Prince’s visit spotlights safety lamp firm
The Earl of Wessex with Wolf's Norman Cox (left) and Philip Smith.
A LONG-established Sheffield firm that has been at the forefront of safety technology since it was founded has celebrated its centenary with a visit by The Earl of Wessex.
Prince Edward toured the headquarters in Heeley of the Wolf Safety Lamp Company, before unveiling a plaque commemorating the company’s 100 years in the city and its invention of the most successful miners’ safety lamp.
Wolf can trace its history back to the 1880s, when German toolmaker and inventor Karl Wolf and entrepreneur Heinrich Freeman set up a business in Leeds to sell their revolutionary development of the Davy Lamp, which could be relit if it blew out underground
The company was brought to Sheffield in 1912 by William Maurice, who acquired the firm after it hit financial troubles.
As demand from the coal industry diminished, Wolf diversified into manufacturing industrial safety lamps that were safe to use in offshore oil and gas production and processing, fire-fighting, power generation and public utilities.
Wolf is now a world leader in this niche market, developing, manufacturing and selling highly specialised and technologically advanced lighting equipment for diverse and critical applications, where explosive gas, vapour and dust atmospheres are present.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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