Imperial Smelting Corp Ltd

Notes:

Traced origins to 1917 when established as National Smelting Co Ltd to build, with government assistance, a large zinc production facility at Avonmouth at a time of shortage of a strategically important metal. 1923 acquired additional assets, especially a large zinc smelting plant at Swansea. Converted to a public company. 1929 reorganised as Imperial Smelting Corp Ltd and thereafter acquired a large number of other UK zinc production businesses, emerging as the dominant UK zinc producer. 1949 merged with Australian based but London listed Zinc Corp Ltd to form Consolidated Zinc Corp Ltd which in 1962 merged with Rio Tinto to form Rio Tinto Zinc Corp Ltd (RTZ). National Smeltings' large Swansea Vale Works were built by Richard Martin in 1876. Also had important slag and fertiliser interests some jointly with Fisons Ltd