One hundred years ago, GKN Wheels — known then as Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd or ‘Sankeys’ — patented and produced the first pressed steel wheel. Originally manufactured for use in motor cars, this was a significant engineering breakthrough, made possible by technological advances in the production of high quality steel alloys and rolling systems.
In 1906, under the guidance of George and Frederick Sankey and the chairmanship of the company’s founder John Sankey, Sankeys entered an exclusive agreement with Hadfield Steel Foundry Company of Sheffield to obtain supplies of its special electrical steel, known as ‘stalloy’. A few years later, Sankeys obtained permission for one of its suppliers, John…
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