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In 1932 IG-Farben (today BASF) launched a new material called Carbonyl-Iron-Powder. For high frequency applications it caused a major change in the field of electronics. Coils could be reduced by up to 10% in size with better performance & quality. Hans Georg Pemetzrieder saw the potential of carbon-iron and became a pioneer in the technology of miniaturization. In 1933 in Berlin he & Eduard Michaelis founded Neosid Pemetzrieder with just 6 staff. The company name Neosid derives from the Greek NEOs SIDeros, meaning "new iron". Production began with rod cores, screw cores & ring cores. Eduard Michaelis emigrated to England in 1935 to escape the Nazi movement, the two founders having agreed that he could use the company's name, knowledge and patents in the UK. A suitable site for a factory was needed. Eduard was attracted to Welwyn Garden City's tree-lined streets and convenient proximity to London. Neosid Limited was located in Hydeway for over 50 years until 1977. Initially one factory unit was purchased where components essential for the War effort were manufactured - for use in communications equipment (transmitters and receivers) for Army backpacks and Air Force Spitfires. Day & night - ammunition tin after ammunition tin of components were delivered to Marconi for assembly. Neosid provided stable work during the war years, often employing several generations of the same family. After the War similar components were used in radio sets & transistors, black and white televisions and, later, colour televisions. Televisions were packed full of Neosid coils and transformers, Neosid was an important source of supply for manufacturers all over the country as well as local companies like Murphy Radio. By the 1960s, having expanded into a whole row of Hydeway units, lack of factory space became a problem and the offices moved to two floors of the newly built Stonehills House. Further growth led to factories in neighbouring towns & abroad producing plastics and permanent magnets. At one stage over 500 people were employed world-wide, 100 working in WGC. During the 1970s Neosid moved to bigger premises in Brownfields. In the 1980s manufacturing moved away but offices were kept in Stonehills and Swallowfields. In the early 1990's the company was taken over and left WGC. Mr Michaelis never tired of the town and lived there with his wife and children in the same house for over 50 years. Our thanks to Marion S (niece of Eduard Michaelis) and to Neosid Pemetzrieder GmbH & Co.KG for supplying this information.

Neosid
WGC Citizens Handbook of 1945 - page 41 industry listings - Neosid Ltd in Hydeway.
Neosid
Welwyn Hatfield Times published 7th November 1985 - page 3 - article on Eduard Michaelis who founded the Neosid company in WGC having escaped the Nazi movement by leaving Berlin and coming to England in 1935. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by his niece Marion as part of the Where Do You Think We Worked? project.
Neosid
Welwyn Hatfield Times published 7th November 1985 - page 3 - photograph of Eduard Michaelis aged 84 - founder of the Neosid company in WGC having escaped the Nazi movement by leaving Berlin and coming to England in 1935. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by his niece Marion as part of the Where Do You Think We Worked? project.
 
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