What was ICI in Ardeer?
ICI Ardeer was commonly known locally as the ‘factory’ or the ‘Dinnamite’. At the time the company generally provided higher quality employment regarding terms and conditions and pension rights than other local firms. At its peak, the site employed almost 13,000 workers in a fairly remote location.
Where was dynamite made in Scotland?
Maritime historian Eric Graham tells the story of Alfred Nobel’s dynamite factory on the Ardeer Peninsula in North Ayrshire. The Ardeer site proved to be ideally suited to the manufacture of high explosives. When Alfred Nobel moved to the area in 1871, he described it vividly in a letter to his brother.
Where is Ardeer peninsula?
North Ayrshire
The Ardeer Peninsula is a large sand dune system in Stevenston, North Ayrshire. Much of the peninsula’s 400+ hectares have been developed for industry, but, historically, development was generally light, so the site remains characterised in large part by natural and semi-natural habitats.
Is Alfred Nobel married?
Alfred Nobel had made a fortune inventing and selling dynamite and other more powerful explosives. He was shy, indrawn, and torn by feelings of inadequacy. He never married, yet his life was powerfully affected by a woman named Berta Kinsky von Suttner.
How much money did Nobel leave?
To widespread astonishment, Nobel’s last will specified that his fortune be used to create a series of prizes for those who confer the “greatest benefit on mankind” in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. Nobel bequeathed 94% of his total assets, 31 million SEK (c.
What is the ICI factory?
It was formed by the merger of four leading British chemical companies in 1926. Its headquarters were at Millbank in London. ICI made general chemicals, plastics, paints, pharmaceuticals and speciality products, including food ingredients, speciality polymers, electronic materials, fragrances and flavourings.
Who is father of explosive?
Alfred Bernhard Nobel
Alfred Nobel, in full Alfred Bernhard Nobel, (born October 21, 1833, Stockholm, Sweden—died December 10, 1896, San Remo, Italy), Swedish chemist, engineer, and industrialist who invented dynamite and other more powerful explosives and who also founded the Nobel Prizes.
Why did ICI go bust?
He decided that the firm was in too many product ranges and too many geographies. ‘ Mayo and his team realised that ICI was a chemicals company wrapped in an expanding pharmaceuticals business. That realisation led to the demerger of the pharma arm, renamed Zeneca and separately quoted.
Who are the victims of the Ardeer factory explosion?
Three men were killed and two seriously injured in Nobel’s Ardeer factory on Wednesday forenoon when a series of explosions occurred in the Black Powder Section. Robert Niblock process worker, 8 School Row, Kilwinning. James Patterson, process worker; 6 Station square, Stevenston.
What is the history of ICI explosives?
This company was one of the original members of ICI when it was formed in 1926, becoming ICI Explosives Division. In 1948, the Division was renamed the Nobel Division because by this time it was producing a range of materials which, although logically allied to explosives manufacture, were not themselves explosive in character.
What happened at Nobel’s Ardeer factory?
Three men were killed and two seriously injured in Nobel’s Ardeer factory on Wednesday forenoon when a series of explosions occurred in the Black Powder Section. Robert Niblock process worker, 8 School Row, Kilwinning.
Where is the Nobel Explosives Works at Ardeer?
SC 445493 Scanned image of Luftwaffe vertical air photograph of the Nobel Explosives Works at Ardeer, Irvine. View full details Luftwaffe: Aerial Reconnaisance (Scotland)