Imperial Chemical Industries PLC (Organics Division Blackley) 1926

The Blackley works dates back to 1785 when it was called the Borelle Dyeworks and was later taken over by the Delaunay family. It remained so until 1865 when Ivan Levenstein, acquired the site. He had begun producing aniline dyestuffs in a cottage c.1865. Of his many products, the dyestuff 'Blackley Blue' became well-known as a paper dye. In 1883, Levensteins took over the neighbouring works later on, in 1919, he merged with British Dyestuffs Corporation. In 1926 this company and four other firms merged to form Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) and this is still the core site now under the ownership of ICI (Organics).