Another EDO MBM Subsidiary to be struck off

Three directors of EDO (UK) Ltd have resigned.

EDO (UK) Ltd, owned by ITT Defence, is the holding company and immediate parent of besieged weapons firm ITT-EDO MBM Technology Ltd in Brighton. It also owns EDO Artisan in the USA.

According to Companies House, Sir Robert Walmsley- Chair of EDO (UK) Ltd, Philip Davies- Secretary of EDO (UK) Ltd, and Anne Davidson -EDO (UK) Ltd Attorney, all left the UK company board this week.

Davidson, who is based in the USA, remains on the US parent ITT Corp’s payroll as its chief ethics and compliance officer and vice president.

Remaining directors are Paul Hills, Bruce Scott (President if ITT Defense International), James Barber (Business Development Manager). Joseph Daniel. All but Paul Hills have only been directors since last year.

Philip Davies who along with Robert Walmsley was one of the two longest standing directors of the EDO UK group of companies, has also resigned as a director of EDO MBM after four years running the company, leaving it with just two directors, Paul Hills and John Eaton (who became a director in .

Paul Hills is now the longest standing of any director of EDO MBM and EDO (UK) Ltd, even though he has only been in charge for three years. His predecessor David Jones resigned as Managing Director of EDO (UK) and EDO MBM on 31 December 2005 after bringing a catastrophic high court injunction case against protesters which cost the company millions when it failed. Between 2005 and 2008 the numbers of employees of the company has dropped from 200 to around 120 and is expected to fall further in the coming year as more people leave.

Outlasting even Pauls Hills has been Smash EDO, the anti-war campaign that started in 2004 as a half dozen protesters outside the factory gates, and has gone from strength to strength under the slogan ‘we will be here until EDO are not.’ EDO MBM has lost 8 directors since 2004.


Meanwhile EDO Aerotech Ltd the civilian aircraft production subsidiary of EDO MBM which directors have claimed in previous court appearances made up around 20% of the firms business has applied to be struck off from the register of companies.

According to Companies House the application was made on 10 December 2008 and was published in a First Gazette Announcement on 27 January 2009.

Another subsidiary EDO Flexible Circuits based in Portslade was sold in November last year.