Co-founder of Gloucestershire based engineering company dies

The co-founder of Renishaw, Sir David McMurtry, has died.

Sir David McMurtry, co-founder of Renishaw.
Author: Jessica McGillivrayPublished 10th Dec 2024

Global engineering company Renishaw have announced the death of their co-founder Sir David McMurtry.

The company, which is headquartered in Gloucestershire, was founded by the 84-year-old in 1973 alongside John Deer.

Over 2,500 people in the county work for Renishaw who opened their first premises in Wooton-under-Edge.

They are known for developing high-precision measuring tools which are used by companies across the world that make aircraft, wind turbines and dental and medical equipment.

The company has offices in 36 countries, with 4 based in Gloucestershire.

Before founding the company he worked for Rolls-Royce and was responsible for 47 patents there and went on to be named on over 200 patents for Renishaw innovations.

In 2014 at a MACH exhibition Sir David was awarded the inaugural MWP Lifetime Achievement Award to celebrate his contributions to the UK's manufacturing industry.

Chief executive of Renishaw, Will Lee, said in a statement “David was a great visionary, an outstanding innovator who constantly challenged conventions, and a hugely empathetic man.”

“He will be greatly missed by so many, including the generations of Renishaw engineers who he inspired and mentored. The manufacturing industry has lost a true pioneer and many of us at Renishaw have lost a father figure and a friend.”

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.