Institute of Spring Technology (IST)

The Coil Spring Federation (C.S.F) (which comprised the Heavy Coil Spring Association and the Light Spring Association) was established in 1942 as a war-time measure to unify the industry for the purpose of meeting the large demands for numerous types of springs vital to the production of reliable equipment. In conjunction with various technical branches of Government departments, investigations were conducted by individual firms in the spring industry covering the design, materials and methods of manufacture for springs, and specifications were produced laying down requirements to ensure the supply of material and components of the necessary quality.

With the end of the war, it became necessary to consider how the advantages which had already been accrued could be extended to benefit the whole of the industry and how technical liaison could be placed on a more permanent footing.  As a result, the Coil Spring Federation Research Organisation (C.S.F.R.O.) came into operation in October 1945.

In 1961, the C.S.F.R.O. applied for recognition as a Research Association and this was granted. As a consequence, the Research Organisation was converted into a limited liability company and the name was changed to the Spring Manufacturers' Research Association (SMRA). A further change occurred in 1966, when the Association was renamed the Spring Research Association (SRA) to reflect the fact that its objective was to offer services to the whole of the spring industry, not just the spring makers who were members of the original Federation. At the that time, the Spring Manufacturers' Association (SMA) was responsible for commercial interests of the industry, and their Members included companies dealing with flat springs and other types of spring components, not just coil springs.

In 1974, it became apparent that the functions of the SRA and the SMA were becoming increasingly interdependent, particularly as the SRA had taken over the secretarial work for the SMA and it was decided to rationalise the organisation into one unified company with a new name of the Spring Research and Manufacturers' Association (SRAMA).

A further change occurred in 1997 when, following a reduction in the level of Government funded research, a decision was made to market the technical services to a much wider customer base world-wide, so the technical division was re-launched as the Institute of Spring Technology (IST), with the Trade Association function for the British Spring Industry falling under the auspices of the UK Spring Manufacturers' Association (UKSMA). Both of these Companies operate on a "not for profit" basis and receive no Government subsidy or grant to enable business to continue, relying on membership subscriptions and commercial sales of technical services and products.