Delta was founded by George Alexander Dick, a metallurgist,
engineer and inventor of certain metal alloys that were made from iron, zinc
and copper and had unusual strength and resistance. The alloys were named
Delta Metals and Delta later became a registered trade mark for a wide
variety of metal compounds.
The Delta Metal Company was incorporated in 1892 and began commercial
production in 1894.
Over the period from the early 1890s to around 1945 the Delta Metal
Company's business was principally involved with the manufacture of extruded
brass rods from plants in London and Birmingham. From 1945 to the late
1960s marked a period of consolidation during which time Delta acquired six
of its competitors in the brass rod extrusion industry, as well as a period
of expansion during which Delta acquired other metal businesses: rolled
metals and tubes; hot brass stampings, brass foundry, water fittings and
then cable businesses.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s Delta’s focus was on increasing revenues
from both finished products and overseas businesses. A number of largely UK
businesses were divested, and overseas divisions were formed that acquired
businesses in Australia, South Africa and elsewhere. These included the
initial investment in Australian galvanizing which was made in 1971 and an
initial investment in the electrolytic manganese dioxide business in South
Africa in 1973. The first Engineered Steel Products business to be acquired
was Donhad in 1981. Since that time further investments have been made in
Australia, South Africa and the USA, and the Group's European businesses
have been divested. In recent years the Group has focused upon Galvanizing
Services, Engineered Steel Products and Manganese Materials.