English Electric Valve Company
Encyclopedia
The English Electric Valve Company or EEV, is a specialist component and sub-system designer, developer and manufacturer. As e2v
(its current name) it has 6 European and US manufacturing facilities and its HQ in Essex
, England
.
The company was founded in Chelmsford
, Essex
in 1947 under Semyon Aisenstein. Its initial name was the Phoenix Dynamo Co Ltd, though it immediately changed its name to English Electric Valve Company Ltd. It was soon noted for supplying 3" orthicons for the worldwide television
transmission of the Coronation
of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey
. Aisenstein was replaced in 1953 by Jim Young. In 1959 Bob Coulson established Traveling-wave tube and Microwave tube sections and they were producing ceramic hydrogen thyratron
s as well. By this time EEV was the largest hi-tech manufacturing company in the UK. A year later they won an EMMY award
for outstanding contribution to Electronics Technology in developing the 4½"orthicon tube. Then in 1961 they acquired Associated Electrical Industries
Valve business based in Lincoln
. Sir Charles Oatley
was a director of the company from 1966 to 1985. In 1962, EEV opened its first office in America in Buffalo
, NY. In the 1970s EEV collaborated with QinetiQ
in the development of the pyroelectric vidicon, the first thermal imaging detector. The company has received 13 Queen's Awards for Technology
in its history, most recently in 2006 for low light imaging devices and in 2004 for thyratrons for cancer radiotherapy treatment. Also, in 1972, they opened an office in Paris, France and in 1977 they open another office in NY but this time in Elmsford. Hugh Menown, responsible for developing double-cathode and hollow anode thyratrons, was awarded the MBE in 1982.
In 1988 the English Electric Valve Company formally changed its name to EEV. Then in 1992, EEV supplies CCD into the XMM Newton Space Mission which was one of the first major missions by the European Space Agency
.
In 1999 EEV briefly changes its name to Marconi Applied Technologies as part of the rebranding of GEC to Marconi
. Following a management buy out in 2002 the company changed its name to e2v
technologies.
E2v
e2v is a leading global provider of technology solutions for high performance systems; delivering solutions, sub-systems and components to advanced systems companies, for specialist applications within medical & science, aerospace & defence and commercial & industrial markets...
(its current name) it has 6 European and US manufacturing facilities and its HQ in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The company was founded in Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
in 1947 under Semyon Aisenstein. Its initial name was the Phoenix Dynamo Co Ltd, though it immediately changed its name to English Electric Valve Company Ltd. It was soon noted for supplying 3" orthicons for the worldwide television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
transmission of the Coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. Aisenstein was replaced in 1953 by Jim Young. In 1959 Bob Coulson established Traveling-wave tube and Microwave tube sections and they were producing ceramic hydrogen thyratron
Thyratron
A thyratron is a type of gas filled tube used as a high energy electrical switch and controlled rectifier. Triode, tetrode and pentode variations of the thyratron have been manufactured in the past, though most are of the triode design...
s as well. By this time EEV was the largest hi-tech manufacturing company in the UK. A year later they won an EMMY award
Technology & Engineering Emmy Award
A Technology and Engineering Emmy Award is given by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for outstanding achievement in technical or engineering development...
for outstanding contribution to Electronics Technology in developing the 4½"orthicon tube. Then in 1961 they acquired Associated Electrical Industries
Associated Electrical Industries
Associated Electrical Industries was a British holding company formed in 1928 through the merger of the British Thomson-Houston Company and Metropolitan-Vickers electrical engineering companies...
Valve business based in Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
. Sir Charles Oatley
Charles Oatley
Sir Charles William Oatley OBE, FRS FREng was Professor of Electrical Engineering, University of Cambridge, 1960–1971, and developer of one of the first commercial scanning electron microscopes....
was a director of the company from 1966 to 1985. In 1962, EEV opened its first office in America in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, NY. In the 1970s EEV collaborated with QinetiQ
QinetiQ
Qinetiq is a British global defence technology company, formed from the greater part of the former UK government agency, Defence Evaluation and Research Agency , when it was split up in June 2001...
in the development of the pyroelectric vidicon, the first thermal imaging detector. The company has received 13 Queen's Awards for Technology
Queen's Awards for Enterprise
The Queen's Awards for Enterprise is an awards programme for British businesses and other organizations who excel at international trade, innovation or sustainable development. They are the highest official UK awards for British businesses...
in its history, most recently in 2006 for low light imaging devices and in 2004 for thyratrons for cancer radiotherapy treatment. Also, in 1972, they opened an office in Paris, France and in 1977 they open another office in NY but this time in Elmsford. Hugh Menown, responsible for developing double-cathode and hollow anode thyratrons, was awarded the MBE in 1982.
In 1988 the English Electric Valve Company formally changed its name to EEV. Then in 1992, EEV supplies CCD into the XMM Newton Space Mission which was one of the first major missions by the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
.
In 1999 EEV briefly changes its name to Marconi Applied Technologies as part of the rebranding of GEC to Marconi
Marconi Electronic Systems
Marconi Electronic Systems , or GEC-Marconi as it was until 1998, was the defence arm of The General Electric Company . It was demerged from GEC and acquired by British Aerospace on November 30, 1999 to form BAE Systems...
. Following a management buy out in 2002 the company changed its name to e2v
E2v
e2v is a leading global provider of technology solutions for high performance systems; delivering solutions, sub-systems and components to advanced systems companies, for specialist applications within medical & science, aerospace & defence and commercial & industrial markets...
technologies.