Centenary of engineering

Boneham and Turner Ltd, a Sutton company, has been employing people in the area for a century.

From its starting days of manufacturing using machines which were belt driven, the company has now moved onto computer-operated machines.

The company, based on Oddicroft Industrial Estate, Sutton, since 2008, is owned by the fourth generation of the Boneham family.

Established in August 1918, the company was founded by Mr John Boneham.

Now the companies two managing directors are second cousins and Mr Boneham’s great-grandsons, Charles, 47 and Peter, 35 Boneham, and own half of the business each.

Peter Boneham said: “I am immensely proud of the company turning a hundred years old. Every company increases and decreased over the decades, so for us to stay in business is remarkable.

“I must say I haven’t been there for most of it, but the company has seen industrial revolutions, and technology has come a long way.

“In 1918 there were belt driven motors in old workshops now we have CMC’s, it makes an significant change.”

During the Second World War the company manufactured parts for the Spitfire, Wellington Bomber and Lancaster Bomber planes.

The current Boneham Group Manufacturing Centre in the UK specialises in turning, milling grinding and pressing.

The company is also a global leader in the manufacture and supply of drill bushings, a tool used in metalworking jigs to guide cutting tools, most commonly drill bits.

The Boneham brand offers the broadest inventory in the UK selling drill bushes, dowel pins, locating parts, shims and hydraulic sealing plugs.

At the company's peak it had over 400 employees.

It now employees 40 people in the UK and ten people in its sister Boneham Metal Products in the USA. The office in America is in New Jersey and was established in the 1970’s. Mr Boneham said: “This great achievement could not have been reached without the dedication of all employees that have worked as part of the Boneham and Turner team during its 100 year history. There have been many long serving dedicated people who have contributed to the company’s success.

“With countless 40 year long service awards and one individual, Michael Northing, who has now dedicated 55 years of continued service to Boneham and Turner Ltd. At its historical peak, Boneham and Turner Ltd employed over 400 people and successfully trained hundreds of apprenticeships that went on to have prosperous careers in manufacturers such as Rolls Royce and British Aerospace.”

Gloria De Piero, Ashfield MP visited the company in January, and said: “It was an honour to be given a tour of the company and meet their wonderful workers. It is a huge achievement for any business to reach a hundred years in business.”