G & J Weir

The Weir Group PLC

Type	Public (: )
Industry	Engineering
Founded	1871
Headquarters	Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Key people	Charles Berry, (Chairman) Jon Stanton, (CEO) William Weir,(Former Chairman)
Revenue	£1,917.7 million (2015)
Operating income	£258.9 million (2015)
Net income	£(179.0) million (2015)
Number of employees	14,838 (2015)
Website	www.global.weir

The Weir Group plc is an engineering company headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland. It is listed on the and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. The company operates in over 70 countries employing approximately 14,000 people focused on mining, oil and gas and power markets.

The company was established in 1871 as an engineering firm by two brothers, George and James Weir, founding G. & J. Weir Ltd. The Weir brothers produced numerous groundbreaking inventions in pumping equipment, primarily for the Clyde shipyards and the steam ships built there. These pumps became extremely well known for their use as boiler feedwater pumps, and for ship's auxiliary equipment such as evaporators.

Under W D Weir, the company turned to producing munitions and war materiel in the First World War. As well as shells, they manufactured aircraft including the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 fighter and bomber.

James George Weir (aviator, son of James Galloway Weir) a director of the company formed the Cierva Autogiro Company. G & J Weir would be a financial supporter of the company during its existence. In 1943, they provided the finances for the construction of the W.9, an experimental helicopter, to Air Ministry requirements.

It was first listed on the in 1946. Double-acting Weir steam pumps were virtually standard fitment on British-built steamships, being used for pumping water, fuel, air and much else well into the 1950s, as well as being used on other ships worldwide.

In December 1968 the Weir Group made an offer to buy the rival British pump manufacturer Worthington-Simpson, following an offer by Studebaker-Worthington. In 1969 Studebaker-Worthington acquired Worthington-Simpson. After some negotiation, Weir's acquired 50% of Worthington Simpson. A new joint-venture company named Worthington Weir was set up to handle international sales of the two parent companies.