the company merged with newcastle breweries in 1960, forming scottish & newcastle, a group with market value of £50 million. william mcewan younger, the son of william younger, was the chairman and managing director. the company dedicated itself to the free trade, and promoted its brands to an extent not previously witnessed in the british brewing industry. mcewan's export became one of the three core brands of the new company, alongside newcastle brown ale and younger's tartan special. scottish & newcastle became the dominant force in brewing across scotland and the north of england. from the 1960s, the company began to style itself macewan's in export markets, in order to make pronunciation easier. the company's mcewan's strong ale was the highest gravity beer on general sale throughout the world. mcewan's export was alternatively sold as india pale ale or scotch ale overseas. william mcewan younger retired in 1970.