Earlier in the year Layton, the managing director of the Cosmos Company, had died, and Gordon Franklin, who had gained valuable experience in the heating and cooking appliance business with the Norwegian branch, became general manager of the factory, where he pursued a far-sighted and progressive policy. Business in Cosmos lamps, appliances, and wireless sets and in Harcourts fittings increased rapidly, and better premises were soon required in London and the provinces: the London office was moved to Metro-Vick House, 155 Charing Cross Road, and new showrooms were opened in Glasgow and Newcastle. Sir Herbert Morgan became chairman of Metro-Vick Supplies, and P. F. Crinks gave up his appointment as manager of M-V London office to become full-time managing director of the subsidiary company.

At Trafford Park the manufacture of domestic cooking equipment joined that of baking ovens, while radio valves and receivers were moved to Brimsdown. In 1928 the domestic appliance work was mainly transferred to Harcourts, where considerable extensions had been made, and the Cosmos works concentrated on the manufacture of lamps and valves; the lamp output for that year was a record, and the demand for receiving valves—in six types—was growing steadily.

NEW METHODS AT THE WORKS
At Trafford Park three new works departments were inaugurated. They dealt with inspection, processing and rate fixing, and production on composite contracts, and each was designed to centralize and coordinate work previously done on a departmental basis.

More and more inspection had been required as Government work increased during the war, and this brought out forcibly the need for a central inspection organization. Accordingly in 1919 an inspection department was set up and given direct responsibility to the directors for the quality of the goods produced by the Company, the criterion being "Would we buy it?".

A.J.Simpson was appointed chief electrical inspector and T. Edmonds chief mechanical inspector, but after the first year both sections were put under L. Nicholson as chief inspector for the Company. Since 1902; when he is reputed to have been the first chairman of apprentices, Nicholson had obtained wide experience on dynamo test and outside erection, and he did much pioneer work in organizing the new department.