History

1946 – 1956 Gibson Engineering

After the Second World War, Douglas Gibson, finished his apprenticeship in engineering, but due to post war requirement he had to take a 12 month break from this to complete his National Service.

Following this Douglas joined a centrifugal foundry as development engineer, but a few years later the foundry re-located. Douglas decided the time was right to set up his own general engineering business with a loan from his father. Comprising of a fabrication and machine shop – Gibson Engineering was formed and soon gained a reputation for advanced engineering.

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Douglas Gibson

1956 – 1966 Gibson Engineering

Most of the company’s production capacity was taken up with designing and manufacturing centrifugal casting machines for both ferrous and non-ferrous castings. Equipment for the production of automotive cylinder liners was the most popular and the first Gibson Carousel style machine built for Morris Engines Foundry and Harold Andrews in the UK.

1966 – 1976 Gibson Engineering

1968 – Martin Gibson Joined the family company after completing his engineering apprenticeship at GEC

As a result of Gibson development work with large vertical centrifugal casting machines for the production of rolls, an offer was made for a controlling interest in the business by a large roll making group. The company joined the group, manufacturing large casting machines for roll production along with the other equipment.

During this period the very successful roll making machinery was restricted for group use or selected non-competitors. The group permitted the sale of other products including cylinder liner production equipment which sold extensively around the world and included the supply of a complete large cylinder liner foundry project in Poland in 1975.

1976 – 1986 Gibson Centri Tech

The imposed restriction on roll making equipment sales did cause discontent. Martin & Douglas Gibson broke away from the group to form Gibson Centri Tech in 1980, with a remit to design and manufacture an advanced range of centrifugal casting machines.

1986 – 1996 Gibson Centri Tech

The company continued to expand and got back into the roll making market with the supply of a large vertical casting machine for the production of roll sleeves to the USA.

1988 saw Gibson Centri Tech win its largest contract thus far for a new centrifugal foundry in Russia.

1990 Stuart Gibson Joined the family company.

1991 Gibson Centri Tech won the prestigious Queens award for export Development work continued on the SHPP centrifugal casting machines which can be used for cylinder liner production, with an order for 14 of these machines being placed by one company in the USA.

The carousel range for cylinder liner production was further developed. The production of equipment for petro chemical reformer tube manufacture and pulverising rolls production was also achieved

The range of centrifugal casting machines continued to grow to meet the global demand.

1996 – 2006 Gibson Centri Tech

This period saw greater expansion in the Indian and Chinese markets with many European and American companies deciding to move production east.

Europe continued to be an active market with large projects in roll making using horizontal centrifugal casting machines and development work with vertical machines for the production of stainless steel castings were proving popular.

2006 – 2013 Gibson Centri Tech

Further development and expansion of the Indian market saw some machinery built under licence agreement by some of our loyal customers.

2008 saw Gibson’s win its largest contract to date, which was for probably the largest vertical centrifugal casting machine in the world, this was supplied to a South American company for steel works roll production.

2009 saw the global financial crisis, but fortunately Gibson Centri Tech was not unduly affected in fact turnover increased as customers decided to expand their product ranges to try and improve turnover.

Business with leading German, Italian and French companies started to see a trend in re-shoring as production costs started to rise in Asia.

2010 After a short illness Douglas Gibson passed away, he had remained an active part of the company until shortly before his death.

2014 – present day

Gibson’s launch their largest investment program to date, with the purchase of new CNC manufacturing equipment, design software and the recruitment of new personnel.

Development of the Carousel mark III integrating robotics and the latest in fibre optics technology.

Gibson Centri Tech continue to push the boundaries of centrifugal technology.