Celebrating World Automobile Day with Jenks & Cattell Engineering
Wednesday, 29th January marks World Automobile Day, a significant date in automotive history. On this day in 1886, Karl Benz applied for a patent for his ‘Motorwagen,’ the first practical petrol-powered car. Interestingly, this is also the year Jenks & Cattell Engineering was founded. Benz later established Daimler-Benz, the company behind the iconic Mercedes-Benz brand.
Over nearly 140 years, both Jenks & Cattell Engineering Ltd and the automotive industry have witnessed remarkable advancements. From autonomous vehicles and electric cars to hydrogen-powered vehicles and self-parking cars, the evolution has been extraordinary.
The automotive industry has played a crucial role in shaping Jenks & Cattell Engineering Ltd into the engineering company it is today. Our journey began in 1951 with the supply of headlamp rims for the Mini. Since then, we have proudly manufactured British automotive metal components for numerous OEMs, including Aston Martin, BMW, Lotus, Jaguar, Land Rover, Austin Rover, Mini, Nissan, Vauxhall, Porsche, Volkswagen, and Bentley.
Our Automotive Timeline:
- 1951: Began supplying the automotive industry with Mini headlamp rims.
- 1992: Supplied Austin Rover Group and invested in our first robotic welders.
- 1999: Exported automotive components worldwide to Europe and America.
- 2001: Began supply with General Motors (GM).
- 2004: Achieved Automotive TS16949 accreditation.
- 2010: Invested in laser cutting for automotive prototypes and lower volume production for more prestigious OEM’s.
- 2010: Partnered with automotive manufacturers to design and process pressed aluminium components.
- 2013: Supplied our first electric vehicle (EV) metal components for the Porsche Panamera E.
- 2021: Invested in aluminium welding equipment and training for our welding team to enable automotive aluminium welded assemblies.
- 2025: Stay tuned for new automotive components for the 26-27 model years, notably for Nissan, JLR, BMW, and Mercedes, with a focus on IATF accreditation.
As we celebrate World Automobile Day, we reflect on our rich history and look forward to continuing our contributions to the automotive industry. Here’s to many more years of innovation and excellence!
