The Isle of Man Centre held its first evening presentation of their 2002/2003 programme with a fascinating talk by Mr Eddie Davies OBE, Executive Chairman of the Isle of Man-based STRIX Group, the world's leading manufacturer of controls and cordless interfaces for kettles and other boiling appliances in the domestic appliance industry.

Mr Davies brought along some specimen kettles covering the last 15 years, plus boiling appliances used in other countries, together with the first 360 degree kettle. Famous brands such as Philips, Tefal, Rowenta, Morphy Richards, Kenwood, Braun all contain STRIX controls.

More than 25 years ago, John Taylor (the company's recently retired chairman) developed the first kettle control with automatic steam switch-off, a device which has subsequently protected millions of kettles against accidental dry switch-on or boiling dry.

Today, the company he founded is the market leader in kettle design technology using thermostatic controls and STRIX controls are used over one billion times a day worldwide, by some 20 per cent of the world's population.

In April 2002, STRIX won the Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade for the third time, now selling their product to over 40 countries with a 70 per cent share of the worldwide market - 95 per cent of production is exported outside the British Isles, employing 1,000 people and annual sales of £70m.