British Insulated Callender's Cables

British Insulated Callender's Cables
Company type	Public
Industry	Cable manufacturing, Construction
Predecessor	Callender's Cable & Construction Company, British Insulated Cables
Founded	1945
Defunct	2000
Fate	Rebranded as Balfour Beatty after divesting cable manufacturing operations
Successor	Balfour Beatty
Headquarters	London (White City initially), later multiple sites including Erith and Prescot, United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom, Europe, South America, Africa, Russia
Key people	William Ormiston Callender (founder of predecessor)
Products	Electric power cables, telecommunications cables, metals, construction and project management services
Number of employees	10,800 (late 1970s) (1977)

British Insulated Callender's Cables (BICC) was a prominent British manufacturer specializing in cables and construction throughout the 20th century, later adopting the name of its former subsidiary Balfour Beatty.

Established in 1945 through the merger of Callender's Cable & Construction Company and British Insulated Cables, BICC swiftly broadened its product portfolio and international reach by acquiring companies such as Pyrotenax Ltd, Power Securities, and Balfour Beatty, along with investments in Portugal, Spain, East Germany, and Russia. By the late 1970s, the company employed approximately 10,800 production workers, with nearly half of its revenue generated from overseas markets. Major manufacturing facilities were located at Erith, Prescot, Kirkby, Leyton, Helsby, Leigh, Melling, Wrexham, Blackley, Belfast, and Huyton.

During the 1980s, confronted with intensifying competition, BICC concentrated on improving workforce efficiency and workplace conditions but nonetheless experienced plant shutdowns and job reductions. The following decade saw significant restructuring efforts, including divestment of housebuilding, telecommunications, and power cable segments. After disposing of its cable manufacturing operations, the company rebranded as Balfour Beatty in 2000, shifting focus toward construction, project management, financing, and design services.

Background

Founded in 1870 by William Ormiston Callender, Callender's Cable & Construction Company initially operated as an importer and processor of bitumen for road building before commencing insulated cable production at its Thames-side site in Erith during the 1880s. The firm played a vital role in developing the British National Grid in the 1930s, notably engineering the 132 kV Thames crossing at Dagenham that featured overhead lines stretching 3,060 feet (932m) between two towers each standing 487 feet (148m) tall. Its research and engineering laboratories were situated at a former power station location in London's White City.

Originally named the British Insulated Wire Company, British Insulated Cables was founded near Liverpool in Prescot in 1890. The company secured rights from Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti to manufacture paper-insulated power cables capable of transmitting electricity at 10,000 volts for use at the Deptford Power Station. In 1902 it acquired the Telegraph Manufacturing Company and adopted the name British Insulated Cables in 1925.

Formation, acquisitions, and reorganisation

In 1945, the merger of Callender's Cable & Construction Company with British Insulated Cables resulted in the creation of British Insulated Callender's Cables (BICC). Initially concentrating on domestic markets within Britain, BICC expanded its operations into continental Europe and beyond during subsequent decades. In 1975, the company shortened its name to BICC.

The early 1950s marked BICC’s entry into mineral insulated cable production, with initial sales recorded in 1955. It acquired Pyrotenax Ltd—its principal British competitor—in 1966 and fully integrated it by 1976 while providing pricing commitments to UK regulators.

Growth accelerated through acquisitions including the purchase of Power Securities and its subsidiary Balfour Beatty in 1969. Additional acquisitions in Spain and Portugal extended BICC’s footprint into South America and Africa. However, investments made in former East Germany and Russia proved financially detrimental amid rising margin pressures within its core cable division.

The company pursued industry-leading productivity standards by heavily investing in new manufacturing plants and reorganizing existing facilities. By 1977, BICC employed roughly 10,800 personnel dedicated to producing its main products. It also implemented substantial discounts for wholesalers to drive sales volume.

By 1974, BICC reported revenues of £782 million with exports and international business accounting for 52% of turnover. While cable manufacturing remained central to operations, diversification contributed an increasing proportion of sales. In January 1975, BICC restructured into four principal entities: BICC Cables Ltd, BICC Industrial Products Ltd, BICC International Ltd, and Balfour Beatty & Co Ltd.

Throughout the 1970s, British manufacturing sites included Erith, Prescot, Kirkby, Leyton, Helsby, Leigh, Melling, Wrexham, Blackley, Belfast, and Huyton (now Hi-Wire Ltd), producing electric power cables, telecommunications cables, and metals. Research and engineering facilities were originally based at White City near William Ormiston Callender’s former home before relocating to Wrexham and Helsby in 1988. Several plants were closed during the 1970s and 1980s as part of operational streamlining.

Divestitures and Strategic Shift

In January 1991, British Copper Refiners, a subsidiary of BICC, ceased operations at its Prescot facility, leading to the elimination of 230 positions. This location was subsequently transformed into a retail shopping area.

During the early 1990s, BICC expanded by acquiring the homebuilding company Clarke Homes. However, the downturn in the housing market caused significant financial setbacks. By the mid-1990s, with sales substantially reduced, BICC opted to divest Clarke Homes, selling it to Westbury in 1995.

In 1999, BICC sold off its telecommunications cable division to Corning for $70 million and disposed of its power cables segment to General Cable for £275 million (equivalent to $445 million).

Following these disposals, BICC—also the owner of construction firm Balfour Beatty—underwent a rebranding in early 2000, adopting the Balfour Beatty name. The company redirected its focus toward infrastructure construction and broadened its scope to include financing, operational management, design, and related services.

In 2002, Pirelli, which had acquired the Erith manufacturing site from General Cable, announced a partial shutdown and relocated oil-filled cable production to Eastleigh in Hampshire.

As of 2020, the BICC Cables brand continues to operate at the former BICC Egypt power cable plant located in Giza.

Callender's Cableworks Band

This employee-based amateur brass band was active from 1898 until 1961 at Callender's Erith works. The company supported the ensemble by lending its name and supplying uniforms and instruments. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the band frequently featured on broadcasts via BBC Radio.

References

External links

National Museums Liverpool Archives Department Information sheet 63 - British Insulated Callenders Cables PLC