The Expanded Metal Company

The living history of Hartlepool is embroiled with that of the Expanded Metal Company, with a spirit of invention, commercial astuteness, foresight and enterprise that is the foundation and the future of our Company. Our founding father is John French Golding - the inventor and patentee of Expanded Metal. His first British patent was issued in 1884. He forged partnerships with Town pioneers - Hartlepool industrialists Mathew Gray, Christopher Furness and Robert Irving Jnr who together with W.B Close, who had met Golding in the States brought manufacture of Expanded Metal to Hartlepool. The British Metal Expansion Co was established in 1889 with sole rights for manufacture in Europe. Production started in 18th June 1890 on our present site. In 1894 the firm was bought by The Expanded Metal Co Limited of London. Every day we build on our history. We gain new ground, welcome new customers, develop new partnerships and find new markets and applications for our mesh, ensuring that we will always have a history to be proud of. We were the first. We are the best.