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Ormiston Wire inside factory building yellow steel girders top with corrugated ceiling white brick wall in background and larger machinery on factory floor

Ormiston Wire

Industry
Metalwork & Electrical
Wire Ropes
Location
Isleworth, London
Workforce Size
10
Website
www.ormiston-wire.co.uk
Est
1793

Ormiston Wire was founded in 1793 by James Ormiston, originally making spring wire for corsets and wigs in the City of London. Now six generations later, the family-run business produces specialist wires, braids and strands for an extraordinarily diverse range of applications — from surgical sutures to special effects for the film industry.

Ormiston Wire employee with moustache and blue uniform standing in front of large rolls of metal wire on left and orange and blue shelves to right full of metal wire rolls
Ormiston Wire inside factory building yellow steel girders top with corrugated ceiling white brick wall in background and larger machinery on factory floor

The Business

In 1971 the UK boasted 29 wire-rope manufacturers. Just three remain. Ormiston Wire serves an exceptionally broad range of sectors, from industrial, maritime and military clients through to artists and sculptors, and has also collaborated with special effects departments on film and TV productions. As an approved military supplier, the company provides high-specification wires for antennas, lanyards and stainless steel locking wire, while for the maritime sector it manufactures corrosion-resistant Monel seizing wire, locking shackles and rigging screws. A notable area of technical expertise is heat exchange, with Ormiston having manufactured specialist looped-spiral wire turbulators since 1968, designed for efficient heat transfer with minimal pressure loss.

The company prides itself on being able to manufacture almost any type of wire for almost any application, with processes including rolling, winding, rewinding, spooling, braiding, bunching, stranding and plastic coating.

Factory Visit

"Another fantastic family firm, a rare sixth generation one. Mark was full of passion for the products they manufacturer and proud of the breadth of projects they work on - including film and TV series. They are shipping out tonnes of wire each week and export worldwide - their diversification have clearly lead to their ongoing success." Carmel King photographed Ormiston Wire in July 2021 for Made in London.

Ormiston Wire outside large factory building large entrance to right red brick to left an turbine on roof
Ormiston Wire inside factory building white brick wall in background with clock on wall and large black machinery on factory floor
Ormiston Wire inside factory large black machinery
Ormiston Wire hands working at wooden bench small black blocks
Ormiston Wire inside factory building taken from above red tile floor large black machinery on factory floor
Ormiston Wire hand on left side working with metal tool machinery
Ormiston Wire inside factory large black machinery
Ormiston Wire inside factory large black machinery
Ormiston Wire inside factory large black machinery
Ormiston Wire four rolls of silver metal wire
Ormiston Wire man in navy standing in front of white brick wall in background with clock on wall and large black machinery on factory floor
Ormiston Wire large rolls of silver metal wire on red factory floor green machinery in background
Ormiston Wire rolls of brass copper wire stacked on green metal trolley on factory floort
Ormiston Wire inside factory large black machinery
Ormiston Wire employee standing at green metal machine
Ormiston Wire inside factory large black machinery tool wire hand
Ormiston Wire inside factory building yellow steel girders top with corrugated ceiling white brick wall in background and larger machinery on factory floor
Ormiston Wire roll of metal wire on bobbin
Ormiston Wire close up image of very large roll of copper shining wire in factory
Ormiston Wire brown paper labels hanging on notice board cork board
Ormiston Wire
Ormiston Wire man non red metal ladder in front of blue metal and wooden shelves to right of image full of rolls of silver metal steel wire
Ormiston Wire row of blue metal and wooden shelves to right of image full of rolls of silver metal steel wire
Ormiston Wire man in navy standing in front of blue metal and wooden shelves to right of image full of rolls of silver metal steel wire
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"The other wire companies have gone because they specialised in one type of wire. We've specialised in everything, from the puppet wires for the 1960s children's TV series Thunderbirds to lanyards and gym cables."
Mark Ormiston, Sixth-generation owner
Ormiston Wire large tall rolls of silver metal wire on green metal stands factory floor
Ormiston Wire rolls of copper metal wire on wooden pallets

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