McMurdo was formed in the 30's in Ashstead, Kent. Its early business was manufacturing radios and other component parts, such as valveholders. In the late 30's the name was changed to "McMurdo Silver" and the company started to diversify into other products mainly of the military nature, having obtained Government contracts to develop proximity fuses. In 1951, the company changed its name to McMurdo Instrument Co Ltd. In 1953, the company moved to its purpose-built factory in Portsmouth. Realizing the limited life span of products such as valveholders, the company expanded the connector side of the business. It also focused its attention on marine safety lights and reserve batteries.
The Components Division was expanded in 1989 by the introduction of a cable and harness facility, primarily targeted at the telecommunications and automobile industries. McMurdo entered the marine safety electronics market with the introduction of an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) in support of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations. Since that time McMurdo has developed it own search and rescue transponder (SART) as well as its own product range GMDSS VHF radios.
McMurdo was acquired by Chemring Group PLC in 1994. Following this acquisition, McMurdo joined with Nova Marine Systems, a business acquired by Chemring Group earlier in 1994. The most recent change came when the marine division of Pains Wessex Ltd, also owned by Chemring Group moved the marine business to McMurdo to market the joint marine product range.
Pains Wessex Ltd evolved from three companies - James Pain & Sons., a fireworks company. The Wessex Aircraft Engineering Co. (WAECO) and Schermuly. The origins of the company can be traced back to 1670. James Pain & Sons was officially formed in Brixton in 1850 to manufacture fireworks and increasingly commercial pyrotechnics. In 1965 the company merged with WAECO to form Pains-Wessex Ltd. WAECO had been set up in 1933 to manufacturer pyrotechnic products for the War Office. In 1973 Pains-Wessex acquired Schermuly, a company specializing in marine pyrotechnics and life saving equipment and had, in 1897, produced the first patented, ship-to-shore rocket-powered line throwing apparatus. To distinguish the military side of the business from the marine and to give an umbrella for marketing new products Pains Wessex Safety Systems was introduced. Today, the extensive approved marine safety product range of products is marketed under the McMurdo and Pains Wessex Safety Systems from McMurdo premises. The advance range of products includes marine electronics, VHF radios, survivor location lights, pyrotechnics and one of the latest products a revolutionary hydrostatic release unit (HRU) These products can be found on every type of vessel throughout the world from commercial ships, passenger liners, search and rescue authorities such as the RNLI, fishing vessels to sail and powerboats.

• EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon)