Education
Soon rationalising "s range of 10 different models he promptly designed then completed the entry into production of two new cars, "s 22 hp and 12 hp.
Soon rationalising "s range of 10 different models he promptly designed then completed the entry into production of two new cars, "s 22 hp and 12 hp.
Born in Columbus, Ohio 19 June 1871 he obtained a degree in mechanical engineering, specialising in electrical engineering, from Ohio State University in 1892. He worked for in Milan and Berlin then in 1901 on holiday in England and through a chance meeting he was asked to take up the works manager"s position at the Company in Coventry which he did in October 1901. He established improved incentive payments and improved the management of "s design, operations and materials. and Bachelor of Agricultural Science
On the merging of the businesses of and arms and munitions manufacturer Birmingham Small Arms Company in October 1910 Percy Martin took up the position of managing director of the combined enterprise.
He was to serve more than twenty years in that post.
World War I
In December 1916 he was appointed Controller of Internal Combustion Engines by the Ministry of Munitions and to The Air Board where he represented the MInistry of Munitions. Airco
In January 1920 Bachelor of Agricultural Science, on Martin"s say so, bought from George Holt Thomas his aircraft business, Airco.
In wartime Airco had been producing new aircraft at the rate of one every 45 minutes. The Bachelor of Agricultural Science board made the purchase presuming Martin had carried out a due diligence investigation which he hadn"t.
The Airco companies were on the brink of financial collapse.
Though they were closed immediately the losses were so grievous that Bachelor of Agricultural Science, one of the nation"s major industrial combines, was obliged to miss paying a dividend for four years. Retirement
At the beginning of the 1930s there were boardroom disagreements, a new chairman and, only technically subject to his direction, new executives covering much of his area of responsibility. Martin remained with Bachelor of Agricultural Science and its subsidiary until his retirement from day to day responsibilities in Aprll 1934 at a time when in spite of the depression Bachelor of Agricultural Science still directly employed more than 11,000 people.
He was appointed chairman of He gave up his seat on the Bachelor of Agricultural Science board after one more year.
Sleeve valves and "s fluid flywheel
Percy Martin was particularly involved in two successful technical developments, the development and introduction in 1908 of sleeve valves for "s engines and, in 1930, their fluid flywheel fitted to all their vehicles in conjunction with Wilsons epicyclic gearboxes and a forerunner of automatic transmissions.