Editing Ferranti (section)

===Expansion===
Through the early part of the century power was supplied by small companies, typically as an offshoot of plant set up to provide power to local industry.  Each plant supplied a different standard, which made the [[mass production]] of domestic electrical equipment inefficient.  In 1910, Dr. Ferranti made a presidential speech to the [[Institution of Electrical Engineers|IEE]] addressing this issue, but it would be another sixteen years before the commencement of the [[National Grid (Great Britain)|National Grid]] in 1926.<ref name=Wilson/>

In 1912, in a move driven by A.B. Anderson, the Ferranti Managing Director, Ferranti formed a company in Canada, [[Ferranti-Packard|Ferranti Electric]], to exploit the overseas meter market.  But in 1914, two significant events happened, Anderson drowned on his return from Canada in the [[Empress of Ireland]] sinking and the outbreak of WWI signalled an opportunity for Dr. Ferranti to once again get involved in day-to-day events in the company.<ref name=pioneers/> He wanted to get involved in the manufacture of shells and fuzes but it wasn't until 1915 that he finally convinced the board to accept this. As a result of this work Ferranti were in a healthier financial position at the end of the war.<ref name=pioneers>''Ferranti Packard: Pioneers in Canadian Electrical Manufacturing'' Norman R. Ball, John N. Vardalas  {{ISBN|0-7735-0983-6}}
{{ISBN|978-0-7735-0983-2}}</ref>
High voltage power transformers became an important product for Ferranti;<ref name=timeline /> some of the largest types weighed over a hundred tons. Dr. Ferranti's son [[Vincent Ziani de Ferranti|Vincent]] joined the transformer department as manager in 1921 and was instrumental in expanding the work started by his father. After the death of Dr. Ferranti in 1930, he became the chairman and chief executive.<ref name=Wilson/> In 1935, Ferranti purchased a disused wire drawing mill at [[Moston, Greater Manchester|Moston]]: from here it manufactured many "brown goods" such as televisions, radios, and electric clocks.<ref name=timeline/> The company later sold its radio and television interests to [[EKCO]] in 1957. Production of clocks ended in 1957 and other product lines phased out in 1960<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Ferranti|title=Ferranti - Graces Guide|website=www.gracesguide.co.uk}}</ref> Ferranti Instruments, based at Moston, developed various items for scientific measurements, including one of the first [[viscometer#Rotational viscometers|cone and plate viscometer]]s. Ferranti built a new power transformer works at Hollinwood in the mid-1950s at a time when there was growth in the power supply distribution industry.

By 1974, Ferranti had become an important supplier to the defence industry, but its power transformer division was making losses, creating acute financial problems. This led to the company being bailed out by the government's [[National Enterprise Board]], taking a 65% share of the company in return.<ref name=family>''Ferranti: A History - Building a Family Business 1882–1975 J.F. Wilson'' {{ISBN|1-85936-098-X}}</ref> After restructuring, it was returned to the private sector in 1980 as a profitable company.<ref name="Narchive">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers/themes/national-enterprise-board-neb.htm |title=National Enterprise Board|publisher=Cabinet Papers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308202242/http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers/themes/national-enterprise-board-neb.htm |accessdate=16 March 2019|archive-date=8 March 2021 }}</ref>