Ferodo Brake Components, Caernarfon, North Wales – May 2017
The Ferodo factory in Caernarfon; Friction Dynamex; was opened by Princess Margaret in 1962. By the late 1960s it employed up to 1,100 making braking components and friction pads.
The site was bought by American; Craig Smith in 1997 and renamed “Friction Dynamics”, operating with a workforce of 220 in that year.
By April 2001, Union members staged industrial action against bosses in a dispute over their terms and conditions. They picketed the factory gates after they were locked out.
Eight weeks later, bosses sacked the members, which sparked a three-year dispute; the longest of its kind in North Wales.
After losing a legal battle in 2002, Friction Dynamics called in the receivers in August 2003 and all workers were sacked. Three weeks later; Dynamex Friction was set up.
The site continued to operate until 2008 when it finally closed its doors.
Mookster and I parked up, just as the weather was beginning to turn once again. This would be the last site of the first exploring day of our road trip. We knew it would be a stripped and ruined site, it was, but an absolutely vast cavern of little photogenic pieces.
We both really enjoyed it here, it was relaxed and we just went about and captured what we could of whatever was left. After this, we retired to our hotel and ate at a well acclaimed local curry house. It was acclaimed for good reason as well!
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Thank You All! More At:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/landie_man/sets/72157681885580152/
The Ferodo factory in Caernarfon; Friction Dynamex; was opened by Princess Margaret in 1962. By the late 1960s it employed up to 1,100 making braking components and friction pads.
The site was bought by American; Craig Smith in 1997 and renamed “Friction Dynamics”, operating with a workforce of 220 in that year.
By April 2001, Union members staged industrial action against bosses in a dispute over their terms and conditions. They picketed the factory gates after they were locked out.
Eight weeks later, bosses sacked the members, which sparked a three-year dispute; the longest of its kind in North Wales.
After losing a legal battle in 2002, Friction Dynamics called in the receivers in August 2003 and all workers were sacked. Three weeks later; Dynamex Friction was set up.
The site continued to operate until 2008 when it finally closed its doors.
Mookster and I parked up, just as the weather was beginning to turn once again. This would be the last site of the first exploring day of our road trip. We knew it would be a stripped and ruined site, it was, but an absolutely vast cavern of little photogenic pieces.
We both really enjoyed it here, it was relaxed and we just went about and captured what we could of whatever was left. After this, we retired to our hotel and ate at a well acclaimed local curry house. It was acclaimed for good reason as well!
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15
#16
Thank You All! More At:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/landie_man/sets/72157681885580152/
