during the war years and into the emerging jet age, fireproof tanks ltd developed new technologies in rubber formulation, moulding and sheet production in order to remain a leader in other specialist markets such as the creation of hovercraft skirts. working with saunders roe at cowes on the isle of wight, the company became so important to the hovercraft industry that the now renamed fpt industries was bought by the british hovercraft corporation in 1966.