Aveling-Barford

Aveling-Barford
Company type	Public company (from 29 June 1937)
Industry	Construction machinery, engineering
Predecessor	Aveling & Porter, Barford & Perkins
Founded	1850 (Aveling & Porter)
Fate	Acquired by British Leyland (1968), later liquidated (1988)
Headquarters	Grantham, England, United Kingdom
Key people	Edward Barford (Chairman 1933–1968)
Products	Road rollers, motor graders, front loaders, site dumpers, dump trucks, articulated dump trucks
Number of employees	approx. 10,000 (mid-1920s across subsidiaries)
Parent	British Leyland (from 1968)

Aveling-Barford was a leading engineering firm based in Grantham, England, known for producing road rollers, motorgraders, front loaders, site dumpers, dump trucks, and articulated dump trucks. It established a strong reputation internationally within the construction machinery sector.

History

Barford and Perkins, founded in 1840, concentrated on manufacturing smaller road rollers alongside dairy machinery. Meanwhile, Aveling introduced the earliest known steam road roller in 1867 and specialized in larger models. The two companies maintained extensive cooperation across international markets.

Established in 1850, Aveling & Porter became a limited company on 16 July 1895. Although it operated independently until 1919, its shares were eventually acquired by the holding company Agricultural & General Engineers (AGE). When AGE collapsed in February 1932, its fourteen subsidiaries—which collectively employed approximately 10,000 people during the mid-1920s—were sold off and regained independence.

In October 1931, Barford announced plans to relocate operations to Kent by January 1932 to enhance cost efficiencies amid financial difficulties. Frank Perkins (engineer), son of Barford and Perkins' proprietor, had been collaborating with Charles Chapman (engineer) at Aveling’s Kent facility since 1929; Chapman later pioneered the first diesel engine for automobiles and played a vital role at Perkins Engines, established in June 1932.

Ruston and Hornsby

Aveling-Barford saw a notable resurgence when two subsidiaries—Aveling & Porter and Barford & Perkins—remained profitable despite their parent company's failure. Edward Barford, chairman of both firms, partnered with R. A. Lister & Co and Ruston & Hornsby, who acquired these businesses from receivership. All four companies utilized diesel engines in their products.

In 1934, Aveling & Porter merged with Barford & Perkins and adopted the name Aveling-Barford on 13 February. Operations were consolidated at a leased 36-acre Invicta Works site owned by Ruston & Hornsby in Grantham. The board comprised Edward and William Geoffrey Barford, John Heinrich Wulff Pawlyn of Ruston & Hornsby, and George Ruston Sharpley, Ruston & Hornsby's managing director. For many years thereafter, all machinery was powered by R & H diesel engines, with Ruston & Hornsby centralizing road roller production at Grantham.

Aveling-Barford was listed on the London Stock Exchange in July 1937.

The company's emblem—the 'Rampant Horse of Kent'—shares similarities with symbols used by Stuttgart, Porsche, Continental AG, and Ferrari. The firm asserted its claim as the originator of the road roller concept tracing back to Kent.

Public company

Following its transition to a public entity on 29 June 1937, Aveling-Barford encountered significant excess profits tax obligations during its inaugural year.

Throughout the 1930s, the company diversified into manufacturing cooling systems for dairy farms as well as cooking appliances for hotels and hospitals. At that time, it produced three-quarters of all road rollers in Britain, solidifying its position as a global industry leader.

Edward Barford (1898–1979) served as chairman from 1933 to 1968. In 1938, the company launched its first earthmoving machine—the 12-ton Aveling Dumper—and secured exclusive rights in England for Wieland concrete road joints.

During World War II, production shifted towards military equipment such as Bren Gun Carriers, shell fuse caps, and Loyd Carriers.

Post-war growth included developing calfdozers (compact bulldozers) and establishing two subsidiaries in April 1946: Barford Developments Ltd and Barford (Agricultural) Ltd. Additionally, a new manufacturing facility opened in Newcastle upon Tyne in September 1946.

In 1949, Aveling-Barford obtained licensing from Austin-Western Inc. of Illinois to produce motor graders marketed under the name Aveling-Austin graders.

By the early 1950s, exports represented 70% of total sales. The acquisition of Goodwin Barsby of Leicester occurred in 1954; this company was recognized for its 'Autobatch' asphalt mixing plants.

In July 1961, Hoveringham Engineering—specializing in structural steelwork as well as sand and gravel processing plants—was purchased and later renamed Invicta Bridge and Engineering in May 1965.

During the early 1960s, Aveling-Barford supplied fifty-four SN-series 30-ton vehicles for phase one of Egypt's Aswan Dam project.

The firm received the Queen's Award to Industry in April 1967 and again earned recognition for Export excellence in April 1972. With an annual turnover of £15 million, it was the largest construction equipment manufacturer within Britain. By comparison, the U.S. market was dominated by Caterpillar and Euclid; Caterpillar operated significant European manufacturing facilities located in Belgium and France during this era.

British Leyland

In November 1967, British Leyland made a £9.25 million offer for the company, which was accepted. As part of this agreement, British Leyland engines were incorporated, although they experienced some reliability challenges. JCB also expressed interest in acquiring A-B. The acquisition was finalized on 1 January 1968. In 1968, the French company Poclain sold £1.3 million worth of construction machinery in the UK, positioning itself as a competitor to JCB. At that time, Hy-Mac led the UK market as the largest producer of long reach excavators, outpacing JCB.

In September 1975, Leyland purchased Thomas Ward of Gainsborough for £3 million and transferred production of A-B tractor shovels (loaders) to that location. Following BLMC's acquisition of Marshall-Fowler, Aveling-Barford was rebranded as Aveling Marshall.

