Introduction
I’ve been to Wales many times and never got round to doing this one, even though I have wanted to see it since I first visited the area back in 2020. Finally decided to pull my finger out and do it. Visited on a recent trip to North Wales with @JakeV50.
Information & History
Image Source
The history of Ferodo dates back to 1897, where it was founded by Herbert Frood in Gorton, Manchester. Ferodo manufactured brakes and brake components with its first factory opening in 1901. Ferodo was the first company to use asbestos for brake lining and were pioneers in developing modern brake friction materials. Derofo became part of Turner & Newall in 1926 and had a factory at Chapel-en-le-Frith at this time.
As the company expanded throughout the 20th-century, it opened a large facility in Caenarfon which was opened in 1962. At its peak, it employed over 2000 workers and was a major employer in Caernarfon and the local area. An American, Craig Smith, purchased the company in 1997 and renamed the firm to Friction Dynamics. At this point, the factory had 200 workers.
A few years after the purchase, things turned sour. In April 2001, union members began industrial action in a dispute over wholesale changes to working conditions, which resulted in reduced pay and changes to shifts. These issues resulted in an extremely long strike of almost 1000 days amongst workers, and this event has been referred to as ‘one of the darkest points in Caenarfons history’. The strike was one of the longest industrial disputes in Britain’s history and had local and national support. Weeks after the strike ended, the owner set up a new company with a slightly revised name and later closed.
The factory itself consists of a very large open-plan manufacturing space, an office building, and a secondary factory area, which was mainly a warehousing and storage area, most likely for exporting goods via HGVs. There’s also a brutalist-style two-storey office block on site and a large boiler house with the boilers still in situ. There is also a sewage works and pump house on site, which me and Jake forgot to do as we are complete idiots. We tried to find it, went in the right area, but assumed it had been demolished. I did see Mookster’s report a couple of years back and saw the pump house there, but forgot to check the report again before visiting and forgot about it.
The Explore
This was a nice, relaxed one, easy access and parking as there is a cycle track/public footpath nearby. We spent around two to three hours here photographing the various buildings, starting with the office block, then the main manufacturing area and finally the boiler house. No security on site other than hundreds of gulls flying around, making a racket.
Photos
Starting with the office block
Moving on to the main factory floor
In the middle of the main working floor, there is a structure with toilets and a few other bits and pieces
Moving on to the warehousing and storage area
Attached to this building was an old computer setup
A few externals before moving into the boiler house
CONTINUED…
I’ve been to Wales many times and never got round to doing this one, even though I have wanted to see it since I first visited the area back in 2020. Finally decided to pull my finger out and do it. Visited on a recent trip to North Wales with @JakeV50.
Information & History
Image Source
The history of Ferodo dates back to 1897, where it was founded by Herbert Frood in Gorton, Manchester. Ferodo manufactured brakes and brake components with its first factory opening in 1901. Ferodo was the first company to use asbestos for brake lining and were pioneers in developing modern brake friction materials. Derofo became part of Turner & Newall in 1926 and had a factory at Chapel-en-le-Frith at this time.
As the company expanded throughout the 20th-century, it opened a large facility in Caenarfon which was opened in 1962. At its peak, it employed over 2000 workers and was a major employer in Caernarfon and the local area. An American, Craig Smith, purchased the company in 1997 and renamed the firm to Friction Dynamics. At this point, the factory had 200 workers.
A few years after the purchase, things turned sour. In April 2001, union members began industrial action in a dispute over wholesale changes to working conditions, which resulted in reduced pay and changes to shifts. These issues resulted in an extremely long strike of almost 1000 days amongst workers, and this event has been referred to as ‘one of the darkest points in Caenarfons history’. The strike was one of the longest industrial disputes in Britain’s history and had local and national support. Weeks after the strike ended, the owner set up a new company with a slightly revised name and later closed.
The factory itself consists of a very large open-plan manufacturing space, an office building, and a secondary factory area, which was mainly a warehousing and storage area, most likely for exporting goods via HGVs. There’s also a brutalist-style two-storey office block on site and a large boiler house with the boilers still in situ. There is also a sewage works and pump house on site, which me and Jake forgot to do as we are complete idiots. We tried to find it, went in the right area, but assumed it had been demolished. I did see Mookster’s report a couple of years back and saw the pump house there, but forgot to check the report again before visiting and forgot about it.
The Explore
This was a nice, relaxed one, easy access and parking as there is a cycle track/public footpath nearby. We spent around two to three hours here photographing the various buildings, starting with the office block, then the main manufacturing area and finally the boiler house. No security on site other than hundreds of gulls flying around, making a racket.
Photos
Starting with the office block
Moving on to the main factory floor
In the middle of the main working floor, there is a structure with toilets and a few other bits and pieces
Moving on to the warehousing and storage area
Attached to this building was an old computer setup
A few externals before moving into the boiler house
CONTINUED…
