FORWARD AFT!...
T
Harry Jurgens has been at the helm of AFT Trenchers for just over twelve years, first as Managing Director and now as owner.
Charmian Robinson charts the company’s progress over its fifty year history
he upsurge in demand for improved sports pitches since the late 1970s has played a crucial part in the
current success of AFT Trenchers, who are now the leading manufacturer of specialist attachment trenching equipment worldwide. Previously known as Atkins Fulford,
AFT Trenchers has been in existence for over fifty years and began life rebuilding car and vehicle engines. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that the first actual trencher was produced. It was a ‘self- propelled’ model, the first of its kind, developed for Anglia Water and subsequently ordered by National Water Authorities across the UK. This led to the setting up of AFT Trenchers in its own right.
One of the first machines was the
WizzWheel 55 which included a conveyor system to remove the spoil. It has proved so successful that, although modernised, the principle of operation remains the same and the AFT 55 is still in
production today.
The true potential of the
AF 4-35 Scoop Trencher
108
company emerged when a niche in the agricultural industry was identified leading to the design and build of the AFT 65. Unique because it had built-in drive to move the tractor which, in those days,
was not available with creeper gearboxes. It was such a major advancement that it won several Gold and Silver trade product awards.
The subsequent introduction of creep
gear, which is now available on most modern day tractors, has since reduced demand, but not before the AFT 65 had made a serious impact on trenching capabilities. When Harry Jurgens was asked to take over as Managing Director of AFT Trenchers in 1996, he had had little hands-on experience but drew on his entrepreneurial skills and degree in fiscal law which had given him success in several of his own companies. He was, effectively, head hunted whilst working as a consultant following the sale of his business in Holland.
The owners at the time were looking to
retire and wanted to pass the company to someone who was forward thinking and could breathe new life and direction into it, and Harry seemed to tick all the right boxes.
Immediately on joining the company,
Harry recognised the need to increase profitability. The solution was to improve out-dated production systems by transferring many of the processes from in-house to sub-contracting. Harry has since purchased the company and moved it to new, modern premises with advanced assembly and paint shop facilities. This process also laid the foundations for developing a totally new machine which would be
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