The founder was Ernst [Ernest] Erver (1893-1953), who was from Solingen in Germany.  In 1935, he registered Manicure Specialities Ltd, with £200 capital, at back of 154 Whitham Road.  Erver planned to manufacture mass-produced cold-pressed manicure scissors.  In 1938, he became naturalised.  Before the War, he move to Moor Oaks Road, where he ran the business with his wife, Mathilde Helene, and their daughter, Ingeborg Edith Hildegarde (1920-2001).  In 1941, Inge married George Reginald Sugden (1908-1979).  He had been born at Darlington, County Durham, but his family had moved to Sheffield by 1911, where Reg’s father was a newspaper advertisement canvasser.   Reg became a steel representative.  After his marriage to Inge, he became managing director of Manicure Specialities.  During the war, the business relocated to Standard Works, Cavendish Street, and was soon renamed Surgical & Manicure Specialities Ltd.  

In about 1941, Erver bought the 100-acres Nether Waters Farm, near Great Hucklow, and began raising pedigree cattle.  The land was fortuitously over a rich vein of flourspar, which led to the opening of a mine by 1949 (Manchester Evening News, 14 February 1949; Derbyshire Times, 21 April 1950).   Ernst Erver, of Glenbrook, Bamford, died on 13 September 1953, aged 60.  He estate was valued at £65,946.  His widow, Mathilde, died at Ryecroft, Whirlow Park Road, on 28 March 1954, aged 57.  She left £9,044 to her daughter, Inge.   

Inge inherited the business, which in 1953 became Surmanco Ltd.  The trade names on its manicure outfits, scissors, files, nail clippers and pinking shears were ‘CINDERELLA’, ‘TWIZZA’, ‘EASY-CUT’, ‘JIVVY’, and ‘GLENBROOK’.  In 1960, Surmanco was acquired by Acme Shear Co (USA).   Apparently, Surmanco was sold by Inge to pay her father’s death duties.  Surmanco remained in Cavendish Street and facilitated Acme’s penetration of the European market for disposable medical and surgical instruments.  By the end of the 1960s.  Surmanco claimed to produce more scissors than any UK manufacturer (over 10 million pairs a year).   Reg Sugden remained as managing director and was well known in the cutlery industry.   He became chairman of the UK Cutlery & Silverware Manufacturers’ Association between 1969 and 1974; and was then appointed first English president of the Federation of European Cutlery & Flatware Industries.  He fought unsuccessfully to limit the import invasion of cutlery.  

Surmanco made Reg and Inge wealthy.  They lived at a mansion, Ryecroft, in Whirlow and were recalled as ‘a larger-than-life couple … who enjoyed a full and glamorous life and lived in considerable style’ (Sheffield Star, 11 February 2003).   The press reported dinner parties with Continental royalty and legendary entertainers, such as Frank Sinatra (Sheffield Star, 14 October 2002).  Reg Sugden stepped down in 1978, and died 7 June 1979, aged 71.  He left £9,810.  

In 1978, Surmanco took over the instrument division (files, tweezers, and surgical forceps) of John Bedford & Sons.  In 1990, local firm Homeric was added to the Acme group for £400,000.  At its peak, the firm apparently employed about 200 in Sheffield.  By 2002, however, the workforce was only eight and Acme transferred operations to Germany.  Inge died in 2001, aged 80, leaving an estate of £1.6 million.  Her fortune was bequeathed mostly to animal and wildlife charities and to Sheffield University.