Parkinson Cowan

Parkinson Cowan originated as a British engineering manufacturer formed in 1900 through the amalgamation of W. Parkinson Ltd and W. and B. Cowan Ltd. Its early business included engineering products associated with gas supply, particularly gas meters and valves. The merged company initially operated under the name Parkinson and W. and B. Cowan before adopting the shorter Parkinson and Cowan name in 1928. The company expanded its manufacturing capacity during the early twentieth century. In 1919 it opened a factory at Stretford in Manchester for gas-meter production, establishing a significant industrial base for the business. It later exhibited at the British Industries Fair, reflecting its position within Britain’s manufacturing and engineering economy. During the Second World War, the company also became an aircraft-industry supplier, as did many engineering firms that redirected production toward wartime requirements. Parkinson Cowan remained associated with gas measurement and engineering while also developing a consumer-appliance presence. In 1971 Thorn acquired the company, after which it became part of Thorn Gas Appliances and continued to manufacture gas meters. The gas-meter operations were subsequently separated from the appliance business. In 1989, the metering operations, then operating under Thorn EMI Gas Metering and previously Thorn EMI Flow Measurement, were sold to Schlumberger. That business later became associated with Actaris and ultimately Itron. Electrolux purchased Thorn-EMI’s white-goods division in 1987, bringing the Parkinson Cowan appliance name into the Electrolux group. Under Electrolux ownership, the brand was used primarily for cooking appliances in the United Kingdom. Sales, marketing, and logistics functions moved to Minworth, Birmingham, in 1991, while the Moffat name was relaunched as a sub-brand for built-in appliances. The Minworth site closed in 1993. Gas-cooker production ended at the Stechford, Birmingham, factory in 1995, after which Parkinson Cowan-branded gas cooking appliances were produced at Electrolux’s Spennymoor factory in County Durham. Electrolux closed the Spennymoor site in 2008 and transferred production to Poland. The historical manufacturing company is no longer an independent operating enterprise, but Parkinson Cowan continues to exist in the United Kingdom as an Electrolux-owned cooking-appliance brand. Its modern identity is therefore distinct from the original engineering company: the former is remembered for gas meters and industrial production, while the latter is associated principally with domestic gas stoves and related cooking equipment.

Parkinson Cowan was established in 1900 when W. Parkinson Ltd, associated with William Parkinson of London and Birmingham, merged with W. and B. Cowan Ltd, which had operations in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and New South Wales. The resulting enterprise was initially called Parkinson and W. and B. Cowan. Its activities were rooted in engineering and gas infrastructure, with gas meters becoming an important product area. A major manufacturing development came in 1919, when the company opened a new factory at Stretford, Manchester, to produce gas meters. In 1928 the business adopted the name Parkinson and Cowan. Around this period Henry Cowan, a Unionist member of Parliament, served as chairman. The company’s participation in the 1937 British Industries Fair illustrates its role as a visible British industrial manufacturer. During the Second World War it supplied the aircraft industry, broadening its wartime engineering work beyond gas-related equipment. Kenneth Corfield served as chairman from approximately 1960 to 1966. In 1971 Thorn acquired the company, creating a new corporate setting in which the gas-meter activities continued under Thorn Gas Appliances. The subsequent history divided into two strands. The metering operations were eventually placed under Thorn EMI Gas Metering, formerly Thorn EMI Flow Measurement, and were sold to Schlumberger in 1989. That business later passed through the Actaris lineage and is now associated with Itron. The consumer-appliance identity followed a different path. Electrolux acquired Thorn-EMI’s white-goods division in 1987, including the Parkinson Cowan name. In 1991 the appliance business moved sales, marketing, and logistics functions to a former Coca-Cola distribution facility at Minworth, Birmingham. The Moffat sub-brand for built-in appliances was relaunched during this period. The Minworth site closed in 1993. Production arrangements changed again in 1995, when gas-cooker manufacture ended at the Stechford factory in Birmingham. Parkinson Cowan-branded gas cooking appliances were then made at Electrolux’s factory in Spennymoor, County Durham. Electrolux closed that facility in 2008 and moved production to Poland. Parkinson Cowan consequently ceased to be an independent engineering company, but its name remained in use in the United Kingdom as a cooking-appliance brand, particularly associated with gas stoves and cookers.

• 2008

  Spennymoor factory closes

  [1]Parkinson Cowanen.wikipedia.org

  Electrolux closes the Spennymoor site and transfers production to Poland.

• 1995

  Gas-cooker production leaves Stechford

  [1]Parkinson Cowanen.wikipedia.org

  Manufacture of gas cookers ends at the Stechford, Birmingham, factory and moves to Electrolux’s Spennymoor facility.

