Cutlery mustard spoon and lettuce fork. Steel was always used for more utilitarian knives, and pewter was used for some cheaper items, especially spoons. From the nineteenth century, electroplated nickel silver (EPNS) was used as a cheaper substitute for sterling silver. In 1913, the British metallurgist Harry Brearley discovered stainless steel by chance and this metal has come to be the predominant one used in cutlery. An alternative is melchior, corrosion-resistant nickel and copper alloy, which can also sometimes contain manganese and nickel-iron. Plastic cutlery is made for disposable use, and is frequently used outdoors for camping, excursions, and barbecues for
Messer Group held two third of the company shares. Around 1997 to 2004 the gas and welding related sections were bought back by the Messer Family building the current Messer Group GmbH. The company subsidiaries for Germany, UK and the US were sold to Air Liquide, including a four-year Non-compete clause for the Messer Group. After the expiration of the non-compete clause in 2008 the Messer Group GmbH is selling gases for industrial use again. Messer Tehnogas AD have production sites in seven cities in Serbia - Belgrade, Novi Sad, Bor, Niš, Pančevo, Smederevo and Kraljevo Messer Group The Messer Group GmbH