Ransomes had an association with inventor Henry Marles who held patents for wood carving machinery which he had taken out in 1899. Towards the end of 1917 journalists were shown through a new ball bearing plant in Newark under conditions of strict secrecy though they were allowed to publish the name of the owners, Ransome & Marles. Henry Marles held some patents for the design and manufacture of ball bearings, A. Ransome & Co had some experience in their manufacture. Aside from their own requirement A. Ransome & Co were already supplying "famous English motor manufacturers". They had begun by assembling bought-in balls with their own components then moved on to manufacturing their own balls. A new ball-making plant, which the journalists were visiting, had now been installed in new premises alongside A. Ransome & Co's own though the new plant was not in production at the end of 1917.[5] The first chairman of Ransome & Marles was Victor Sydney Woods, the youngest partner in A. Ransome & Co. The first managing director was Henry Marles (1871- 1955 ) until just after the end of the war and the appointment of American-born Lt. Col. Henry Joseph Higgs (1892-1934) when Marles with his technical knowledge took up the position of sales director. Allen Ransome's son, Geoffrey Ransome (1867-1928), was a director of both companies. By October 1918, shortly before the Armistice, Woods told Ransome & Marles shareholders at their 2nd Annual General Meeting there had again been a large increase in premises and plant during the year. The three-story building accommodating 500 people had not been completed until May 1918 but full output should be reached by the end of 1918.[6]