CHAPTER 7 - JAY'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THE INDUSTRY AND THE FIRM

Abstract

This chapter presents historical and structural details of Jay's Electrical Components. Jay's was a family firm. At the time when the study was made, control of the firm was in the hands of the son of the founder, whose own two sons held important executive positions within the organization. The firm was founded in 1882 in the London area, to manufacture equipment for the generation and transmission of electricity. The founder was a pioneer in the design and manufacture of generators, cables, and other equipment. As the demand for electrical equipment increased, the firm expanded. In 1896, headquarters and plant were moved to the Manchester area. Jay's is a member of the British Electrical & Allied Manufacturing Association and also a member of the Transformer Makers' Group. Transformers remain Jay's main interest in what might be called the heavy side of the industry. The Transformer Makers' Group includes Jay's and most of the other large manufacturers of supply and distribution transformers. There are many manufacturers of transformers who are outside the group and who are in price competition with it, but there are few firms outside the ring that manufacture the whole range of supply and distribution transformers. The group has three kinds of agreement about prices. The first of these relates to the home market. The second deals with exports, which are considerable. These two agreements cover the whole range of supply and distribution transformers. The third agreement provides for notification of orders and applies only to very large transformers.