ROLLS-ROYCE COMPANY
The Rolls-Royce Company is a house hold name in the motor industry. The business was ideally started by Henry Royce at around 1844. Henry built his first motor car in 1904. A partnership with Charles Rolls saw the expansion of the business. The manufactured cars would be sold by the CS Rolls & Co in the agreement reached by the two business individuals.
It is after this partnership that business became successful prompting the two partners to form the Roll Royce Company. This was in 1906 in the month of March. It is still within this year that the Silver Ghost car model was developed. The main feature of this product was its six cylinders engine which helped it produce enough horsepower to earn the car recognition as a the leading in the world at that time. When the 1st World War begun, it is then that this company started producing aero engines. Its first production ofsuch engines was called the Eagle. Rolls-Royce developed the R engine to essentially power Britain’s involvement in the International Schneider Trophy contest (Willmott & Kindersely, 2003, p. 60). A world speed record of over 400 mph in 1931 was recorded consequently.
The Hawker Hurricane which was Merlin powered was a major force. The demand for the power led to the transformation of Rolls Royce from a small company into a major player in aero propulsion. 1944 marked the start of Sir Frank Whittle’s experiments on gas powered aero turbines. In 1953, the company entered the civil aviation market. The airline industry universally accepted the gas turbine concept. Rolls Royce developed the first turbo-powered jet. This jet was called the Comet and was classified as Avon powered. At this same time there were other motor manufacturers which competed with Rolls Royce. These manufacturers included Armstrong Siddeley, Bristol, Blackburn, and Napier. Amongst these companies Bristol was the leading one. This company later strengthened its position in the market by merging with Siddeley and Rolls Royce in 1959 and 1961 respectively. This merger marked the consolidation of the capabilities of the British aero-engine industry.
In 1960, there was the emergence of the widebody airlines. Rolls-Royce launched the RB211 for the Lockheed. Early problems with the launched product led the company being taken into state ownership. This was also coupled with the floatation of the motor car business in 1973 as a separate entity. In the Rolls-Royce world class family of engines has established the three-shaft turbofan concept of the RB211.
In 1987, the company was privatized and it was involved in several takeovers and acquisitions. Due to this expansion activities,the company became the only one in Britain that had the resources to make engines to be used not only on land and air travel but also on sea travel. In 1990, Rolls Royce had a merger with BMW to make air travel engines (Rolls, 1937, p.4). However in 2000 the company took over this merger and it was no longer controlled by both BMW and Rolls Royce. This venture is known as R. R. Deutschland.
The company was however not limited to Europe, it acquired possession of an engine company called Allison in the United States.With this acquisition, the company was able to manufacture civil engines such as AE3007. This was used on jets and became a successful business venture. With this the company acquired defense contracts which served a great purpose in making it successful.
Volkswagen bought Rolls-Royce Motors Company after presentation and proposal by Vickers. This process was effected in the year 1998. This sale however did not take away BMW’s right of using the ‘Rolls Royce’ name as a brand.
Rolls Royce then managed to be the one incharge of ventures done by Cooper Rolls on oil and gas. This was done by the company acquiring the machinery owned by Cooper. This was followed by an acquisition of the California based National Airmotive by a subsidiary company of Rolls Royce. Today this California based company is involved in repairs for the engine manufacturing wing of Rolls Royce.
At the end of the 1990’s, Rolls Royce acquired the Vickers company. This brought products made by Vickers such as Ulstein and Kamwera on board Rolls Royce’s gas turbine productions. With this enhancement in gas turbine operations, Rolls Royce soon became the major company dealing in Marine Systems.
Since the beginning of the company, the Rolls-Royce Company name has become synonymous with integrity, innovation, and most importantly reliability (Pugh, 2001, p. 23). The company has ideally evolved and crystallized into four main basic components. The components included here are the civil aerospace, marine, defense aerospace, and energy solutions. Currently, it is the world’s second largest civil aero engine company. It is also the second largest defense aero engine company, a leading supplier of energy solutions, and a global leader in marine propulsion. Gas turbine technology is highly used in all the discussed business sectors of the Rolls-Royce Company.
Rolls-Royce celebrated its centenary throughout the year 2004. This was done through a series of special events for customers, employees, as well as partners from education and industry in the United Kingdom, Germany, Scandanavia North America, and the Far East.
What is the role of the Rolls-Royce in the world wars? It is vital to note that the technological setting and abilities of the company well before the start of the world wars ideally influenced the wars. As such, there were numerous connections of the company in regard to both the first and second world wars. The company was ideally probably strategically conceived well before the start of any major wars. As such, the Rolls-Royce Company was both directly and indirectly involved in both the first and second world wars.
For instance, six RNAS squadrons from the Rolls-Royce Company were formed. They basically consisted of around 12 cars each. The released entities went to various places during the world war. These places included Franc, Africa (in German colonies), and even in Gallipoli. However, from the onset of August 1915 these entities were disbanded and the materials handed over to the Army. The Army was to use them in Light Armored Motor Batteries for the Machine Gun Corps.
At the outbreak of World War 11, around 76 vehicles from the company were in full and operational service. These vehicles were ideally used in operations in the Western Desert in Syria and Iraq. By the end of 1941, the cars were withdrawn from the frontline service. This was done so considering the fact that modern armored car designs were then available.
The Rolls-Royce technological knowhow during this period of time had brought about innovations in the air industry sector. As such, there were several related aero-military investments and consequently products (Jim, 2009, p. 60). The interest of the company to venture into the aero-engine and related sector was largely influential to the World Wars. As such, the countries which could afford such technologies were largely confident in their undertakings in the war. Countries such as Germany and Britain therefore could easily access the benefits of technology in this respect. The company’s technology especially in the aero sector was largely influential in the world wars. As such, there were numerous attacks and activities carried out by individuals using products from the Rolls-Royce Company. In general, the Rolls-Royce Company had invented vital military secrets and ideal equipment well before the beginning of the world wars. This aspect can be largely reflected as a direct role of the company in the specified wars. It is also vital to note that the input of the company in other minor wars such as the Irish civil war in 1922-1923 cannot be overlooked. In this case, the British government gave the Irish government 13 armored cars to fight the Irish Republican Group that was the base cause of unrest and war in the country. The armored cars were direct product of the Rolls-Royce Company, and ideally played a vital role in combating the war.
Currently, the Rolls-Royce Company can be termed as an ideal technology solving company that provides effective power systems and services for use in land, air, and the sea. The company strives at bringing into focus the issue of technological solutions. It strives at properly handling every concept to do with technology perfectly. As discussed above, the company has been able to secure a position in the field of engine production and its brand name is still associated with top quality products.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Pugh, P. (2001). The Magic of a Name - The Rolls-Royce Story: The First 40 Years
Rolls S.C. (1937). Steel Chariots in the Desert. Leonaur Books.
First World War - Willmott, H.P., Dorling Kindersley, 2003, Page 60.
Jim M. (April/May 2009). "The Bulletproof Ghost". Military History (Leesburg VA: Weider History Group) 26 (1): 57–62.
