.
Special-purpose ammunition · 1996
Industrial, film, and re-enactment ammunition
Kynamco also produced various ammunition types for industrial applications, film production, and historical re-enactment. These uses complemented the specialist sporting range and helped preserve the brand's relevance in niche markets requiring unusual or historically styled ammunition.
Commercial and fine printing · 1876
The Kynoch Press
Founded in 1876, The Kynoch Press began as an internal press for packaging and publicity. It later operated as a fine and private press, undertaking independent work as well as company printing. It continued under the Kynoch name after the formation of ICI in 1926.
Brand decisions
2025
Kynamco liquidationOtherBackground
Kynamco had been the operator associated with the modern revival and production of Kynoch-branded specialist ammunition.
Action taken
Kynamco entered liquidation in July 2025.
Aftermath
The liquidation created uncertainty about future manufacturing, ownership, and availability of Kynoch-branded cartridges.
2000
Move to a purpose-built Mildenhall facilityStrategyBackground
Kynamco's revived production initially operated in Royston, Hertfordshire.
Action taken
Production was transferred to a purpose-built facility in Mildenhall, Suffolk.
Aftermath
Mildenhall became the operational base for the modern Kynoch ammunition range.
1996
Revival of the Kynoch trademark under KynamcoM&ABackground
The historic Kynoch name retained value among users of specialist and obsolete sporting calibres.
Action taken
Kynamco Ltd, operating under David Little, took over the Kynoch brand and began renewed production.
Aftermath
The trademark returned to active use for specialist sporting cartridges and other niche ammunition applications.
1983
Separate incorporation of the ammunition divisionStrategyBackground
The ammunition business had become one component of a much larger industrial group following the ICI and IMI restructurings.
Action taken
The ammunition division was incorporated separately as Eley Limited.
Aftermath
The continuing ammunition operation developed under the Eley identity, while Kynoch increasingly functioned as a historical and product brand.
1970
Discontinuation of the sporting-cartridge sidelineStrategyBackground
Post-war ammunition demand declined, while cartridge standardization among Western powers reduced the commercial value of maintaining a broad range of products.
Action taken
Imperial Metal Industries discontinued the Kynoch sporting-cartridge sideline.
Aftermath
Shotgun and rimfire ammunition continued because those lines were considered more economically viable.
1926
Integration into Imperial Chemical IndustriesM&ABackground
After the First World War, British explosives manufacturers were consolidated under Nobel Explosives and Nobel Industries.
Action taken
Kynoch became part of Nobel Industries and then entered the corporate combination that formed ICI.
Aftermath
Kynoch ceased to be an independent industrial corporation, but the name continued as a brand within ICI-related businesses.
1895
Expansion into a large Essex explosives complexStrategyBackground
Growing military and industrial demand required larger facilities than the established Birmingham and Witton operations could provide.
Action taken
Kynoch established an explosives factory east of Shell Haven Creek in Essex, which opened in 1897.
Aftermath
The site became a major explosives center and supported an associated employee settlement known as Kynochtown.
1862
Relocation of production to WittonStrategyBackground
The 1859 destruction of the Birmingham works created the need for a new manufacturing site. Transport access was important for an expanding ammunition and explosives business.
Action taken
The company moved its operations to Witton, next to the Grand Junction railway line.
Aftermath
Witton became the central Kynoch works and later served as the head office and principal manufacturing base of ICI's Metals Division.
Recent events
- 2025
Kynamco enters liquidation[1]
Bankruptcy
Kynamco, the company that had been producing ammunition under the Kynoch trademark since the 1990s, entered liquidation in July 2025. The event left the future of current Kynoch-branded production uncertain.
- 2000
Kynoch ammunition production moves to Mildenhall[1]
Other
After initially operating in Royston, Hertfordshire, Kynamco moved Kynoch ammunition production to a purpose-built facility in Mildenhall, Suffolk.
- 1996
Kynamco takes over the Kynoch brand[1]
M&A · Product launch
David Little, operating through Kynamco Ltd, acquired the Kynoch brand and restarted production of specialist Kynoch ammunition.
- 1983
Kynoch ammunition division becomes Eley Limited[1]
M&A
The ammunition division was incorporated separately as Eley Limited, further separating the continuing ammunition business from the historic Kynoch corporate identity.
- 1970
Kynoch sporting-cartridge production is discontinued by IMI[1]
Product generation
Imperial Metal Industries discontinued the Kynoch sporting-cartridge sideline as standardized Western ammunition and lower military demand reduced the attractiveness of maintaining the range.
- 1926
Kynoch becomes part of the corporate structure that forms ICI[1]
M&A
Kynoch, through Nobel Industries, became part of Imperial Chemical Industries, ending its existence as an independent industrial enterprise while preserving the name as a brand within successor businesses.
- 1917
Arklow munitions-factory explosion kills 17 workers[1]
Other
An explosion at Kynoch's munitions factory in Arklow, Ireland, killed 17 workers. A German U-boat attack was considered as a possible cause, although the circumstances remained associated with wartime uncertainty.
- 1897
Kynoch opens the Coryton explosives works[1]
Other
A large explosives factory established east of Shell Haven Creek in Essex began operation. The associated employee settlement became known as Kynochtown.
- 1859
Explosion destroys the Kynoch works in Birmingham[1]
Other
An explosion destroyed the firm's works at Whittall Street and killed 19 of its 70 employees. The disaster contributed to the subsequent relocation of the business to Witton.
Sources1 sources
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