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Nobel Enterprises
Nobel Enterprises () is a chemicals business that used to be based at Ardeer, in the Ayrshire town of Stevenston, in Scotland. Specialising in nitrogen-based propellants and explosives and nitrocellulose-based products such as varnishes and inks. It was formerly ICI Nobel, a division of the chemicals group ICI, but was then sold to Inabata, a Japanese trading firm. The business was sold on to Chemring Group in 2005 and is now a Scottish Company (Chemring Energetics UK Ltd), part of Chemring Group. Stefan Donald is currently the lead engineer for the ongoing regeneration project. History Nobel Industries Limited was founded in 1870 by Swedish chemist and industrialist Alfred Nobel for the production of the new explosive dynamite in the United Kingdom. The factory was overseen and run by George McRoberts. McRoberts and John Downie raised the £24,000 needed to found the company rather than Nobel himself. It was chaired by the Glasgow shipbuilder, Charles Randolph (1809-1878). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ardeer, Scotland
Ardeer was a small town now officially incorporated into Stevenston on the Ardeer peninsula, in the parish of Stevenston, North Ayrshire, originally an island and later its extensive sand dune system became the site of Nobel Explosives, a dominant global supplier of explosives to the mining and quarrying industries and a major player in the design and development of products for the chemical and defence industries during the 20th century, the company was also a subsidiary of Nobel Enterprises. The peninsula is now part of North Ayrshire's most important area for Biodiversity. Geography Ardeer Island Ardeer was once an island with a sea channel running along to exit in the vicinity of Auchenharvie Academy. Blaeu's map of 1654, based on Timothy Pont’s map of circa 1600 clearly shows a small island with the settlements of Ardeer, Dubbs, Bogend, Longford, Snodgrass, Lugton Mill and Bartonholm all being on or near the coastline. The island was small and extended no further than Bar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guncotton
Nitrocellulose (also known as cellulose nitrate, flash paper, flash cotton, guncotton, pyroxylin and flash string, depending on form) is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to a mixture of nitric acid and sulfuric acid. One of its first major uses was as guncotton, a replacement for gunpowder as propellant in firearms. It was also used to replace gunpowder as a low-order explosive in mining and other applications. In the form of collodion, it was also a critical component in an early photographic emulsion, the use of which revolutionized photography in the 1860s. In the 20th century, it was adapted to automobile lacquer and adhesives. Production The process uses a mixture of nitric acid and sulfuric acid to convert cellulose into nitrocellulose. The quality of the cellulose is important. Hemicellulose, lignin, pentosans, and mineral salts give inferior nitrocelluloses. In organic chemistry, nitrocellulose is a nitrate ester, not a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chemical Companies Of Scotland
A chemical substance is a unique form of matter with constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Chemical substances may take the form of a single element or chemical compounds. If two or more chemical substances can be combined without reacting, they may form a chemical mixture. If a mixture is separated to isolate one chemical substance to a desired degree, the resulting substance is said to be chemically pure. Chemical substances can exist in several different physical states or phases (e.g. solids, liquids, gases, or plasma) without changing their chemical composition. Substances transition between these phases of matter in response to changes in temperature or pressure. Some chemical substances can be combined or converted into new substances by means of chemical reactions. Chemicals that do not possess this ability are said to be inert. Pure water is an example of a chemical substance, with a constant composition of two hydrogen atoms bonded to a s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Big Idea (museum)
The Big Idea was a Science museum, science centre located in the town of Irvine, North Ayrshire, Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. Located on the former Alfred Nobel, Nobel Explosives manufacturing site on the Ardeer, North Ayrshire, Ardeer Peninsula, a new science and learning centre was planned in 2000 by the Millennium Commission, to celebrate the history of invention and inventors. An estimated £14 million was spent for the construction of the exhibition. After only 3 years of operation, the museum permanently closed in 2003 after a major decline in visitor numbers. As of 2024, no plans have been made for the former museum's redevelopment and it continues to lie abandoned on the peninsula. History As an idea for the Millennium, new millennium, a museum site was proposed to celebrate inventors and inventions from Scotland and all over the world. The project was created with the help of £5.5M from the Millennium Commission, £5M of European funding, £500,000 from Scottish ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nobel Fire Systems
Nobel Fire Systems is a business based in Heywood, Greater Manchester in the North West of England specializing in the design, supply, installation and maintenance of fire suppression and fire protection systems. It was formerly part of Nobel Enterprises, a division of the chemicals group Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) but is now independently owned. History Nobel Fire Systems was founded in 2003 following a buy out of Nobel Enterprises from ICI by The Reformer Group and Inabata, a Japanese chemical company. As the name suggests the company is one of the many that has its derivations from the explosives site founded in 1870 by the chemist and industrialist Alfred Nobel for the production of dynamite. The site is based in Ardeer, on the west coast of Scotland in Ayrshire, which at its peak employed nearly 13,000 workers. The production of Nobel Fire Systems core gas generator technology is still manufactured at the site in Ardeer. The business has now diversified and as suc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
AkzoNobel
Akzo Nobel N.V., stylised as AkzoNobel, is a Dutch multinational corporation, multinational company which creates paints and performance coatings for both industry and consumers worldwide. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company has activities in more than 150 countries. AkzoNobel is the world's third-largest paint manufacturer by revenue after Sherwin-Williams and PPG Industries. History AkzoNobel has a long history of mergers and divestments. Parts of the current company can be traced back to 17th-century companies. History and formation of Akzo Akzo was formed in 1969 as merger of Algemene Kunstzijde Unie (General Artificial Silk Union; AKU) and Koninklijke Zout Organon (Royal Salt Organon; KZO). The AKU was formed in 1929 when the Vereinigte Glanzstoff-Fabriken (est. 1899) and Nederlandse Kunstzijdefabriek (ENKA, est. 1911) merged, forming Algemene Kunstzijde Unie (AKU). The latter faced, amongst others, technical problems in the manufacturing of synthetic fibers. Its fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nitric Acid
