The Heritage of David Brown Hydraulics
David Brown Hydraulics is now part of the Clyde organisation, which it has been since 2008. However, there is a long history before that event took place, both in the product itself and the name that the company now bears.
David Brown Hydraulics was previously known as Hamworthy Hydraulics, the David Brown Hydraulics name coming as a result of an acquisition made in 1993.
Structure
David Brown Hydraulic Systems Ltd in Poole, Dorset, UK. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Clyde Blowers.
David Brown Hydraulics has wholly owned companies in Vignola, Italy; Copenhagen, Denmark; Düsseldorf Germany; Helsinki, Finland; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA and Sydney, Australia. It also has a sister company selling David Brown products in Oslo, Norway.
Manufacture
David Brown Hydraulics has an extensive range of low noise helical gear, aluminium and cast iron gear pumps, as well as standard spur gear models. Its valve range covers multi-spool sectional and monoblock models with electro-hydraulic, hydraulic and lever control.
Dual axis, stackable, and single axis hydraulic pilot valves are also available with an extensive range of handle options including ergonomic handles with many switches and button options. The valves are available with spring centred and electric detent options. David Brown Italy produces all pilot valve products for the group.
David Brown also produces and sells its own range of transport hydraulics under the name of David Brown Powauto. The product range covers power take-offs, pumps valves and accessories for on road vehicles. The Powauto range of products is produced by David Brown Australia.
Specifically to the offshore and marine industry David Brown Hydraulics market a range of crane drives and winches. These products are either type approved by DNV or certified by various certification bodies as per the maritime industries requirements.
History
1913 Percy Francis Hall and his brother Sidney Zaleski Hall formed Hamworthy Engineering. The business then had 6 employees. Hamworthy Engineering took its name from the Parish of Hamworthy in the Borough of Poole where the original works was located.
The company made a variety of products including, air compressors, and oil engines, hoists and winches. However, any plans for the company were put on hold by the outbreak of the First World War when the company became involved in Government contracts for military and armament products.
1918 Hamworthy set up its own foundry to guarantee a supply of high quality castings.
1936 A fire at the main pattern shop that spread and destroyed the engine patterns effectively ended the production of the Hamworthy engine business.
1939 The company was again involved in the war effort, this time the Second World War, however, the company did not change its manufacture to that of armaments, instead it carried on its normal production of pumps and compressors, much of which was used either directly or indirectly in the war effort.
Company started manufacturing gear pumps and hydraulic valves for Ruston-Bucyrus, the bulldozer and excavator manufacturer, based in Lincoln, England, however, in 1953 Ruston-Bucyrus decide to take over the manufacture of the products themselves.
1954 Hamworthy Engineering took the opportunity to become a License of the Hydreco Division of the American company New York Air Brake. This gave Hamworthy an exclusive franchise together with access to technical information for hydraulic equipment. Hamworthy Hydraulics was formed from this association as a 50% owned subsidiary of Hamworthy Engineering.
1955 Hamworthy Engineering moved to new premises at Fleets Corner, where 2000 staff members were employed. In 1962 Powell Duffryn acquired the interests of Hamworthy Engineering and the 50% share of Hamworthy Hydraulics.
1965 Hydreco Hamworthy Hydraulics GmbH was established in Frankfurt.
1966 Hamworthy Denmark was opened on January 18th 1966.
1967 Hamworthy Finland opened December 15th
1968 Operations were extended to include wholly owned subsidiaries in Europe and Australia.
1971 Hamworthy Hydraulics Norway is started. Hydreco Hamworthy Hydraulics GmbH moved to Ratingen (near Düsseldorf) and company name changed to “Hamworthy Germany GmbH”
1972 Hydralift prototype offshore crane drive deliveries takes place. A milestone in the company offshore business.
1977 Italian subsidiary is founded by Hydreco-Hamworthy.
1989 Hamworthy purchased Hydreco shares – the company became Hamworthy Hydraulics. Powell Duffryn Group aquired the Hamworthy Hydraulics company.
1990 Hamworthy Italy, pilot valves’ know-how is acquired from Faco System.
1993 David Brown Group purchased Hamworthy Hydraulics and Hamworthy Transmissions from Hamworthy Engineering and the production facility of the Transmissions part of the business was moved to the main David Brown facility in Huddersfield.
1994 German company name was changed to “HH Hydraulics Deutschland GmbH”
1995 The Hamworthy Hydraulics business changed its name to David Brown Hydraulics.
German company name was changed to “David Brown Hydraulics Deutschland GmbH”.
1996 IFP, a manufacturer of valves and pumps based in Chicago, USA was purchased to become part of David Brown Hydraulics and known as David Brown Hydraulics Inc. Interestingly, the pumps manufactured by IFP were the pumps originally manufactured by Hydreco from which the pumps side of the Hamworthy Hydraulics business originated.
1998 The Hydreco valves business purchased from Danfoss in the US and moved into the David Brown Hydraulics Inc facility in Chicago. Similarly, the valves being manufactured by Danfoss were the valves originally manufactured by Hydreco from which the valves side of the Hamworthy Hydraulics business originated.
Textron purchased entire David Brown Group.
1999 David Brown Hydraulics division formed as part of HR Textron. David Brown Hydraulics US facility divided and moved from its base in Chicago to Greenville in South Carolina, USA and to Poole in England.
2000 David Brown Engineering & Hydraulics in Australia & the brand Powauto became a part of David Brown Hydraulics. The Hydraulics operations in Denmark and Sweden are merged and continued from Denmark.
2001 Company moves from Fleets Corner to Upton. At the same time all pumps and valves manufacturing is outsourced to external supplier HEMA Industries in Turkey.
In Norway David Brown Benzlers AS is formed after David Brown Hydraulics Norway AS aquires 90% of the Benzler AS shares from AB Benzlers.
2002 David Brown Hydraulics became part of Fluid Handling division of Textron.
Pilot valve production is moved from Poole to Vignola
2003/4 The FHP and the TPT groups were consolidated into Fluid & Power Inc. Group containing besides David Brown Hydraulics also Maag Pump Systems, David Brown Engineering Ltd and Union Pump (Guinard Pumps, Union Pumps and David Brown Pumps).
2005 David Brown Hydraulics and Benzler-Ferri businesses are merged in Italy and the Benzler-Ferri operation moves to Vignola. The German sales office, warehouse and workshop was closed, office re-located / incorporated into Textron group i.e. Benzler in Venlo, registered office relocated to Textron/Kautex in Neuss.
2006 The German company changed registered office to Textron in Bonn, Germany.
2008 Clyde Blowers acquires Textron Fluid & Power Inc. David Brown Hydraulics moves legally to a stand alone company under the name David Brown Hydraulic Systems Ltd.