▁the ▁B itter feld ▁works ▁of ▁Chem ische ▁Fab rik ▁G ries heim - E le ktr on ▁( CF GE ▁or ▁CF G ), ▁whose ▁H Q ▁was ▁in ▁G ries heim ▁am ▁Main , ▁Germany . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁the ▁company ▁opened ▁a ▁factory ▁on ▁L umn ' s ▁Lane ▁at ▁Cl if ton ▁J unction , ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁west ▁of ▁Manchester ▁to ▁produce ▁mag nes ium ▁metal . ▁During ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁the ▁company ▁made ▁an ▁important ▁contribution ▁to ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁war ▁effort ▁producing ▁thousands ▁of ▁tons ▁of ▁mag nes ium ▁metal ▁allo ys ▁for ▁the ▁aircraft ▁industry . ▁▁ ▁During ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁the ▁company ▁divers ified ▁into ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁z ir con ium ▁and ▁its ▁comp ounds , ▁and ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁the ▁Dist ill ers ▁Company ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁Z ir con ium ▁carbon ate ▁production ▁comm enced ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁to ▁meet ▁a ▁growing ▁demand ▁from ▁the ▁paint , ▁paper ▁and ▁text ile ▁indust ries . ▁▁ ▁The ▁production ▁of ▁ha f ni um ▁metal ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁Britain ’ s ▁nuclear ▁sub mar ines ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁Mag nes ium ▁Ele ktr on ▁became ▁a ▁wh olly ▁owned ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Al umin ium ▁Company . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁the