Ultra Electronics Holdings is a British company serving the defence, security, transport and energy industries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.HistoryThe Company was started by...
See More Teddy Rosen in 1920 as Edward E. Rosen & Co. manufacturing high quality headphones. In 1923 the company moved to new premises at Harrow Road, London and in 1925 a new company Ultra Electric Ltd. was formed. Ultra introduced its first mains powered wireless set in 1931. After further expansion the company moved to larger premises at Erskine Road, Chalk Farm, NW3 in 1932 and also built a new 150000sqft factory at Western Avenue, Acton, W3 in 1935. Ultra manufactured a wide range of domestic radio receivers including the Blue Fox, Lynx, Panther and Tiger models. In 1939 Ultra presented a television receiver to the market for the BBC High Definition Television Service which was transmitted on 405 lines from the studios at Alexandra Palace, north London.During World War II the company diversified into building tails and bomb doors for the Short Stirling aircraft.Ultra opened a new factory at Gosport for the production of televisions and radios in 1956 and acquired Pilot Radio & Television in 1959, before splitting into two divisions, one dealing with domestic radio and television and the other with electronic products, in 1960. In 1961 Ultra's consumer electronics interests became part of Thorn Electrical Industries, who continued to manufacture products using the Ultra brandname until 1974. The remainder of the company became Ultra Electronics Ltd. - producing among other products the "Jezebel" and "Mini-Jezebel" sonobuoys - which was bought by the Dowty Group in 1977.