In the 19thcentury the town of Walsall in the West Midlands became an important centre for the production of the wrought iron tubes that were essential for the supply of town gas. The industry began when Edward and William Dixon established a company in 1829. The firm started making gas tubes in Birmingham Street in 1830 and around four years later moved to the Alpha Tube Works in Ablewell Street.
By 1868 the company had changed its name to Lambert Brothers. In the early 20thcentury the firm moved to new premises beside the canal in Green Lane, also called the Alpha Tube Works. Along with wrought iron and steel gas tubes, the company produced gas valves, lamp columns, manhole covers and iron and brass pumps.
In 1909 A. K. Incledon became manager of Lambert Bros. and the business was restyled as Incledon & Lamberts. In 1960 the company was renamed Durapipe International. It was acquired by another tube and pipe manufacturing company company, Glynwed of Biston in Staffordshire, in 1981. In 2001 the pipes side of the business was sold to Etex of Belgium and the remainder of the company was renamed AGA Foodservice Ltd., shortly later changed to AGA Rangemaster Ltd. It was acquired by the American company Middleby Corporation for £129 million in 2015. AGA Rangemaster Ltd. is curently headquartered in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and manufactures interior furnishings and kitchen appliances including the eponymous cast iron AGA cooker.