In September 1967, GEC announced it wanted to take over AEI, and on 24 May 1968, GEC agreed to merge its domestic appliance division with BDA. EMI would own a third, and GEC two thirds. The managing director of BDA from September 1966, Laurence Peterken, was the new managing director, but he left two weeks later. The domestic appliance manufacture was moved to the "Swinton Works" at Mexborough, and in 1970 the original factory in St Mary Cray, which employed around 1,200 people, was closed.