Reference
Z1362/12
Title
Material relating to A C Delco
Admin/biog history
A BRIEF HISTORY OF AC DELCO/TRICO
The AC Sphinx Sparking Plug Company was formed in Birmingham in 1922 as a division of the Sphinx Manufacturing Company which had been formed 30years earlier. The new company initially made just spark plugs but later a wide range of vehicles components in the AC range were added.
In 1934 the company moved to Dunstable ‘because of its central geographical location to vehicle manufacturers’; Vauxhall Motors having become its largest customer. General Motors, the parent company of Vauxhall, eventually bought AC Sphinx and in 1952 changed its name to AC Delco and the business was expanded to become one of the town’s largest employers.
In 1994 the business (but not the name which remained the property of GM Motors) was sold to a local business man and renamed ACD (Automotive Components Dunstable). Canadian Company, Devtech, acquired ACD in 1996 and were themselves acquired by the Tomkins Group, owners of the Trico company. The Dunstable plant was renamed Trico.
In 2000 Trico announced the closure of the plant and the loss of over 600 jobs. The factory finally closed its doors in February 2003 although Metalin hospitality furniture briefly continued in that part of the site more recently occupied by Delphi Chassis Systems.
In 2005, the owners of the Delco/Trico site, Pedrables Ltd, won a planning appeal to allow the principle of housing development on the site. That company then demolished the factory buildings and prepared detailed proposals for the housing development. The site on Watling Street is now occupied by streets named after car manufacturers such as Vauxhall Way, Daimler Drive, Leyland Road, Morris Road, Wolesey Drive, Healey Road as well as Sphinx Place and French's Gate.
Scope and Content
Company magazines, printed ephemera and photographs.
Level of description
sub-fonds