Over 50 years in the fabrication industry
Here’s a brief history of Richard Alan the company. From humble beginnings to where we are today.
Richard Alan Engineering is established by Richard Johnson and Alan Bragan.
The partnership is formed whilst working together as heads of the maintenance team at Batley Carpet Mill.
The Company relocates to an old, converted Sunday school chapel in Batley Carr. Having earned a reputation providing engineering services to the many textile manufacturers in the area, focus moves towards the fast-developing local chemical industry.
The original founders retire and hand over control of the business to their sons, with Robert Johnson taking the role of Managing Director.
The Company makes its first acquisition; stainless steel manufacturing sub-contractor, H Wilman & Sons, formerly a vinegar brewery on Grange Road, Batley.
The business relocates from Batley Carr to a new, purpose-built facility at Shaw Cross, Dewsbury. The new site is chosen for its ideal central location and the scope it offers for future expansion.
Allied Colloids awards Richard Alan the “outsourcing” contract for the manufacture and assembly of their polymer equipment. To support this an electrical, control and instrumentation department is established.
With a franchise from Cemo Pumps, South Africa, the creation of a new company, Pumps and Ancillaries, signifies the birth of the Richard Alan Group.
Scaffolding Access Solutions is formed from the acquisition of SAS Bradford, adding the design and supply of scaffolding systems to the Group offering.
Having expanded Richard Alan Engineering’s machining facility through the acquisitions of two local machining companies, South Leigh Engineering in 2000 and then Gary Dyson Engineering in 2003, the department is given its own identity and Ramco CNC is established.
The Group undergoes an extensive rebranding exercise, establishing the now-iconic logo that is instantly recognisable as Richard Alan.
Richard Alan Engineering launches Richard Alan Water, a range of water and wastewater treatment equipment. It is the first complete product range designed and manufactured entirely in-house and is aimed predominantly at both private and public sector water intensive industries.
The Engineering Apprenticeship Programme begins with the appointment of 6 apprentices across the group. This programme continues with an intake of new apprentices, annually.
Exclusive licensing agreement, to manufacture and supply the BASF range of polymer handling, preparation and dosing equipment into the European Water market, is agreed.
Additional premises are secured on the Shaw Cross Business Park, immediately opposite the existing site. This facilitates expansion of the fabrication and assembly departments in line with growing customer demand.
Richard Alan’s design department rapidly expands to cope with demand and now boasts design engineers with specialisms in structural steelwork, storage & mixing tanks, pressure vessels, complex machines and electrical systems.
Despite heavy competition Richard Alan secures its largest single project with the design, pre-fabrication and installation of process pipelines, installation of capital plant and equipment, and the installation of electrical, instrumentation and control systems for a prestigious new Bio-Acrylamide plant at BASF, Bradford. With a project value in excess of £5m, more than 120,000 man hours are delivered on the project over a nine month period.
Following a long and successful relationship with the Turkish gearbox manufacturer Yilmaz Redüktör and whilst retaining the sole UK franchise, a sister company to Pumps and Gearboxes is created to further strengthen the brand’s profile in this territory and Yilmaz UK is born.
Standard product is developed for and in collaboration with Severn Trent Water, putting the Richard Alan equipment on their key supplier framework.
The Group is acquired by CorpAcq, a buy-and-build acquisitions group and long-term investor in many successful businesses. Day to day management of the Group remains with the incumbent directors and management team.
Richard Alan celebrates 50 years in business. As for the future: new and exciting opportunities are never overlooked and are always approached with the “go for it” attitude that has characterised Richard Alan since 1970.
Want to know more about what we offer? Got a specific project you’d like to discuss? Then we’d really like to hear from you! Call us on:
+44 (0)1924 467040
or send us an email request.
