Welsh Journals

The Works had been built to supply markets all over Great Britain especially South Wales and the Midlands.*6 It was one of four suppliers of manganese in the country and until June 1963, when they were broken up by the Monopolies' Com- mission, they formed the U.K. Ferro-Manganese Association. Each firm produced a quarter of the country's needs. The Darwen and Mostyn, in production for a whole year, had an output of 60,000 tons and produced ferro-manganese cheaper than the other members of the cartel. These other manufacturers were able to sell their ferro- manganese at a loss, for to them it was a by-product or side-linf to their main concern. 90% of the output at Mostyn was sent away by rail. The whole works were geared to the railway. Mechanised handling on the site made production as cheap as possible. Although it would have been more expensive to have brought in limestone by rail it would have been much cheaper in the long run since handling costs on the site would have been much lower. Since February 1964, the plant has been idle and recently it has been dismantled. The reasons for this have little to do with geography. The Works had functioned for seventy years and for most of that time they had made a steady profit. The plant had recently been modernised at national expense. Production at Mostyn was first sus- pended in January 1963 and production started again in early July of the same year. The Company envisaged continuity of employment so far as the foreseeable future was concerned. Redundant workers were given their jobs back. A large export order was secured in face of severe competition. The labour force at the works at the time of suspension was nearly 300 and that had to be reduced to about 100 workers who were then engaged on maintenance. About 130 of those made redundant were taken on again." This temporary prosperity was not to last for long, the Official Receiver was called in and the works sold for scrap to Messrs. T. W. Ward (the owners of Mostyn Dock). Fortunately all the staff have found employment in the other industries of Flintshire. John Summers took on quite a number, others went to Courtaulds and the Aircraft Industry. The remainder found jobs in the various small industries in the county. Mostyn is a town which does not offer many possibilities for employment. First the coal mines closed down, and then the iron works. The site of these works is now being restored to agricultural land. Intense competition had forced them out of existence. THE Ministry OF SUPPLY PLANT AT Llannkbch-y-Mob Like the Government Factory at Queensferry, this was another war-time flash in the pan'. In 1940 Norway was over-run and refined ferro-manganese ore was scarce, Norway being the main supplier. The Ministry of Supply approached the Darwen and Mostyn Iron Company and asked them for assistance. On the site of the old lead works at Llannerch-y-Mdr, a plant was set up, and within 12 months ferro-manganese was produced by the Alumino-Thennal process. The works flourished until 1955, but MThere has not been any export of ferro-manganese for many yean — usually British prices are so high that they simply cannot compete with overseas producers. MTheDaily Telegraph, Jane 1953.