{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} thumb|Company buildings, Sheffield The '''William Cook Group''' is a British steel company headquartered in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.<ref>{{cite web|title=Leading cast steel engineering group becomes latest Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre partner|url=http://www.amrc.co.uk/news/leading-cast-steel-engineering-group-becomes-latest-advanced-manufacturing-research-centre-partner-2/|website=Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre|publisher=The University of Sheffield|accessdate=30 May 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Williamson|first1=Jonny|title=Cast steel engineering group becomes latest AMRC partner|url=http://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/cast-steel-engineering-group-becomes-latest-amrc-partner/|accessdate=22 June 2016|work=The Manufacturer|publisher=The Manufacturer|date=10 May 2016}}</ref> It is the UK's largest manufacturer of steel castings.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Marsh|first1=Peter|title=How a Sheffield steel-casting maker survives|url=https://video.ft.com/836687274001/How-a-Sheffield-steel-casting-maker-survives/Companies|website=Financial Times|publisher=Financial Times|accessdate=22 June 2016}}</ref>
==History==
William Cook was founded in 1840 in Glasgow, by the present chairman's great-great-grandfather, William Cook. After surviving a bank failure in the latter half of the 19th century, a small factory was founded in Sheffield in 1883, making crucible steel castings for collieries.<ref>{{cite news|title=Global demand sees William Cook plan £5m site investment|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/global-demand-sees-william-cook-plan-5m-site-investment-1-3385927#ixzz4CJDYHgvd|accessdate=22 June 2016|work=The Yorkshire Post|publisher=The Yorkshire Post|date=17 May 2011}}</ref> The company remained in family ownership until 1956, when the company was floated on the London Stock Exchange. The company continued to grow, building and developing a new works in Sheffield, which is today one of the group's four main plants.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wright|first1=Greg|title=Cook shrugs off the turmoil to boost profits|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/cook-shrugs-off-the-turmoil-to-boost-profits-1-4141704|accessdate=22 June 2016|work=The Yorkshire Post|publisher=The Yorkshire Post|date=14 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Yorkshire industrial group William Cook acquires County Durham military track manufacturer Astrum (UK)|url=http://www.gordonsllp.com/2011/11/yorkshire-industrial-group-william-cook-acquires-county-durham-military-track-manufacturer-astrum-uk/|website=gordonsllp.com|publisher=Gordons LLP|accessdate=22 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.william-cook.co.uk/history.html|website=William Cook Steel Castings|accessdate=30 May 2016}}</ref>
The present Chairman, Sir Andrew Cook,<ref>{{cite news|title=THE NEW YEAR HONOURS: The Prime Minister's List|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-new-year-honours-the-prime-ministers-list-1527750.html|accessdate=22 June 2016|publisher=Independent|date=30 December 1995}}</ref> took control of the company in 1981. In 2004, the company was brought back to 100% family ownership after a hostile takeover bid from Triplex-Lloyd plc.<ref>{{cite news|title=Global demand sees William Cook plan £5m site investment|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/global-demand-sees-william-cook-plan-5m-site-investment-1-3385927|accessdate=30 May 2016|work=Yorkshire Post|date=17 May 2011}}</ref>
==Company structure== [[File:William Cook, Pontefract Lane, Leeds - geograph.org.uk - 5655704.jpg|thumb|William Cook factory, Leeds]] The William Cook group consists of three arms - Cook Defence Systems,<ref>{{cite web|title=Engineering a major acquisition|url=http://www.gordonsllp.com/case_study/william-cook-astrum-uk-acquisition/|website=Gordons LLP|accessdate=29 May 2016}}</ref> William Cook Rail<ref>{{cite web|title=William Cook Rail - Complete Solutions for Powered and Non-Powered Passenger Vehicles, Freight Vehicles and Locomotives|url=http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/brakes/william_cook/|website=Railway Technology|accessdate=29 May 2016}}</ref> and William Cook Cast Products. William Cook Cast Products specialises in high-specification castings in specialist alloys for energy, infrastructure and specialist engineering. Cook Defence Systems makes track systems and armoured steel castings for fighting vehicles.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sheffield firm wins £30m contract to supply parts for new fleet of British Army fighting vehicles|url=http://www.thestar.co.uk/business/sheffield-firm-wins-30m-contract-to-supply-parts-for-new-fleet-of-british-army-fighting-vehicles-1-7903670|accessdate=30 May 2016|work=The Star|publisher=Johnston Publishing Limited|date=10 May 2016}}</ref> William Cook Rail makes cast steel components and complete coupler assemblies for trains. The company has three main plants - one in Sheffield, one in Leeds, and one in Stanhope. The company is a member of the Cast Metals Federation,<ref>{{cite web|title=William Cook Cast Products Ltd|url=https://www.castmetalsfederation.com/foundry/william-cook-cast-products-ltd|website=Cast Metals Federation|publisher=Cast Metals Federation|accessdate=30 May 2016}}</ref> and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).
