Wrexham Wire commenced trading in 1971. John Hawkins, an ex-employee of GKN, formed the company to exploit a continuous process for annealing wire.

Since it’s inception, the company has operated a four shift seven day working week, which has enabled it to provide the highest level of service and also make the most efficient use of it’s capital investment. The consistency of the wire from the continuous furnace proved a great success with Wrexham’s customers, and in 1974 a second continuous annealing furnace was purchased which increased both the annealing capacity and the finished size range of cold heading wire.

In 1976 the company was bought by Krugerand Investments, and Cyril Keift was appointed chairman with significant investments being made.

In 1982, the company diversified with an investment in the manufacture of bedding and seating wire. In 1984 the company was sold to Caparo Industries, who invested £1.5m, which increased output and this period also saw the beginning of the company’s move into export markets, which now represents 40% of sales and the purchase in 1988 of the first electro-galvanising line.

In 1989/90 a major expansion project was carried out at a cost of £2.8m, which included the purchase of the site from the WDA. This project was completed in Autumn 1990, and resulted in new jobs being created and increased production. As a result a third new continuous furnace was installed to further increase the capacity of interannealed wires for the cold heading market, together with new layer winding equipment to widen the range of purchases available to our customers. Investment continued in 1991 enabling the purchase of a second electro-galvanising line, which was installed by the end of the year.

1993 also saw building start on a second wire mill, close to the current site at Wrexham which now concentrates on bedding and seating wire whilst the current mill produces cold heading and special products. Production commenced in Spring 1994 and at this time the company changed its name to Caparo Wire.

In 2004 we purchased Bright Steel Wire, a small manufacturer of bedding & seating and galvanised wire, to further increase our production capabilities.

In April 2005 Caparo purchased Fairbright Industries, based in the West Midlands, who were a leading UK manufacturer and distributor of black annealed wire. The company was also active in the production of bright wire, cut to length wire, cut and looped wire and mesh panels (including brick guards), and later that year acquired the assets of H S Pitts - manufacturing and distributing plating and cut to length wire.