Seven decades of family aerospace manufacturing, from a single subcontract factory on the Isle of Man to a five-site international group.
Heritage
Our History
Our story
RLC’s history began in the mid-1950s, when Jean Burrell founded Ronaldsway Aircraft Company on the Isle of Man to support the growing manufacturing needs of Martin-Baker. Jean was the sister of Sir James Martin, inventor of the Martin-Baker ejection seat, and Ronaldsway was established at Ballasalla, opposite the Isle of Man airport, as a dedicated aerospace subcontractor.
As demand grew, so did the business. The family opened a second site at Langford Lodge in Northern Ireland, and through the 1960s and 70s added new facilities, processes and capabilities on both sides of the Irish Sea.
The end of the Cold War brought a downturn in defence spending, and with it the need to diversify. The 1993 acquisition of Callender Lancashire Aeropart opened the door to aerofoil manufacturing and civil aerospace work, and in the early 2000s, Ronaldsway, Langford Lodge and Callender came together as the RLC Group.
The group has since grown internationally, opening a Singapore facility in 2014 and a new UK site at Global Point in 2016. Today, RLC remains privately owned, and continues to support demanding civil and defence aerospace programmes through specialist manufacturing, treatments, testing, assembly and lifecycle support across its operating sites.
Our timeline
Key milestones from the first excavations at Ballasalla to the group RLC is today.
Today
One connected aerospace manufacturing group
RLC operates across five sites, supporting civil and defence aerospace customers through specialist manufacturing, treatments, testing, assembly and lifecycle support.
2026
A changing of the guard
A CEO and senior leadership team took on day-to-day running of the business. After 23 years leading the Group, Sarah Holt stepped back to become Non-Executive Chairman – with family involvement continuing as Jean Burrell’s great-grandson joined the Group’s holding company.
2014–2016
International growth
RLC opened its first site outside the British Isles, in Singapore, to support Rolls-Royce’s regional operations, then added further UK capacity with a new factory at Global Point outside Belfast.
Early 2000s
Formation of the RLC Group
Ronaldsway, Langford Lodge and Callender were brought together as the RLC Group, headed by Jean Burrell’s granddaughter, Sarah Holt, creating a stronger and more integrated aerospace manufacturing business.
Early 1990s
Diversifying beyond defence
The end of the Cold War cut defence spending and Martin-Baker orders, making diversification essential. The 1993 acquisition of Callender Lancashire Aeropart brought aerofoil expertise and opened the door to new customers, including Rolls-Royce and civil aerospace work.
1980s
A new generation takes the helm
Jean Burrell died in 1983, aged 94, passing the Chairmanship to her daughter Joan Holt. Grandson Richard Holt became General Manager, and the business continued to expand – reaching around 160,000 sq ft and 670 employees by its 30th anniversary in 1985.
1960s–70s
Two sites, rapid growth
As Martin-Baker orders grew, so did Ronaldsway and Langford Lodge – adding factory space, a machine shop, a parachute pack and harness facility, and a specialist lost wax foundry for ejection seat components. By the mid-1960s, the workforce had grown to around 400.
1950s
Ronaldsway is founded
Jean Burrell founded Ronaldsway Aircraft Company at Ballasalla, Isle of Man, as a dedicated subcontractor to her brother Sir James Martin’s company, Martin-Baker. Within a year the factory employed around 120 people; by 1958 the family had acquired a second site, Langford Lodge, on the shores of Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland.
Our history in more detail
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The Martin-Baker connection
RLC’s origins are rooted in family. Jean Burrell’s brother, Sir James Martin, founded Martin-Baker and developed the aircraft ejection seat, which entered RAF service in 1947. As demand for the seat grew, Ronaldsway was established to provide Martin-Baker with dedicated subcontract manufacturing support – a relationship that shaped the group’s early decades.
RLC’s origins are rooted in family. Jean Burrell’s brother, Sir James Martin, founded Martin-Baker and developed the aircraft ejection seat, which entered RAF service in 1947. As demand for the seat grew, Ronaldsway was established to provide Martin-Baker with dedicated subcontract manufacturing support – a relationship that shaped the group’s early decades.
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Building the Isle of Man factory
Denis Burrell, Jean’s son, helped oversee construction of the Ballasalla factory after graduating from Cambridge. Recruitment began in 1955, and the project mattered well beyond aerospace: at a time of high unemployment on the Isle of Man, it was reported to bring 200–300 new jobs to the island.
Denis Burrell, Jean’s son, helped oversee construction of the Ballasalla factory after graduating from Cambridge. Recruitment began in 1955, and the project mattered well beyond aerospace: at a time of high unemployment on the Isle of Man, it was reported to bring 200–300 new jobs to the island.
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Two sites, one growing business
Langford Lodge gave the family a second manufacturing base, on the site of a former US Air Force base on Lough Neagh. Bringing a disused runway and eleven aircraft hangars back into productive use took substantial clearance work – but gave Ronaldsway the extra capacity it needed as orders grew through the 1960s and 70s, including in-house capabilities such as its own lost wax foundry.
Langford Lodge gave the family a second manufacturing base, on the site of a former US Air Force base on Lough Neagh. Bringing a disused runway and eleven aircraft hangars back into productive use took substantial clearance work – but gave Ronaldsway the extra capacity it needed as orders grew through the 1960s and 70s, including in-house capabilities such as its own lost wax foundry.
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Diversifying beyond defence
The end of the Cold War forced a rethink. With Martin-Baker orders falling, the business needed new customers and new markets to survive. The 1993 acquisition of Callender Lancashire Aeropart was the turning point, bringing aerofoil expertise and, with it, a route into civil aerospace and power generation work.
The end of the Cold War forced a rethink. With Martin-Baker orders falling, the business needed new customers and new markets to survive. The 1993 acquisition of Callender Lancashire Aeropart was the turning point, bringing aerofoil expertise and, with it, a route into civil aerospace and power generation work.
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Bringing the group together
Ronaldsway, Langford Lodge and Callender had grown up as separate businesses under shared family ownership. In the early 2000s they were formally united as the RLC Group – presenting a single, stronger face to customers and ensuring the companies worked together rather than competing with one another.
Ronaldsway, Langford Lodge and Callender had grown up as separate businesses under shared family ownership. In the early 2000s they were formally united as the RLC Group – presenting a single, stronger face to customers and ensuring the companies worked together rather than competing with one another.
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Growing internationally
RLC’s first site outside Great Britain opened in Singapore in 2014, supporting Rolls-Royce’s regional operations. Two years later, the Global Point facility outside Belfast added further UK capacity, including for titanium fuselage components and structural guide vane assembly.
RLC’s first site outside Great Britain opened in Singapore in 2014, supporting Rolls-Royce’s regional operations. Two years later, the Global Point facility outside Belfast added further UK capacity, including for titanium fuselage components and structural guide vane assembly.
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RLC today
RLC remains privately owned, with over 1,000 people working across five operating sites. The group’s capabilities span ejection seat parts and assemblies, complex aerofoils, secondary actuation components, titanium fuselage components, heat treatment and wet chemical processing – built on the same specialist foundations laid at Ballasalla nearly seventy years ago.
RLC remains privately owned, with over 1,000 people working across five operating sites. The group’s capabilities span ejection seat parts and assemblies, complex aerofoils, secondary actuation components, titanium fuselage components, heat treatment and wet chemical processing – built on the same specialist foundations laid at Ballasalla nearly seventy years ago.
Built on seven decades of aerospace expertise
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