COMPANY PROFILE
“The business is in really good nick – it’s back where it’s supposed to be. Those days of the recession are history and the company for the last seven years has been constantly on the up.”
At the heart of the Boughton Engineering success story are those hook loaders. Among the first of their kind back in the 1970s, they have an unparalleled reputation for strength, no-fuss design, reliability, easy maintenance and exceptional customer support.
Indeed, they’re held in such high regard by the people who use them – from some of the UK’s biggest names to small family firms - that Steve says the company is regularly urged not to tinker with the design.
So, the firm has innovated in other directions. Its Power-Reach skip loader range arrived post-Skan Group takeover in 2013, the successful result of a major research and development programme which saw industry and operators’ feedback help mould its highly-effective design.
Alongside this sit Boughton Engineering’s premium spec close coupled trailers – at their most effective when used with other Boughton equipment – while a partnership between the business and US-based McNeilus brings the McNeilus Front End Loader to the UK market.
The products’ and company’s reputations were a key factor that attracted the family-run Skan Group, which was founded by Mr Skan’s grandfather in 1954 to serve the specialist glass market.
The other, he says, was its perfect fit for
Skan Group’s other business, Oldbury UK, a custom-build engineering business which supplies the defence, aerospace and homeland security market with specialist trailers, transportable systems and carrier platforms.
He spotted a connection between the two niche businesses that made perfect sense.
Today, while both have clearly defined identities, they also share certain elements. “It was a very good fit. We manage the two in terms of organisation and facilities, and recently we did a legal merger of the two businesses which is proving very good,” explained Richard.
Oldbury UK, acquired by Skan Group in 2000, is based at Boughton’s Balliol Business Park premises, while there is also a modern fabrication operation based at Boughton’s North Devon site.
As Richard reflects on recent achievements, it’s clear there is no sign of complacency.
“Due to our growth - on average 30% a year since buying Boughton and 240% over eight years – there could be a need for larger premises,” he said. “We have expanded our footprint and we will continue to review that.
“I’ve brought new product lines on board and designed and developed new products. We have taken our market share back on certain product lines and we have re-established Boughton as the market leader.
“We have increased our sales and service team three-fold - that is very important for giving the customer what they want; good products, good quality, on-time delivery and solid after sales.”
As to the future, there could be further new products and a venture into export markets, with each member of staff encouraged, regardless of their role, to seek out ideas to help Skan Group build on its 65-year history and drive it forward for the next 65 and beyond.
“We’re masters of our own destiny and we’ll look for opportunities wherever they may be - especially for Boughton,” Richard concluded.
“We’ll continue to improve in small steps – we’re a conservative business and the most important thing is our customers. As long as we are giving customers what they want, they will keep coming back.”
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