==Significant activity== [[File:Cook Defence Systems, Stanhope - geograph.org.uk - 8180840.jpg|thumb|Cook Defence Systems, Stanhope]] In 2014, the William Cook group was recognised as one of Yorkshire's Fastest 50 - a list of the fifty fastest growing companies in the region.<ref>{{cite news|title=The high achievers that have won a place in Yorkshire’s Fastest 50|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/the-high-achievers-that-have-won-a-place-in-yorkshire-s-fastest-50-1-6459773|accessdate=29 May 2016|work=Yorkshire Post|date=25 February 2014}}</ref> In 2015, the British Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Michael Fallon, announced that the Ministry of Defence had awarded Cook Defence Systems a four-year, £70 million deal to supply spare tracks for the British Army's in-service armoured vehicles.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tovey|first1=Alan|title=Tanks a lot: Cook Defence Systems wins £70m Army deal|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/engineering/12003624/Tanks-a-lot-Cook-Defence-Systems-wins-70m-Army-deal.html|accessdate=22 June 2016|work=The Telegraph|publisher=The Telegraph|date=19 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Fallon MP|first1=The Rt Hon Michael|title=Defence investment boost for Northern Powerhouse|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defence-investment-boost-for-northern-powerhouse|accessdate=22 June 2016|work=Gov.uk|publisher=Gov.uk|date=19 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Hugill|first1=Steven|title=Stanhope firm's work ethic keeps the Army on right tracks|url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/business/spotlighton/14101918.Stanhope_firm_s_work_ethic_keeps_the_Army_on_right_tracks/|accessdate=22 June 2016|work=The Northern Echo|publisher=The Northern Echo|date=25 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=£70m MoD order for William Cook|url=http://www.thestar.co.uk/business/70m-mod-order-for-william-cook-1-7579883|accessdate=30 May 2016|work=The Star|agency=The Star|publisher=Johnston Publishing Limited|date=19 November 2015}}</ref> This was followed in 2016 by Cook Defence Systems securing a £30m contract with General Dynamics to supply tracks for the British Army's new AJAX armoured vehicle.<ref>{{cite web|title=Defence firm scores multi-million pound army contract|url=http://www.bqlive.co.uk/2016/05/12/defence-firm-scores-multimillion-army-contract/|website=Business Quarter|publisher=Room 501 Publishing|accessdate=30 May 2016}}</ref> In 2016, the Group joined the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) as a research partner.<ref>{{cite web|title=Leading cast steel engineering group becomes latest Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre partner|url=http://www.amrc.co.uk/news/leading-cast-steel-engineering-group-becomes-latest-advanced-manufacturing-research-centre-partner-2/|website=Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre|publisher=The University of Sheffield|accessdate=29 May 2016}}</ref> During the Russo-Ukrainian War Cook Defence Systems manufactured track for Soviet-built equipment for use by Ukraine.<ref name=BBCtrack>{{cite news |date=6 March 2024 |title=Tank Museum helps defence firm recreate tank tracks for Ukraine |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-68470203 |work=BBC News |access-date=7 March 2024 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *{{official}} Category:Manufacturing companies based in Sheffield Category:1840 establishments in the United Kingdom