Fulmer Research Institute was founded in 1945 as a UK contract research and development organization specializing in materials technology and related areas of physics and chemistry. It was modelled on American contract research companies such as Battelle Memorial Institute and The Mellon Institute of Industrial Research. In 1965 it was acquired by The Institute of Physics and the Physical Society, a rare case of a contract research company being owned by a Learned Society. Through the 1970s and 80s Fulmer evolved. Its services in testing, consultancy and certification were greatly strengthened while academic research declined. It continued to make important developments and innovations for industry and government until in 1990 it was split up and sold to other R & D and testing organizations. A few of the landmark achievements during its forty five years were:
The extraction of aluminium using sub-halide sublimation Aluminium-tin and aluminium-lead alloys for plain-bearings Chemical Vapour Deposition of metals and ceramics to produce coatings, tubes, crucibles etc. Fundamental research into aluminium copper alloys, leading to high strength formulations for the skin of high performance aircraft YQAF, a subsidiary company authorised to assess and accredit organizations to quality standards.
Origins (1945 and 1946) Fulmer Research Institute was founded in 1945 by Col W C (Dev) Devereux and incorporated in 1946. He had been a pioneer in the use of light metal alloys in aero engines and, in the Second World War, he had an important role in the UK Ministry of Aircraft Production, organizing the assembly in Britain of American aircraft and reorganizing the repair of aircraft and aero-engines. After the war, in 1945, he set up a company called Almin Ltd (Associated Light Metal Industries) which brought together a group of companies mostly concerned with the production and processing of aluminium and magnesium alloys. He wanted Almin to have research facilities but he recognised that Almin's R&D needs alone were not sufficient to justify the investment in staff and capital equipment required for properly equipped laboratories. His answer was to establish a contract research organization along the lines of Battelle Memorial Institute and The Mellon Institute of Industrial Research in the USA. Thus he founded Fulmer Research Institute as one of the first contract research companies in Britain. Initially it was in temporary accommodation but he soon found a permanent base by purchasing a large Edwardian country house with ten acres of grounds, in the Buckinghamshire village of Stoke Poges. The name 'Fulmer' was the name of the local telephone exchange and that of a nearby village.
Building the team Devereux recruited Ted Liddiard from The British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association (BNF) to be Fulmer's director of research Among other senior staff recruited were:
Philipp Gross a refugee from Vienna who was an expert in chemical thermodynamics and had been working at International Alloys (another Almin company) on the direct reduction of magnesite to magnesium, appointed principal scientist Ted Calnan, appointed principal physicist Arthur Sully, recruited from Special Metals Wiggin Limited, was an expert on the creep of jet engine turbine blades. He established Fulmer's reputation in physical metallurgy Harold Hardy, another metallurgist, worked on the development of new aluminium alloys Gordon Metcalfe, recruited from the Royal Aircraft Establishment to head the corrosion section Tom Heal, a physicist who had served in the Navy working on counter measures against acoustic and magnetic mines, became head of physics Eric Brandes, a process metallurgist from the Ford Motor Company Leon Levi, a physical chemist By the end of 1946 Fulmer had about 40 Staff.
Policy From the start Fulmer was a commercial enterprise aiming to make a surplus for investment in its own development. It received no grant or membership fees. Its income was solely from projects, each with defined objectives and time and cost limits agreed with individual sponsors from Government or Industry. Normally, the project contract would provide that all results would belong in confidence to the sponsor, who would also own any patents arising from the investigation.
Early years (1946 to 1960)
Context Fulmer benefited from the immediate post-war climate which was favourable to Research and Development. The UK Government and its agencies continued to spend heavily on R&D. This was despite the fact that Britain was essentially bankrupt and hugely indebted to the United States and Canada. The technological advances which had been made on both sides of the conflict had been impressive: radar, the jet engine, the V-2 rocket and the atomic bomb are just a few examples. The Cold War soon added urgency to further military development and there was enthusiasm for developing peaceful uses of atomic energy.
Market In the years up to 1960 the following approximate division of Fulmer's income applied: about 25% of project work was for UK Government defence agencies; 25% for the Atomic Energy Authority and another 10% for other Government agencies. About 10% was for US Government agencies (the US Air Force and the Office of Aerospace Research); 30% was for British Industry.
Growth Fulmer grew steadily so that by 1960 there were about 100 staff. Individual research investigators were often recruited to work on specific projects as contracts were obtained. Each recruit was also expected to develop proposals for work in his or her areas of expertise, whether or not these fitted into Fulmer's existing pattern of work. This system resulted in a progressive evolution and wide diversification of Fulmer's skills base. This was a strength in that faced with a materials problem Fulmer could usually help the client with new perspectives.
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