Company History


1965 Company Formation
The company was formed in 1965 and incorporated on the 1st of March 1966 by Dennis Dibley and William Hutchinson to meet the growing demand for the remanufacture of steam and gas valves, work which was initially undertaken in William Hutchinson's garden shed. However, it soon became apparent that the shed would no longer meet the Company's requirements as a facility, and in 1967 the company moved to it's first factory in Maidenhead, Berkshire, with a staff of two full-time employees to cope with the growing demand for it's services.

1968 Move to Bucks

In 1968, after a period of continued growth, the company moved to a much larger facility in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. The company resided here throughout the 1970s, expanding it's capabilities to cover all types of machining, fabrication and the repair, refurbishment and manufacture of machines as diverse as paper-converting machinery and props for films, whilst continuing to provide it's extensive sub-contract machining services.

1970 North Sea Oil and Gas

During the early 1970s, the company became a major supplier to the fledgling North Sea Oil Project. As a result of this business, and because of the Project's deemed importance, the company was declared exempt from the Three Day Week legislation on power consumption instituted by the British Government during 1973.

1976 Period of expansion

The Company opened a new Facility in Swanage Dorset to take advantage of new Hardinge and Posidata CNC machines.

1978 Further Expansion

The company was keen to install new CNC technology and one of the first to install a Sharnoa R71 CNC. The expansion also saw the purchase of an engineering Company in Exeter and the creation of CHAD Engineering, amalgamating the Exeter and High Wycombe branches of the Hutchinson & Dibley. The name CHAD was taken from the first letter of the principles, Curtis, Hutchinson, Austin, Dibley, who all became joint owners. In the early eighties CHAD Engineering was sold and continues to trade today.

1980 Recession

At the beginning of the 1980s, a major economic recession in the United Kingdom saw many companies cease trading, but Hutchinson & Dibley's links with the petrochemical industries proved of exceptional value in insulating it from the adverse effects of the economic downturn.

1985 Move to Bourne End

In February of 1985, the Company moved to it's present facility in Bourne End, a modern 3,000 square foot building. This change of site allowed considerable expansion of the already extensive machining capabilities of the Company.

1989 Consolidation

A period of consolidation followed, pre-empted by the first signs of an imminent recession in 1989, which resulted in the closure of the facility in Dorset. However, undaunted by this, the company embarked upon an extensive re-appraisal of it's manufacturing capabilities.

1993 Acquisition of RJK Engineering

The acquisition of RJK Engineering was completed in 1993. During the following five years, almost all of the CNC equipment was upgraded. An ongoing investment programme is still in place at this time.

2000 Acquisition of Adwest Adamant

In August 2000, following the sale of the entire Adwest Group to Dura Automotive Inc of the USA, the Adwest Adamant division was acquired by Hutchinson & Dibley. The Company became a First Tier supplier to Rolls Royce Aero / Marine Engines supplying and servicing Actuators on Avon, Tyne, Spey and Olympus engines.  In September 2000 Actuator production commenced from Bourne End and an overhaul and repair facility was set up to cope with the repair of units that had been in service for as much as 20 years.

2015

In 2015 the Research and Development Division, specialising in Electro Mechanical design innovation, was opened in Chinnor, Oxon.

2020 Move to Oxon

Having outgrown the Bourne End facility. In June 2020, the Company moved to a purpose built 4500 sq ft facility, with 11000 sq ft of fully secured yard space in Chinnor.

 

Hutchinson & Dibley Ltd.

Unit 1, Brigadoon Farm, Chinnor Hill Road, Chinnor, OX39 4BP

Tel: 01865 522750

Email: hutchinsondibley@btinternet.com