Lincoln Electric was an American company that set up quite a small factory in Broadwater Road, Welwyn Garden City in 1935. It would eventually graduate to a newly built factory in Black Fan Road covering 180,000 sq. feet with its own railway siding. It manufactured electrodes and accessories for all types of arc welding applications. During World War II the company made the very important discovery of an electrode that could be used for welding armour plate. By 1960 it was the largest manufacturer of D.C. arc welding units in the U.K. It became part of the Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds group of companies.