• 1987

  Brand enters the Electrolux group

  [1]Parkinson Cowanen.wikipedia.org

  Electrolux purchases Thorn-EMI’s white-goods division, including Parkinson Cowan.

• 1971

  Acquired by Thorn

  [1]Parkinson Cowanen.wikipedia.org

  Thorn takes over Parkinson Cowan and incorporates it into Thorn Gas Appliances.

• 1939

  Becomes an aircraft-industry supplier

  [1]Parkinson Cowanen.wikipedia.org

  The company enters wartime supply work for the aircraft industry.

• 1937

  Exhibits at the British Industries Fair

  [1]Parkinson Cowanen.wikipedia.org

  Parkinson and Cowan (Gas Meters) Ltd is listed as an exhibitor at the British Industries Fair.

• 1928

  Company adopts the Parkinson and Cowan name

  [1]Parkinson Cowanen.wikipedia.org

  The business is renamed Parkinson and Cowan.

• 1919

  Stretford gas-meter factory opens

  [1]Parkinson Cowanen.wikipedia.org

  The company opens a new factory at Stretford, Manchester, dedicated to gas-meter manufacture.

• 1900

  Formation through amalgamation

  [1]Parkinson Cowanen.wikipedia.org

  W. Parkinson Ltd and W. and B. Cowan Ltd combine to form the enterprise that becomes Parkinson Cowan.

A British heritage cooking-appliance brand whose identity developed from industrial gas-meter manufacturing into domestic gas cooking under Thorn and later Electrolux ownership.

• Industrial gas-measurement equipment

  Gas meters

  Gas meters were among Parkinson Cowan’s principal historical products. The company opened a dedicated manufacturing factory at Stretford in 1919 and continued this line after its acquisition by Thorn in 1971. The metering operations were later separated from the appliance business and sold to Schlumberger in 1989.

• Gas-control engineering

  Gas valves

  Gas valves formed part of the company’s engineering and gas-infrastructure product range. The available reference material identifies valves as a typical Parkinson Cowan product, although it does not provide a detailed model history or specific product dates.

• Domestic cooking appliances

  Gas cookers and stoves

  Gas cookers and stoves became the principal consumer-facing expression of the Parkinson Cowan name. After Electrolux acquired the relevant Thorn-EMI white-goods business, the brand continued to be used for gas cooking appliances in the United Kingdom. Production later moved from Birmingham to Spennymoor and then to Poland.

• Integrated kitchen appliances · 1991

  Built-in cooking appliances

  Parkinson Cowan participated in the built-in-appliance market within the Electrolux portfolio. In 1991, the Moffat sub-brand for built-in appliances was relaunched alongside changes to Parkinson Cowan’s sales, marketing, and logistics operations.

• 2008

  Relocation of production to PolandStrategy

  Background

  Electrolux closed its Spennymoor manufacturing site.

  Action taken

  Production of the relevant cooking appliances was moved to Poland.

  Aftermath

  Parkinson Cowan remained a brand rather than a United Kingdom manufacturing operation.

  Source

• 1995

  Transfer of gas-cooker production to SpennymoorStrategy

  Background

  Production of Parkinson Cowan gas cookers ended at the Stechford factory in Birmingham.

  Action taken

  Manufacture was transferred to Electrolux’s cooker factory at Spennymoor in County Durham.

  Aftermath

  The Spennymoor site later closed in 2008, after which production moved to Poland.

  Source

• 1989

  Sale of gas-metering operationsM&A

  Background

  The metering business had become distinct from the consumer-appliance activities and operated as Thorn EMI Gas Metering.

  Action taken

  The gas-metering operations were sold to Schlumberger.

  Aftermath

  The business later became associated with Actaris and ultimately Itron, separating the industrial metering lineage from the Parkinson Cowan appliance brand.

  Source

• 1987

  Electrolux acquisition of the white-goods divisionM&A

  Background

  The Parkinson Cowan appliance brand was part of Thorn-EMI’s white-goods division.

  Action taken

  Electrolux purchased the division and brought Parkinson Cowan into its group of appliance brands.

  Aftermath

  Parkinson Cowan continued primarily as a United Kingdom cooking-appliance brand rather than as an independent engineering company.

  Source

• 1971

  Thorn acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Parkinson Cowan was acquired as the company continued to operate in gas meters and appliances.

  Action taken

  Thorn acquired the business and placed it within Thorn Gas Appliances.

  Aftermath

  The gas-meter operations continued under Thorn-related management, while the appliance brand later entered Electrolux through the Thorn-EMI white-goods transaction.

  Source

1. 1Parkinson Cowanen.wikipedia.org