Birtley is the home of the Royal Ordnance Factory, ROF Birtley, and the Komatsu Heavy Engineering Company which operates from the previous premises of Birtley Iron Works (1827-, which became premises of the Caterpillar Company in the mid 20th century).
It is in Buckshaw Village, formerly the Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF Chorley) in the village of Euxton, on the site of the four-platform ROF station "halt" that was finally cleared in the early 2000s, having remained virtually intact until the 1970s.
Three Mark IIIs were built, one by Vickers and two by the Royal Ordnance Factory at Woolwich: Medium III E1, E2 and E3.
The station is also near to Swynnerton Army training camp, a large former Royal Ordnance Factory.
In 1986, Vickers acquired the armaments manufacturer Royal Ordnance Factory, Leeds, which became Vickers Defence Systems.
The Royal Ordnance Factory relocated a number of workers to various sites, and built a number of new factories, including ROF Wrexham.
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During the 1980s the company acquired businesses in the Automotive Engineering sector (principally Rolls-Royce Motors), the Defence sector (principally Royal Ordnance Factory Leeds) and the Marine Engineering sector (principally Kamewa and Ulstein).
This was in the belief that its presence would be a landmark for the Luftwaffe seeking to raid the nearby Royal Ordnance Factory at ROF Glascoed to the east beyond Little Mill.
It was planned as a Permanent Royal Ordnance Factory with the intention that it, unlike some other similar facilities, would remain open for production after the end of World War II; and, together with ROF Bridgend (Filling Factory No. 2), would replace the Royal Filling Factory located at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich.
Steve Pitchford worked as a highly skilled miller in several Engineering companies in Leeds and was held in high regard at Crabtree Vickers, the Printing Press manufacturers on Water Lane in the City, and, after the closure of that company, at the Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) at Barnbow in East Leeds, where he was renowned for his good nature.
ROF Thorpe Arch, a former World War II Royal Ordnance Factory near the village of Thorp Arch