Daltons Wadkin celebrates 120-year anniversary

Founded in 1901, Daltons Wadkin is the UK’s longest established distributor and manufacturer of industrial woodworking machinery for processing a wide range of materials, including solid wood and wood-based panels, composites, plastics, non-ferrous metals and more. Operating from purpose-built premises on the edge of Nottingham, with extensive showroom facilities for machinery demonstrations, the company sells the latest CNC routers, automatic crosscut saws, vertical panel saws, edgebanders, sliding table panel saws and planer moulders.

2021 marks the fourth-generation, family-run business' 120th anniversary. Having survived a world war, crippling recessions, changes in direction, and most recently a pandemic, the Daltons Wadkin story is best told by the company's Technical Director, Steve Balchin.

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Daltons Wadkin's Technical Director, Steve Balchin

Steve joined Daltons Wadkin in 1984 as an engineer and is currently the company’s longest-serving employee. Over that time, his career has seen him working on a range of exciting contracts from some of the world’s biggest car manufacturers, and even the James Bond and Harry Potter franchises. He says: “I'm quite lucky to have experienced these opportunities, and I'm very proud. Daltons Wadkin supplied the kit for the Harry Potter and James Bond films, and I went and installed all workshop equipment for the scenery sets. The first James Bond film we worked on was Moonraker, and we did all the work for the Harry Potter films at Leavesden Studios.” Steve adds: “When you watch the films, it’s quite surreal to think that all the machinery used to make the sets was set up and installed by us. It's quite fascinating.”

One of Steve’s proudest moments while working at Daltons Wadkin, however, was when he was asked to contribute to a charity documentary film in Sierra Leone for Channel 4. "I was out there with Nick Hewer – the ambassador of Street Child – a charity set up to help kids who've lost their parents to conditions such as AIDS, and helping people to set up little industrial businesses. “I went out there with Nick and the film crew to set up a workshop. The documentary was filmed, then shown on Channel 4.”

International contracts
Since joining Daltons Wadkin in 1984, Steve’s role has taken him all over the world, and he admits that no two days are ever the same. “My work has taken me to some of the world's most inhospitable places," says Steve. "I've been to India, Africa, Sierra Leone, and the Falkland Islands. 20 or 30 years ago, I don't think the Daltons brothers would ever have dreamed they'd be sending engineers all around the world to work on various contracts. One minute you’re in a prison and the next you could be standing in one of the world’s oldest distilleries. To be honest, no day with Daltons Wadkin is ever the same.”

A new direction for Daltons Wadkin
Having had a great relationship with previous owners Nigel and Francis Dalton, Steve was very keen to strike a similar one with Nigel's son, Alex, who now leads the business. “I used to work quite closely with Nigel. You could have a lot of banter with him, and he enjoyed it, whereas Francis was a lot more serious. He’d be giving me a lecture on how I shouldn't even think about winding him up! Since taking over, I've come to realise that Alex has the same approach to life as his dad did – you can have a lot of fun with him.”

Moving forward
Celebrating their 120th anniversary this year, Steve believes the secret to the family-run business' success lies with their passion for always wanting to improve and keeping the customer in mind. “I'd say that the company is always prepared to explore new avenues when it comes to boosting business.” He comments: “For example, just after the war, Daltons Wadkin originally used to make generator sets before diversifying into woodworking machinery. The company has also greatly expanded its portfolio of machines – they're not in a little bubble where they only sell two or three types. We now have one of the largest service departments of any distributor, a dedicated operator training department along with spare parts and tooling.”
   The landscape of the woodworking industry has changed dramatically over the years, with machines becoming more technologically advanced. Steve makes it clear that in order to stay relevant in the industry, it's important for Daltons Wadkin to be open to new ideas as well as having the ability to adapt. "The CNC side of machinery is always developing, along with new and safer systems. The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) introduced a new set of regulations in 1998, which meant that all machine manufacturers had to develop these and progress them forward in order to keep up with the current regulations. That’s how it’s developed – things are far more technically advanced than they used to be.”

A bright future ahead
In addition to the advancement of machine technology, Steve says that the change in design and appearance of new machines has been just as dramatic. “The paintwork is carried out to a high standard, and with the finish applied, the new machines look as good as a new Jaguar car. There’s also been massive advances in quality, overall appearance and efficiency of the machines.” So many businesses are facing a tough end to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Steve insists that the future of Daltons Wadkin is very bright and business as strong as ever. “Alex has definitely got the passion for continuing the Daltons Wadkin name,” continues Steve. “The family-run business has been going for over 120 years – there aren't many who can claim that. I have no doubt that Daltons Wadkin's future is in safe hands. Alex has the same mindset for progressing the business as his dad and uncle had, so I'd say things are looking pretty good.”

​For more information on Daltons Wadkin, see www.daltonswadkin.com.

COMPANY INFO
Daltons Wadkin Ltd
Crossgate Drive, Queens Drive Industrial Estate
Nottingham
NG2 1LW
0115 824 5929

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