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1940/50s
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During World War Two Breville's focus turned to the war effort manufacturing mine detectors. In the war years Bill O’Brien also founded a special training scheme for air force radio operators. Despite the back-breaking effort of the war years Bill O’Brien later reflected that he was always proud of the contribution that Breville made to the war effort.
Post-war, the radio market boomed, but television was already flourishing overseas. Sensing the change, O'Brien realised that TV manufacturing would be a hard-fought battle between multinationals with limited survivors. He decided to focus on small appliances, selling the Breville Radio brand to the owners of Astor in 1951. |
The same year, Bill's son John, 22, was on a working holiday in London when his father wrote: 'I've sold the radio business… here's a couple of hundred quid - give up your job and see what agencies you can pick up.' Before long Breville was handling a wide range of appliance brands such as Braun, Clairol, Pifco and Friedland.
The company also designed and manufactured a number of appliances that were ahead of their time: among its products was the “Breville Five Minute Washer”, which enjoyed spectacular success before and after the war. |
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