During the period of trade depression (1929-33) numerous such package deals were entered into with the former Grand Union Canal Company involving the construction of Birmingham Docks, including not only new locks and basins, warehouses and offices, etc., but also lifting facilities, mechanical handling equipment, overhead cranes and gantries. To supervise some of those operations Mr. 0. D. Smith, who after some years of experience in various Construction fields had purchased the business from his father’s executors, engaged the services of Mr Christopher Webb to function as Manager of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Services Department.
During the 1939-45 World War these services were in considerable demand for industrial installations engaged in providing essential services and production of various commodities. This grew to such an extent that it was decided to take Mr Webb into partnership and form a subsidiary company.
As a consequence of this, Smith Bros. & Webb Limited was registered as a separate company to take over these activities, with Mr Webb as Director and General Manager.
Mr O. D. Smith also has other interests in the field of mechanical engineering, introduced various products to Smith Bros & Webb Limited, who manufactured, amongst other things, large numbers of Abrasive Cutting Machines as well as driving units, which were exported all over the world for the individual motorization of Machine tools.
Back in 1920 Smith Bros. Construction Limited had constructed a ‘Britannia’ Carriage Washing Plant for the former London & North Western Railway at Wolverhampton. Consequently, it was decided to transfer activities of this kind to Smith Bros. & Webb Limited, as new contracts came to fruition. But in those days this type of business was slow in coming to maturity and the Railway Companies, with characteristic conservativeness, generally preferred to retain their own designs.
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