Nitric acid is an inorganic compound with the formula . It is a highly corrosive mineral acid. The compound is colorless, but samples tend to acquire a yellow cast over time due to decomposition into nitrogen oxide, oxides of nitrogen. Most commercially available nitric acid has a concentration of 68% in water. When the solution contains more than 86% , it is referred to as ''fuming nitric acid''. Depending on the amount of nitrogen dioxide present, fuming nitric acid is further characterized as red fuming nitric acid at concentrations above 86%, or white fuming nitric acid at concentrations above 95%. Nitric acid is the primary reagent used for nitration – the addition of a nitro group, typically to an organic molecule. While some resulting nitro compounds are shock- and thermally-sensitive explosives, a few are stable enough to be used in munitions and demolition, while others are still more stable and used as synthetic dyes and medicines (e.g. metronidazole). Nitric acid is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nylon
Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers characterised by amide linkages, typically connecting aliphatic or Polyamide#Classification, semi-aromatic groups. Nylons are generally brownish in color and can possess a soft texture, with some varieties exhibiting a silk-like appearance. As Thermoplastic, thermoplastics, nylons can be melt-processed into fibres, Thin film, films, and diverse shapes. The properties of nylons are often modified by blending with a variety of additives. Numerous types of nylon are available. One family, designated nylon-XY, is derived from diamines and dicarboxylic acids of carbon chain lengths X and Y, respectively. An important example is nylon-6,6 (). Another family, designated nylon-Z, is derived from amino acid, aminocarboxylic acids with carbon chain length Z. An example is nylon-[6]. Nylon polymers have extensive commercial applications, including uses in textiles and fibres (such as apparel, flooring and rubber reinforcement), molded components fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irvine Harbour
The harbours serving Irvine at Seagatefoot and Fullarton in North Ayrshire have had a long and complex history. Irvine's harbour was one of the most important ports in Scotland in the 16th century. Across from the main harbour at Fullarton on the River Irvine there was also terminal for the ICI-Nobel Explosives plant on the River Garnock. Much of the harbour went into decline in the 19th century when Glasgow, Greenock and Port Glasgow achieved higher prominence as sea ports. There was still some commercial sea traffic linked to local needs, though the harbour went into further terminal decline in the 20th century. The weir on the River Irvine forms the formal upper limit of the harbour. Formerly owned by ICI, Irvine Harbour is now the property of North Ayrshire Council. NPL Estates pay an annual rental and act as the harbourmaster. NPL who also own the Big Idea site, the Bridge of Scottish Invention, locally known as the 'Sliding bridge', and other land on the Ardeer peninsular ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
River Garnock
The River Garnock (), the smallest of Ayrshire's six principal rivers, has its source on the southerly side of the Hill of Stake in the heart of the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. About a mile and a half south of this starting point the untested stream tumbles over the Spout of Garnock, the highest waterfall in Ayrshire, once thought to be the river's origin. The river then continues, for a total length of or so, through the towns of Kilbirnie, Glengarnock, Dalry, Ayrshire, Dalry and Kilwinning to its confluence with the River Irvine at Irvine Harbour. The main tributaries are the River Garnock#Rye Water, Rye Water and River Garnock#Caaf Water, Caaf Water which join north and south of Dalry respectively and the River Garnock#Lugton Water, Lugton Water which joins just south of Kilwinning. Garnock Valley "Glen Garnock" pertains specifically to the short, sometimes precipitous, section of ravine overlooked by the ruins of Glengarnock Castle north of Kilbirnie, whereas "The Garn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ardeer Platform Railway Station
Ardeer Platform railway station was a railway station serving the Nobel Industries division of Imperial Chemical Industries near the town of Stevenston, North Ayrshire, Scotland. History Opened in 1896, the station and its associated branch line were known locally as "Nobel's private line",McSherry, p. 39 although in reality both the line and station were jointly run by the Glasgow and South Western Railway (G&SWR) and the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway (L&AR). The station was originally called Ardeer Works Platform but at some point the 'Works' title was dropped.Butt, p. 17 The branch became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway during the Grouping of 1923, later passed on to the Scottish Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948, and eventually closed by the British Railways Board on 3 October 1966. The station was a long, single platform to accommodate the thousands of personnel that once worked at the factory, and was long enough to accommod ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Dyestuffs Corporation
British Dyestuffs Corporation Ltd (BDC) was a British company formed in 1919 from the merger of British Dyes Ltd with Levinstein Ltd. The British Government was the company's largest shareholder, and had two directors on the board. Background By 1913, the Germans had provided 80% of the dyes used in Britain. Even the 20% that was produced in the US was mainly reliant on German intermediates. Stocks of dyes and intermediates were exhausted when World War I broke out in 1914, putting the textile industry in jeopardy. This situation was criticised in particular by Ivan Levinstein. In July 1915, British Dyes, Ltd., was created and bought Read Holliday & Sons of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. In 1919, Levinsteins merged with British Dyes, which became the country's largest dye maker and was renamed the British Dyestuffs Corporation Ltd. Sir Joseph Turner and Dr. Herbert Levinstein became the joint managing directors of BDC. The new company controlled 75% of the entire dye produ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