Leyland Special Products, based at Sysonby Lodge in Melton Mowbray, invested £6.5 million during the late 1970s to modernize factories in Grantham and Newcastle, simultaneously increasing its workforce by 500 employees. By 1978, this unit was renamed SP Industries with David Abell serving as managing director. In September 1978, Aveling Barford Holdings was established with Abell as chairman and Leslie Wharton as managing director; by 1980 Jack Smart had been replaced.

By December 1979, BL was seeking to divest the company. Entering the early 1980s, the business faced unprofitability and looming layoffs affecting approximately 800 of its 1,100 employees, necessitating significant restructuring.

On 21 December 1983, American entrepreneur Reid Eschallier (1934–2007) from Pennsylvania acquired the company. At that time, annual turnover stood at £32 million, primarily driven by dumper truck and road roller sales. Notably, in 1979 construction equipment manufacturer Acrow had also attempted a takeover.

By 1985, financial losses persisted; insolvency was declared on 14 June 1988 due to a debenture issued in 1986. The company entered liquidation proceedings by October 1988.

During the 1990s, an entity named Aveling Barford (Machines) Ltd was operational.

Pension scheme fraud

In February 1989, Lincolnshire Police launched an investigation into irregularities within the company’s pension scheme. By late April that year, Royal Insurance agreed to indemnify discrepancies found in the fund originally managed by Equity & Law, now part of Axa.

A court trial held in Birmingham from March to April 1992 resulted in one trustee being sentenced to prison in August; three other trustees were acquitted.

Visits

On 29 November 1963, Conservative Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home visited Grantham and stayed overnight at the residence of Lt-Col William Reeve in Leadenham, who chaired the local Conservative association. The prime minister toured the factory starting at 1 pm accompanied by Edward Barford, spent the afternoon pheasant shooting near Scopwick, visited Leadenham Hall, and concluded with dinner at the George Hotel at 6 pm.

Products

Aveling-Barford gained recognition for its extensive range of three-point road rollers, including models from the compact GA up to the GC variant. Among their most renowned diesel rollers was the "Master Pavior" three-point roller. In addition to rollers, A-B engineered and manufactured a variety of earthmoving equipment within England.

They were distinguished for producing motor graders featuring all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering capabilities, frequently utilizing Leyland Trucks components. Their articulated dump trucks (ADTs), marketed under the RDX Series with six-wheel drive (6X6), complemented a lineup of rigid dump trucks ranging from the RD030 (30 tonnes) up to the RD050 (50 tonnes), later expanded with RD55 and RD65 models.

The RD44 dump truck debuted at Bauma aiming to rejuvenate their dump truck offerings but achieved limited commercial success.

Between the 1970s and 1980s, A-B manufactured front loaders equipped with four-wheel-drive axles powered by heavy-duty diesel engines from Cummins, Leyland, or Ford; these bore resemblance to popular British loaders such as Bray or Ford models.

From the 1940s onward, A-B produced site dumpers primarily powered by Fordson Tractor Diesel engines. These machines continue to be built and marketed today under the Barford name.

Contemporary Developments

In 1988, Wordsworth Holdings took ownership of the site, but the company entered administration by 2010. Currently, Barfords operates under the ownership of Invictas Engineering.

On 12 October 2015, Invictas Engineering divested its parts supply division to Shellplant.

The rights to the Aveling Barford RXD series articulated dump trucks were acquired in 2006 by ST Kinetics, based in Singapore; these vehicles are now sold under the TRX Build label.

Norwegian firm Moxy Engineering announced intentions in August 2007 to acquire the intellectual property for Barford's rigid dump truck lineup.

Following Moxy's acquisition in 2008 by South Korea’s Doosan (previously Daewoo), the company was rebranded as Doosan Moxy AS and later Doosan Infracore Norway AS. The rigid dump truck initiative was subsequently discontinued, and the prototype shown at Bauma in 2007 was dismantled.

The former Barfords sports ground continues as Arnoldfield, located in Gonerby Hill Foot.

In October 2012, Gravity FM, a community radio station in Grantham, produced a commemorative program honoring Aveling Barford, released to aid station fundraising efforts.

Leadership: Managing Directors

Colin Ryan (1912–1983), who joined in 1939 and led as managing director from 1956 until 1969 before becoming chairman.
Alan Cheetham assumed the role in October 1975.
Roger Lockwood took over in February 1980.

Leadership: Chairmen

J David Abell began chairmanship in August 1976.
Brian Hoare held the position during the early 1980s.

Notable Former Staff

David Anderson served as chief executive of Jobcentre Plus (2003–2005) and Yorkshire Building Society (1996–2003); he was a graduate trainee at Barfords from 1977 to 1980.
Geoffrey Barford, a distinguished resident of Harston Grange and Caythorpe, had family ties to prominent personalities including Andrew Parker Bowles and Margaret Thatcher.
Edward James Barford, founder who passed away in July 1979, was the grandson of William Barford (1833–1898). He married Grace Lowrey Stanley, daughter of Albert Stanley, 1st Baron Ashfield—an influential figure in developing the London Underground. Their offspring included Edwina Patricia Lowrey and twins Clive Julian Stanley and Caroline Juliette Helen. Following Grace’s death, Edward remarried twice and spent his later years residing between London and Hertfordshire.
Fitzherbert Wright (1905–1975) served as works director during World War II and as deputy managing director from 1948 until his departure in 1949; he was the maternal grandfather of Sarah, Duchess of York.

External links