R. Laidlaw & Son
R. Laidlaw & Son, Gas and Water Engineers, Iron Pipe Founders, and General Iron and Brass Founders, &c., Glasgow, Edinburgh, and London.—
One of the largest establishments of the kind in Glasgow is that occupied as the western headquarters of the great industry controlled by Messrs. R. Laidlaw & Son, of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London. This eminent firm of gas and water engineers, contractors, iron and brassfounders, and cast-iron pipe makers, &c., was founded originally in Edinburgh about one hundred years ago, and has for nearly half that lengthy period conducted an establishment at Glasgow. The firm have three addresses in the the "Commercial Metropolis", viz., the Alliance Foundry, in East Milton Street ; the Broomhill Iron Works, in Dobbie’s Loan ; and the Lambhill Iron Works, at Lambhill, near Glasgow. The Edinburgh headquarters comprise the very extensive meter works — both gas and water meters — brass foundry, and warehouse, that constitute such a prominent industrial feature in Simon Square ; and in London the premises consist of commodious offices and warerooms at 6, Little Bush Lane, Cannon Street, E.C.
The various works in Glasgow aggregate to large dimensions, and cover a considerable number of acres of ground. These works are largely devoted to the manufacture of cast-iron pipes, for which the house maintains an unsurpassed reputation, and their equipment for this purpose is in every respect first-class, every facility being possessed for the most effective conduct of an industry of this important kind. The combined productive capacity of the foundries is very great, giving employment to a large number of workmen. Messrs. R. Laidlaw & Son have a world-wide renown as gas and water engineers and ironfounders, and their manufactures of various kinds have won a standard and industrial reputation upon the point of merit and excellency. Their specialities are numerous, and those produced at the Glasgow establishments, besides the cast-iron pipes already mentioned, include amongst others the following — gas apparatus, gas exhausters (Beale’s pumping and other description), compensators, valves of all sizes for gas, water, and steam, with iron or gun metal screws and facings ; fire hydrants and waterworks plant generally, pumping engines for water works, steam engines, gearing beams, columns, girders, tanks, cisterns, cast-iron street lamps and brackets, &c., &c.
The firm have executed contracts for complete gas and waterworks, piers, bridges, &c., in all parts of the world, and have invariably afforded unlimited satisfaction by the results they have achieved. Messrs. Laidlaw, at their Edinburgh works, manufacture wet and dry gas meters of the most improved construction, also station meters up to the largest dimensions made, governors, pressure indicators, photometers, and gauges of all kinds ; water meters, light, medium, or heavy gas and water fittings, and brasswork of every description, inclusive of gasaliers, brackets, pendants, pillars, hall and lobby lamps, paraffin lamps, and complete fittings for the lighting of railway carriages by gas, &c., &c. In each of these highly important lines a uniformly high standard of excellence is scrupulously maintained, and nothing leaves the works of this house that is not fully competent to uphold its well-known reputation. The trade of Messrs. R. Laidlaw & Son has a wide range, having its connections among gas and water companies and municipal corporations, as well as the general trades in all quarters of the globe. The administration of this house has from the very first been characterised by a more than ordinary degree of vigorous and progressive enterprise, and this commendable managerial policy is consistently pursued by the present partners.
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