Ultra Electronics Holdings is a British defence and

security Security is protection from, or resilience against, potential harm (or other unwanted coercion). Beneficiaries (technically referents) of security may be persons and social groups, objects and institutions, ecosystems, or any other entity or ...

company. It was listed on the

London Stock Exchange The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is a stock exchange based in London, England. the total market value of all companies trading on the LSE stood at US$3.42 trillion. Its current premises are situated in Paternoster Square close to St Paul's Cath ...

and was a constituent of the

FTSE 250 Index The Financial Times Stock Exchange 250 Index, also called the FTSE 250 Index, FTSE 250, or, informally, the "Footsie 250" , is a stock market index that consists of the 101st to the 350th mid-cap blue chip companies listed on the London Stock ...

until it was acquired by Cobham, which is itself owned by

Advent International Advent International Corporation is an American global private equity firm. It is focused on buyouts of companies in Western and Central Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia. The firm focuses on international buyouts, growth and strat ...

. The company was originally founded as ''Edward E. Rosen & Co.'', a manufacturer of

headphone Headphones are a pair of small loudspeaker drivers worn on or around the head over a user's ears. They are electroacoustic transducers, which convert an electrical signal to a corresponding sound. Headphones let a single user listen to an ...

s and

loudspeaker A loudspeaker (commonly referred to as a speaker or, more fully, a speaker system) is a combination of one or more speaker drivers, an enclosure, and electrical connections (possibly including a crossover network). The speaker driver is an ...

s, in 1920. In 1925, a new company, known as ''Ultra Electric Ltd.'', was established. During 1930, the firm launched its first all-electric radio receiver; it produced numerous domestic radio receivers around this time. Ultra diversified into aviation during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, building fuselage elements and engine components. Relaunching itself into the civilian markets following the conflict, Ultra started producing

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

sets in 1953. In 1961, Ultra's consumer electronics interests became part of Thorn Electrical Industries. During 1977, Ultra Electronics was bought by the Dowty Group and regained its independence via a

management buyout A management buyout (MBO) is a form of acquisition in which a company's existing managers acquire a large part, or all, of the company, whether from a parent company or individual. Management- and/or leveraged buyouts became noted phenomena of 19 ...

in 1993. Into the twenty-first century, it has continued to be an active supplier to the aerospace sector; various companies, including Bombardier Aerospace and

Airbus Airbus SE ( ; ; ; ) is a Pan-European aerospace corporation. The company's primary business is the design and manufacturing of commercial aircraft but it also has separate Airbus Defence and Space, defence and space and Airbus Helicopters, he ...

, have chosen to incorporate Ultra Electronics' noise reduction and vibration dampening products onto their aircraft. By 2005, Ultra Electronics was ranked as the 66th biggest aerospace company in the world. In August 2021, the British aerospace and defence company, Cobham, agreed to acquire Ultra Electronics in exchange for £2.6 billion.

History

Early activities

The company that would eventually become Ultra Electronics was started by

wireless Wireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information (''telecommunication'') between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided transm ...

specialist Teddy Rosen as Edward E. Rosen & Co. during 1920. The firm was initially focused upon the manufacture of high quality

s and

s. During 1923, the company relocated to new premises at Harrow Road, London. In 1925, a new company, known as ''Ultra Electric Ltd.'', was formed; the ''Ultra'' name had been previously used for one of its products, the first commercial moving iron loudspeaker. During 1930, Ultra launched its first all-electric radio receiver. During 1931, the firm introduced its first mains-powered wireless set, known as the ''Ultra Twin Cub''. That same year, Ultra received its first order from the aviation industry, having been placed by the

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

ese Kawasaki Company. As a result of further expansion, the company moved to larger premises at Erskine Road,

Chalk Farm Chalk Farm is a small urban district of north west London, lying immediately north of Camden Town, in the London Borough of Camden. History Manor of Rugmere Chalk Farm was originally known as the Manor of Rugmere, an estate that was mentio ...

, NW3 in 1932; three years later, a new factory at Western Avenue, Acton."Vintage Technology: Ultra Electric."
''vintage-technology.info''. During the 1930s, Ultra manufactured a wide range of domestic radio receivers including the ''Blue Fox'', ''Lynx'', ''Panther'' and ''Tiger'' models. In 1939, the company presented a television receiver to the market for the ''BBC High Definition Television Service'' which was transmitted on 405 lines from the studios at

Alexandra Palace Alexandra Palace is an entertainment and sports venue in North London, situated between Wood Green and Muswell Hill in the London Borough of Haringey. A listed building, Grade II listed building, it is built on the site of Tottenham Wood and th ...

, north London. During the

, Ultra diversified into aviation; the Short Stirling was the first aircraft to incorporate their products, the company acting as a

subcontractor A subcontractor is a person or business which undertakes to perform part or all of the obligations of another's contract, and a subcontract is a contract which assigns part of an existing contract to a subcontractor. A general contractor, prime ...

to produce tails and bomb doors for the bomber. Ultra would produce a wide range of aerostructures for numerous aircraft throughout the conflict. The firm solely focused on wartime demands, only relaunching itself into the civilian market during 1947, although it would continue to have an interest in the military sector during the

post-war A post-war or postwar period is the interval immediately following the end of a war. The term usually refers to a varying period of time after World War II, which ended in 1945. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum, ...

period.

Post-war

Ultra continued to manufacture products for the aviation industry after the conflict. Various engines, including the Armstrong Siddeley Mamba and the Rolls-Royce Avon, incorporated components such as temperature regulators, fuel flow valves, and throttle controls produced by Ultra. Electronic control systems would become a key part of the company's product range. In 1953, Ultra started manufacturing

sets. During 1956, the firm opened a new factory at

Gosport Gosport ( ) is a town and non-metropolitan district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Hampshire, England. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 Census, the town had a population of 70,131 and the district had a pop ...

for the production of both televisions and radio sets; Ultra acquired rival company ''Pilot Radio & Television'' in 1959. During the following year, Ultra reorganised itself, splitting into two divisions, one specialising in domestic radio and television and the other focused on all other electronic products. In 1961, Ultra's consumer electronics interests became part of Thorn Electrical Industries, who continued to manufacture products using the Ultra brandname until 1974. As a result of the acquisition, the remainder of the company became ''Ultra Electronics Ltd.'' Amongst its varied product range at this time, it produced the "Jezebel" and "Mini-Jezebel"

sonobuoy A sonobuoy (a portmanteau of sonar and buoy) is a small expendable sonar buoy dropped from aircraft or ships for anti-submarine warfare or underwater acoustic research. Sonobuoys are typically around in diameter and long. When floating on t ...

s. In 1962, Ultra developed their Search and Rescue and Homing (SARAH) radio beacon, this would be widely used throughout the world. Various subsystems of

Concorde Concorde () is a retired Anglo-French supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Studies started in 1954, and France and the United Kingdom signed a treaty establishin ...

, include the droop nose controls and the full authority engine controls, incorporated Ultra technologies. During 1977, Ultra Electronics was bought by the Dowty Group.

Reemergence

In 1993, Ultra was the subject of a

, led by Julian Blogh, of seven Dowty Group plc companies which formed the Dowty Group Electronic Systems Divisions, which had been previously acquired by

TI Group TI Group plc (formerly "Tube Investments") was a holding company for specialised engineering companies. It was based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire and was listed on the London Stock Exchange, at one point being a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. ...

during 1992. In September 1995, Ultra Electronics received its first major export order from the American government, to supply support equipment for its

McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) AV-8B Harrier II is a single-engine ground-attack aircraft that constitutes the second generation of the Harrier family, capable of vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL). The aircraft is primari ...

fleet. It was floated on the

in 1996. During the late 1990s, Ultra Electronics began to vigorously promote its active noise control systems, marketed as ''UltraQuiet'': the firm argued that aircraft manufacturers can deploy it to decrease cabin noise, which has been a traditionally prevalent drawback of

turboprop A turboprop is a Gas turbine, gas turbine engine that drives an aircraft Propeller (aeronautics), propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction drive, reduction gearbox, gas compressor, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propellin ...

-powered aircraft, such as

regional airliner A regional airliner, commuter airliner or feeder liner is a small airliner that is designed to fly up to 100 passengers on short-haul flights, usually feeding larger carriers' airline hubs from small markets. This class of airliners is typically ...

s, in comparison to their jet-powered counterparts. It also developed further noise reduction technologies during this period. Various companies, including Bombardier Aerospace and

, have chosen to incorporate Ultra Electronics' noise reduction and vibration dampening products onto their aircraft. According to ''

Flight International ''Flight International'', formerly ''Flight'', is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", i ...

'', since regaining its independence in the 1990s, the corporate strategy of Ultra Electronics appears to have been slanted towards maintaining a diverse product range, avoiding any large exposures to a single market, as well as being intentionally widely dispersed geographically. In 2000, Ultra Electronics acquired Datel Ferranti Group. It also acquired American voice communications provider ''Audiopack Technologies'' in 2004. By 2005, Ultra Electronics was ranked as the 66th biggest aerospace company in the world: at this point in time, the American market accounted for around one-third of the business's turnover. In August 2021, the British aerospace and defence company, Cobham, agreed to acquire Ultra Electronics in exchange for £2.6 billion. A merger enquiry into the anticipated acquisition (Ultra Electronics is a key national security and the defence contractor, Cobham, is American owned) was completed in January 2022, with a report being passed to the

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy The secretary of state for business and trade (business secretary), is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Department for Business and Trade. The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of t ...

, Kwasi Kwarteng. In July 2022, Kwarteng announced that the acquisition was cleared to proceed.

Operations

The company operates under five strategic business units; Maritime, Intelligence & Communications, Precision Control Systems, Energy and Forensic Technology. It has facilities in the UK, North America and Australia. In January 2020, Ultra launched new branding.

References