Curran Steels was a manufacturing company in
Cardiff, Wales, founded as the ''Edward Curran Engineering Co'' and known locally as ''Curran's''.
The factory was located on the east bank of the
River Taff, near to
Cardiff Docks. It was served by the
Riverside branch railway.
History
The Edward Curran Engineering Co. was founded in Cardiff in 1903 by Edward Curran, whose father Charles was an Irish stonemason who had settled in Cardiff, then a thriving coal port. Edward Curran was also a stonemason.
The company opened a
foundry in Hurman Street,
Butetown, in or adjacent to the site of the former Bute Shipbuilding and Engineering Works . The firm initially specialised in producing furnaces for
annealing metals, one of which was built for Mountstuart Dry Docks in Cardiff in 1909.
Immediately before the outbreak of the
First World War in 1914, Curran's supplied several annealing furnaces to the
Royal Arsenal
The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich is an establishment on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England, that was used for the manufacture of armaments and ammunition, proofing, and explosives research for the Britis ...
in Woolwich, London, and had built a major munitions factory in
Ward End, Birmingham. In 1915 Curran's converted a building next to their iron foundry into a plant for manufacturing shell casings. Production of brass
howitzer
A howitzer () is a long- ranged weapon, falling between a cannon (also known as an artillery gun in the United States), which fires shells at flat trajectories, and a mortar, which fires at high angles of ascent and descent. Howitzers, like ot ...
shell casings started in 1916, continuing until the end of the war with over seven million shell casings produced.
After the First World War the business diversified and it products included
enamelled metalware, including cups and plates.
These were manufactured using the staff and equipment previously used for shell casing production, and Curran's maintained their capability to manufacture munitions.
By the 1930s Curran's was virtually the only British company with significant munitions manufacturing capability, and it took a leading role in the
British re-armament before the Second World War.
During the war Curran's continued to produce munitions. The factory was damaged several times in
German Bombing raids.
After the Second World War the factory resumed the production of enamelware. In 1961 they started production of pressed steel baths, and acrylic baths in 1972.
In 1973 the company was acquired by the Building Products division of
Reed International, adding Curran's steel and acrylic bath products to the toilets and washbasins of
Twyford, which Reed had acquired in 1971. In 1985
Caradon Ltd
Novar plc (formerly Caradon plc) was an international building supplies group based in the United Kingdom. Novar was formed in 1921 as Metal Box Company from the coming together of several businesses and trades, including canning and printing. ...
acquired Reed International's Building Products division, including Curran.
Curran's factory in Cardiff closed in 2005. The buildings were demolished and the site used for housing.
worked packing
chamber pots in Curran's packing department in 1951, before her career as a singer.
References
{{Economy and Industry of Cardiff
History of Cardiff
Economy of Cardiff
Butetown
1903 establishments in Wales
Industrial history of Wales
Defunct manufacturing companies of Wales
British companies established in 1903
Manufacturing companies established in 1903
Engineering companies of Wales