Caerbont Automotive Instruments | Manufacturers of Smiths Instruments

Smiths Instruments Aston Martin DB5 time clock

GT40 New and Original Gauges

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Aston Martin Classic and Heritage gauges

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GT40 New and Original Gauges

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Aston Martin Classic and Heritage gauges

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GT40 New and Original Gauges

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Bespoke, Premium Gauges

bespoke design and manufacturing service for your specialist project. You imagine, we design.

Classically designed, Instrumentally British

The Original SMITHS instruments and our collection of heritage gauges from CAI. Includes TVR, Porsche, VW and more.

Our Projects

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Automotive

Gauges, Senders and Systems Designed and Manufactured for Niche Vehicle Manufacturers.

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Motorcycles

Bespoke Instrument Design and Manufacture of new and heritage products.

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Marine

Bespoke Round Gauge solutions for the specialist boat builder.

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Industrial

Gauges for displaying pressure, vacuum and temperature and a bespoke design service.

Our product range

Motorsport

Vintage Motorsport Racing Gauges from CAI

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Motorcycles

Classic and Vintage Motorcycles Gauges for Iconic motorcycles

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Mini

Classic Smiths gauges for the original British Mini

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Lotus

Classic and vintage gauges from CAI for the Lotus Cortina, Elan, Elite, Esprit and Europa sports car.

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Land Rover

Elevate your off-road adventure with timeless, classic, vintage Land Rover gauges

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Jaguar

Classic and vintage Jaguar gauges from CAI

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International

CAI designed international gauges with continental styling, aimed at the classic and retro vehicle of the 1980s.

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Dual Gauges

Smiths Classic Dual Gauges

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Classic

Timeless Elegance Redefined: Classic Smiths Gauges

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Cobra

Elevate Power and Style with CAI's range of Cobra Gauges

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Austin Healey

Unveil Luxury with Austin Healey Bespoke Gauges.

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MG

Heritage Smiths Classic Gauges from CAI for the MG Midget, MGA, MGB, GT V8 and MGC

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GT40

GT40 Classic & Original New Gauges: Timeless Heritage, Modern Precision

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Aston Martin

Aston Martin Bespoke Vintage Instruments & Gauges

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About us

Our expertise in gauge design and investment in innovative technologies has placed us at the forefront as manufacturers of premium bespoke gauges

MORE ABOUT US

1851

Samuel Smith Senior

Trained craftsman and jeweller, Samuel Smith opened his first shop in Newington Causeway in London in 1851. A family business, it was founded as 'S. Smith and Son'.

1871

Samuel Smith & Son

With growing demand, Samuel Smith (Junior) opened larger premises on The Strand, London and later, shops in Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square.

1900

The first speedometer

By the start of the 20th century and the age of the automobile, SMITHS had produced the first British speedometer and odometer ("mileometer").

1904

King Edward VII

In 1904 the first Royal connection to SMITHS was established when King Edward VII asked Gordon Smith for a device to measure the travelling speed of his car. SMITHS historical records include a ledger of speedometer orders, the first of which has, as entry No. 1, 'H. M. The King, Buckingham Palace'.

1914

Smiths Motor Accessories

In 1914 the public company S. Smith and Sons (Motor Accessories) Ltd was formed, manufacturing automotive speedometers, carburettors, and other motor accessories, with turnover exceeding £100,000.

1915

New factory built at Cricklewood, London

A new factory at Cricklewood, North-East London was built engaged in the manufacture of speedometers and employed 400 persons. The employees soon increased to 2,000 and they also made aircraft instruments and shell fuses for war time contracts.

1927

British Jaeger Instruments

Smiths purchased 75 per cent of Ed. Jaeger (London) Ltd in 1927 which later became the British Jaeger Instrument Company.

1930

Smiths Automotive and Joseph Lucas

In 1930 SMITHS agreed a trading deal with Joseph Lucas Ltd. The mutual agreement meant the two would not compete in certain areas. Lucas continued to market a portion of the non-instrumentation SMITHS assets, and SMITHS became the dominant supplier of instruments to British motorcar and motorcycle firms.

1931

Smiths enter domestic clock market

1931 S. Smith and Sons (Motor Accessories) Ltd, entered the domestic clock market and formed a new company, 'Smiths English Clocks', The Clock and Watch division of S. Smith and Sons (Motor Accessories) Ltd, continued to manufactured from the main factory at Cricklewood. Smiths became one of the first British manufacturers to produce synchronous electric clocks.

