Boughton marks five years with Skan

Boughton, which designs and makes hook loaders, skip loaders and close-coupled trailers has since moved from Barton-under-Nedwood in Staffordshire to Wolverhampton.

"It has been a period of change, transition, progress, growth and development – which are exactly the things we assured the market we would do with the business when we acquired it in 2011," said group managing director Richard Skan.

Boughton is now co-located alongside Skan Group's other engineering business, Oldbury UK, at Balliol Business Park,Wobaston Road.

Skan also relocated Boughton's fabrication operations from old and outdated premises at Winkleigh in Devon to modern, well equipped and streamlined facilities in nearby Bideford – which have already been expanded to meet growing demand.

In 2013, Boughton launched its Power-Reach PR18 skip loader which, the company stated at the time, was the first major ground up design engineering review of the of type for a generation, incorporating features and options highlighted in a 12-month in-depth market study with operators. Its 'best in class' Intacova auto-sheeter was introduced at the same time.

The company's ubiquitous hook loader product continues to command a strong following in the market and the company's recent announcement of its strategic partnership with McNeilus of America is a further indication of the group's longer term plans and ambitions. These include additional premises and the creation of new jobs in the Wolverhampton area.

"We would like to think that we are now well on the way towards returning the Boughton brand to its rightful place at the forefront of the waste industry. Our family is passionate about the businesses it owns – a culture and ethos established by my grandfather who founded the original company in 1954," said Mr Skan.

"Today, Skan Group Holdings owns two engineering businesses, both highly respected within the specialist sectors they serve. Three things make our businesses – time, money and people. In marking these first five years with Boughton, I want to recognise the enormous contributions which every single person in our businesses make to our success," he added.

Boughton Engineering is widely respected in the industry for its tradition and concentration on function and durability – which today is still the guiding principle in its designs and developments – and has a long standing reputation for cutting edge innovation in waste transportation and collection equipment technology, which has often led the sector with original ideas and solutions.

The company has been involved in engineering since 1897, when its early ventures were connected with agricultural equipment, farm implements, contracting, forestry and transport.

Over the decades, it has been responsible for many ground-breaking innovations and developments – including a successful range of hook loaders and dry waste ejection trailers. Its defence sector products include specialist wheeled trailers.