Econ Engineering
Encyclopedia
Econ Engineering Limited are a UK manufacturer of winter and road maintenance vehicle bodies originally founded as a supplier of agricultural equipment under the name of Agriquipment Ltd on December 9, 1959, by W. George Lupton in Otley
, North Yorkshire
.
The first Econ prototype salt spreader was finished in 1970 and the machines were launched at the 1972 IWM exhibition in Torquay
. The name Econ comes from a Bradford-based company who manufactured industrial heating units called “Econoheat” bought by WG Lupton to balance production whilst developing the salt spreaders.
Constructed in 1980, Econ Engineering Ltd manufacture and service all of their machinery at a custom-built site on the outskirts of Ripon
, North Yorkshire, employing upwards of 120 staff.
Otley
-Transport:The main roads through the town are the A660 to the south east, which connects Otley to Bramhope, Adel and Leeds city centre, and the A65 to the west, which goes to Ilkley and Skipton. The A6038 heads to Guiseley, Shipley and Bradford, connecting with the A65...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
.
The first Econ prototype salt spreader was finished in 1970 and the machines were launched at the 1972 IWM exhibition in Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
. The name Econ comes from a Bradford-based company who manufactured industrial heating units called “Econoheat” bought by WG Lupton to balance production whilst developing the salt spreaders.
Constructed in 1980, Econ Engineering Ltd manufacture and service all of their machinery at a custom-built site on the outskirts of Ripon
Ripon
Ripon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
, North Yorkshire, employing upwards of 120 staff.
History
- 1959: Agriquipment Ltd was founded by WG Lupton on 9th December in Otley, North Yorkshire.
- 1961: Patent granted for the worlds first flail mowerFlail mowerA flail mower is a type of PTO driven implement that can attach to the three-point hitches found on the rear of most tractors. This type of mower is best used to provide a rough cut to taller grass where contact with loose debris may be possible such as roadsides.The flail mower gets its name from...
designed by WG Lupton. - 1965: Agriquipment Ltd was sold to the Oliver Rix Group and production was moved to AC Bamlett in ThirskThirskThirsk is a small market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. The local travel links are located a mile from the town centre to Thirsk railway station and to Durham Tees Valley Airport...
. - 1966: The Lupat Flail Mower goes into production at AC Bamlett and continues until 1969.
- 1969: WG Lupton parts ways with the Oliver Rix Group to found Econ Engineering Ltd based at an old vaux brewery site in Ripon. The Lupat Flail Mower was re-purchased from Oliver Rix and production moved to Econ in Ripon.
- 1970: The first Econ prototype salt spreader was built.
- 1972: The salt spreaders are launched at the IWM exhibition in TorquayTorquayTorquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
. - 1975: Econ introduce road speed related spreading to discharge salt at the same rate irrespective of travelling speed.
- 1979: Planning was secured for a new purpose-built factory on the outskirts of Ripon.
- 1981: Econ bought Atkin's of ClitheroeClitheroeClitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
(then the largest UK spreader manufacturer) from the Cammell Laird Group. - 1984–1986: The acquisition and merger of Spencer's of Market HarboroughMarket HarboroughMarket Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
and Acklift of SouthwellSouthwellSouthwell may mean the following towns in England:* Southwell, Dorset* Southwell, Nottinghamshire**Southwell Minster, historic cathedral**Southwell Racecourse, horse racing venue located near Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire...
saw the creation of a street lighting division, the addition of Taskers of AndoverAndover, HampshireAndover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is on the River Anton some 18.5 miles west of the town of Basingstoke, 18.5 miles north-west of the city of Winchester and 25 miles north of the city of Southampton...
, Taylors of ConsettConsettConsett is a town in the northwest of County Durham, England, about southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is home to 27,394 .Consett sits high on the edge of the Pennines. In 1841, it was a village community of only 145, but it was about to become a boom town: below the ground was coking coal and...
, Lister Farm Machinery and LK Sprayers create a burgeoning agricultural division. - Late 1980s: The agricultural and powered access divisions are dismantled and sold off following the 1980s boom and bust.
- 1991: The Hot Box highway maintenance equipment is released.
- 1993: Econ QCB system is developed and launched.
- 1994: Unibody multipurpose body and salt spreader is released. Econ leaves the agricultural market completely and continues in the highway and winter maintenance sector.
- 1995: Pre Wet spreader is released.
- 1996: The Low Throw spreader is released for urban spreading.
- 2003: The Econ factory site was expanded to include a large refurbishment centre at the north of the site.
- 2004: Econ installs the most advanced paint facility in the North of England to increase anti-corrosion performance. SPARGO control system goes into production allowing remote salt-spreading adjustment on the move.
- 2005: The acquisition of MHS's hire fleet doubles the size of the Econ fleet to 160 units.
- 2008: SPARGO IS goes into development, an electronics GPS control unit that allows sat nav style route directions and preplanned automatically varying salt spreading patterns.