Sheffield firm celebrates its 75th anniversary

15th August 2016

A Sheffield company established during the Second World War has celebrated its 75th anniversary with a specially made birthday cake for past and current staff.

Simm Engineering, originally registered as GE Simm (Surplus in Modern Machinery) Ltd, was founded on 11 September 1941, in a year that saw the attack on Pearl Harbour, the capture of the Enigma machine and the sinking of the Ark Royal, as well as the last ever execution at the Tower of London. On a lighter note, 1941 was also the year of the premiere of Noël Coward's comic play Blithe Spirit, box office tills rang for the release of Citizen Kane, The Maltese Falcon and Dumbo, and notable births included England football captain Bobby Moore, TV chef Delia Smith and Chariots of Fire director David Puttnam. Founded on 11 September 1941, the company originally had four divisions: air compressors, second-hand machinery and valves, conveyor belting and hydraulic mining equipment. In 2015, the compressed air division was purchased by the Halifax-based company, Pennine Pneumatic Services (PPS), and is now run as Simm Engineering. As a division of PPS, Simm Engineering supplies air compressors and vacuum pumps, including the latest energy-efficient Atlas Copco Variable Speed Drive models, along with pneumatic systems, nitrogen generation, air receivers, dryers and filters, pipework installation, ancillary equipment, plus breakdown and service contracts. The hydraulic mining equipment division continues to operate as Simm Mining Products.