Thompson Friction Welding
Thompson Friction Welding is a company that manufactures a range of machines used to friction weld a wide variety of components from small engine valves and electrical connectors to large drill pipes and rods. Thompson’s headquarters, which is based in the UK, is also the site of its large sub-contract friction welding facility. In addition, Thompson has offices in China and the United States as well as an international network of agents. It is part of KUKA AG, a global business with annual sales of around €1.3 billion and 6,000 staff.
History
Thompson was founded in the Black Country in 1834 by former coal miner William Thompson who set up a small boiler making business in Bilston. The company was later transformed into a world-renowned company by his uncle John Thompson and his four sons. It became a public company in 1936 and was renamed John Thompson Ltd. Within ten years, it had grown rapidly again with a workforce of 6,000. In 1969, Thompson joined the NEI Group. Today, it is part of KUKA AG, a German conglomerate based in Augsburg.