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Sub firm’s 120 years without going under
by Deborah Anderson
A MILESTONE anniversary was today being celebrated at one of Glasgow's oldest firms.
Govan-based Thales, which makes hi-tech electronic surveillance equipment for submarines, marks 120 years in the city.
And today former employees were due to return and join current staff for the event.
It began life as Barr & Stroud in 1888 when two professors, Archibald Barr and William Stroud, applied to design a rangefinder for use by the military.
Now owned by French firm Thales, the factory, in Linthouse, is on the former Alexander Stephens shipyard site.
Billy Connolly's parents both worked at Barr & Stroud and the funnyman himself worked as an apprentice in the Stephens yard.
Today Defence Secretary Des Browne MP will meet employees, including new apprentices and graduates and a 96-year-old former worker.
A museum has been created containing examples of the equipment designed and built over the years and reflects how the company has been a key part of Glasgow since 1888. Teachers and pupils from Govan schools have also been invited along.
At its peak there were 6000 people working at the factory, which became part of the Thales group in 2001.
The celebrations come just months after the firm won a £35million contract.
It will provide long-term support for the periscope systems on the Royal Navy's Trafalgar, Vanguard and Astute nuclear submarines.
Thales in Glasgow has been the sole supplier of periscopes and state-of-the-art optronics equipment since 1917.
It also provides electronic warfare systems and sonar systems which, it says, along with the surveillance equipment, provides the "eyes and ears" of the submarine, making it a highly capable weapon of war.
Thales employs around 9000 staff in the UK, of whom 530 are based in Glasgow. Worldwide it has 68,000 staff in 50 countries.
Sub firm’s 120 years without going under
by Deborah Anderson
A MILESTONE anniversary was today being celebrated at one of Glasgow's oldest firms.
Govan-based Thales, which makes hi-tech electronic surveillance equipment for submarines, marks 120 years in the city.
And today former employees were due to return and join current staff for the event.
It began life as Barr & Stroud in 1888 when two professors, Archibald Barr and William Stroud, applied to design a rangefinder for use by the military.
Now owned by French firm Thales, the factory, in Linthouse, is on the former Alexander Stephens shipyard site.
Billy Connolly's parents both worked at Barr & Stroud and the funnyman himself worked as an apprentice in the Stephens yard.
Today Defence Secretary Des Browne MP will meet employees, including new apprentices and graduates and a 96-year-old former worker.
A museum has been created containing examples of the equipment designed and built over the years and reflects how the company has been a key part of Glasgow since 1888. Teachers and pupils from Govan schools have also been invited along.
At its peak there were 6000 people working at the factory, which became part of the Thales group in 2001.
The celebrations come just months after the firm won a £35million contract.
It will provide long-term support for the periscope systems on the Royal Navy's Trafalgar, Vanguard and Astute nuclear submarines.
Thales in Glasgow has been the sole supplier of periscopes and state-of-the-art optronics equipment since 1917.
It also provides electronic warfare systems and sonar systems which, it says, along with the surveillance equipment, provides the "eyes and ears" of the submarine, making it a highly capable weapon of war.
Thales employs around 9000 staff in the UK, of whom 530 are based in Glasgow. Worldwide it has 68,000 staff in 50 countries.