W. & T. Avery & Co (England), weighing scales

W. & T. Avery & Co. was a British manufacturer of weighing machines. The company was founded in the early 18th century and took the name W & T Avery in 1818. The undocumented origin of the company goes back to 1730 when James Ford established the business in Digbeth. On Joseph Balden the then owner's death in 1813 William and Thomas Avery took over his scalemaking business and in 1818 renamed it W & T Avery.

The business rapidly expanded and in 1885 they owned three factories: the Atlas Works in West Bromwich, the Mill Lane Works in Birmingham and the Moat Lane Works in Digbeth. In 1891 the business became a limited company with a board of directors and in 1894 the shares were quoted on the London Stock Exchange.

W & T Avery was a pioneer in the development of weighing technology. In 1850, they introduced more... the first self-registering weighing machine, and in 1875, they introduced the first electric weighing machine. The company also developed a number of other innovations, including the first weighing machine for use in railway stations and the first weighing machine for use in hospitals. They were a major supplier of weighing machines to the British government. The company supplied weighing machines for use in the Royal Navy, the British Army, and the Post Office. W & T Avery also supplied weighing machines to a wide range of commercial and industrial customers, including the food and beverage industry, the chemical industry, and the mining industry.

In 1979, W & T Avery was acquired by General Electric Company. The company continued to operate under the name W & T Avery until 1993, when it was renamed Avery Berkel. Avery Berkel is now a part of the Mettler Toledo Group.

W. & T. Avery & Co. was a leading player in the development of weighing technology. less...