Pollard Ball and Roller Bearing Company

Subsidiaries were established in France, Canada and USA.^[5] In 1964, 30 percent of the trade was direct with the motor industry in Germany, Italy, France, Sweden, and the US.

In May 1969 government pressure exerted through the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation required the sale of all the capital of Pollard to Ransome & Marles. The grounds for the pressure were given to be as follows:

the ball bearing industry was a large sector of engineering technology and an essential input into the motor and aircraft industries;

when compared with other developed countries the British industry was fragmented;

there was a possibly of a merger of Sweden's Skefko and Ransome & Marles. SKF dominates the market in European countries.

There would be advantages of scale.

Ransome & Marles was the leading British owned company.^[6][7]