Radio & Allied Industries Ltd. was a British electronics company formed in 1956 from the merger of the Sobell Group and McMichael Radio Ltd.
The Sobell Group was formed by
Michael Sobell
Sir Michael Sobell (1 November 1892 – 1 September 1993) was a British businessman, a major philanthropist, and a prominent owner/breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.
Family and childhood
Sobel (from 1946, Sobell"Sobell, Sir Michael (1892– ...
to manufacture radio sets. The company grew rapidly thanks to lucrative contracts it gained during World War II. Post war the company opened a new factory near
Hirwaun,
Aberdare, south Wales to manufacture radio and television sets. An employee of the company was Sobell's son-in-law,
Arnold Weinstock who would later take over the management of GEC.
McMichael Radio Ltd. was founded in 1920 by Leslie McMichael. In 1922, the company opened a new factory in Slough. During World War II, McMichael produced a wide variety of radio equipment for the war effort. After the war the company manufactured thousands of
sonobuoys
A sonobuoy (a portmanteau of sonar and buoy) is a relatively small buoy – typically diameter and long – expendable sonar system that is dropped/ejected from aircraft or ships conducting anti-submarine warfare or underwater acoustic resear ...
for use by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
In 1956, the Sobell Group and McMichael Radio Ltd. merged to form Radio and Allied Industries Ltd. Following the merger all manufacture of domestic radio and television sets was concentrated at Sobell's factory in South Wales whereas the production of military electronics was undertaken at the McMichael works in Slough. In 1960, the company acquired Masteradio Ltd.
[Pontypridd Observer, 31 December 1960, page 1]
In 1961, Radio and Allied Industries Ltd. was itself acquired by the
General Electric Company (GEC).
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Radio and Allied Industries Ltd.
Electronics companies of the United Kingdom
Defunct manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom
General Electric Company