1932

SMITHS purchase English Clock and Watch Manufacturers of Coventry

In 1932 Smiths purchased English Clock and Watch Manufacturer of Coventry and acquired the trade names Astral and Empire.

1933

LUCAS acquire North and Sons instrumentation Business

By 1933 Lucas had purchased North and Sons Ltd., a leading manufacturer of magneto, speedometers and other motor instruments. Lucas retained the magneto business whilst SMITHS concentrated on the speedometer and instrumentation business.

1934

Smiths acquire the Enfield Clock Co.

In 1934, Smiths bought the Enfield Clock Co; The shareholders were bought out, but SMITHS allowed the directors to remain and the company continued production from its premises at Pretoria Road, Edmonton. Due to low volumes, however SMITHS allowed Enfield to continue to trade independently.

1935

SMITHS Acquire Henry Hughes and Son

In 1935 SMITHS Acquired 'Henry Hughes and Son'; marine gauge manufacturers which specialised in navigation instruments and appliances for the British Navy.

1939

New site at Bishop's Cleeve

In 1939 Ralph Gordon-Smith, arranged the purchase of new 300 acre site, Kayte Farm at Bishop's Cleeve, Cheltenham to protect the business from potential bombing in the London area. On 1st June S. Smith and Sons (Cheltenham) Ltd was formed as a subsidiary of the main business.

1940

Bombs destroy Cricklewood site.

By August 1940 the main instrument repair department at Cricklewood was destroyed by bombing. As a consequence of the war, demand for motor, aircraft and marine instruments for the Services surged and the production of industrial instruments, hitherto imported, was begun. Fuses for shells were also manufactured.

1944

S. Smith and Sons (England) formed

By 1944 a major regrouping of the whole SMITHS organisation was carried out. The name of the principal company was changed to S. Smith and Sons (England) Ltd with four divisions: 'Smiths Motor Accessories'; 'Smiths Industrial Instruments'; 'Smiths Aircraft Instruments' and 'Smiths English Clocks'.

1947

1947 SMITHS group expansions.

By 1947 The company had grown exponentially with 17,000 employees. By the start of the 60's separate 'Smiths Aviation' and 'Smiths Marine divisions' were formed as well as an industrial instrumentation division. By 1964 the SMITHS group employed over 25,000 in 27 factories in the UK.

1965

Smiths Industries is formed

By 1965 the Smiths business had become increasingly diluted. As such the name 'Smiths Industries' was adopted to reflect it's wider operations. The clock and watch business had now declined and Smiths ceased to be the direct supplier of motor equipment to European car manufacturers.

1968

1968 Queen's Award to Industry for Technological Innovation.

In 1968 SMITHS received the Queen's Award to Industry for its contribution to UK Technological Innovation.

1974

Legislation of commercial vehicles

The production of the SMITHS tachograph increased from 400 units to 4000 units per month, owing largely to new legislation, which meant by 1978 all commercial vehicles must be fitted with tachographs. By now volume orders were being received from British Leyland, Ford and more.

1979

1979 Restructuring and reorganisation of the motor vehicle component businesses

By 1979 due to a decline in demand, a proposal was made to restructure and reorganise the motor vehicle component businesses and by 1981, a further reorganisation of the motor marine business followed.

1984

Anglo Celtic & Lucas

The automotive instrumentation business was sold to Lucas. Lucas introduced wiring harness manufacture to the Ystradgynlais factory and become the largest employer in the area, employing a local workforce of over 2000.

1989

Transfer of Instrumentation business to Caerbont, Abercrave

In 1989 Lucas transferred its instrumentation business to the Caerbont facility in neighbouring Abercrave but retained manufacture of its wiring and harness business at Ystradgynlais.

1991

VDO Instruments

LUCAS decided to withdraw from the instrumentation market to concentrate solely on its wiring and harness manufacture. The business was sold to German company Mannesmann VDO AG and was managed by its parent UK company VDO Birmingham.

1993

Independent business Caerbont Automotive is formed

In 1993 the management purchased the business from Mannesmann VDO AG and renamed it Caerbont Automotive Instruments Ltd. The business continued to supply to mass markets although by now the direction was evolving more into bespoke and heritage markets.

2011

Transfer of Business to new Management

By 2011 ownership transferred to the present MD Gavin Roberts. The business retained its name and continued to supply SMITHS gauges. Today, the business has evolved into new markets such as bespoke marine and automotive instrumentation but also continues to supply heritage gauges to high profile prestige marques like Jaguar and Aston Martin.