Heritage founded by success...
The company was founded in 1903 by Mr. F.T. Bersey. The original premises consisted of a small workshop in Laystall Street, Holborn, London. Laystall Motor Engineering Works was incorporated as a limited company on 1st November 1906. The business was described as Automotive Repairers and Engineers and it was the holder of the "All Repairs" certificate from the RAC. Even in those early days the services offered included vehicle overhaul with cylinder and crankshaft grinding, replacement gears, bearings and pistons, together with welding facilities.
In the next 4 decades the company continually expanded its operations moving into increasingly larger premises in the London area and to Liverpool in 1924. During this time the manufacture of crankshafts for vehicle applications commenced and the general machining facilities at both locations earned a reputation for sub contract engineering of the highest quality. Projects included a complete engine built and raced at Brooklands, crankshafts for Bentley cars, which gained victories at Le Mans and elsewhere and Parry-Thomas broke the land world speed record in a car fitted with a Laystall crankshaft. In later years successes were enjoyed with Laystall crankshafts helping Cooper Climax to win the Grand Prix's constructor's championship, Jack Brabham the drivers championship, Cosworth with 100 Formula 1 victories and McClaren Mercedes in the Indy 500.
The war years saw the company machining propellor blade hubs for Rolls Royce and following severe bomb damage to the largest London properties, the air ministry ordered their work to be manufactured outside of London. Armaments such as tank tracks etc remained but the new operation in Wolverhampton was established in 1940. Production of volume crankshafts and the manufacture of Cromard engine liners then became the main focus and although both machine and production tooling operations were incorporated during the 1960's it was at this time that the company began to manufacture hydraulic cylinders through the acquisition of Trucoze Engineering in Old Hill. For a 20 year period until the closure of the London operation in 1983, clutch components were also manufactured for use in destroyers, frigates etc in over 20 Navies worldwide.
53 Gt. Suffolk St., Southwark, London SE1 circa late 1920s
The years since the buy-out have seen the transition of Laystall from a largely automotive based operation to a hydraulic industry dominated manufacturer supplying a wide range of applications in both the U.K. and Globally. To complement this development Wolverhampton based Hydraulic Precision was acquired in 2001. Laystall is now one of the largest privately owned hydraulics businesses in the U.K. The Cromard brand of cylinder liners is still in continuous production and we remain a market leader throughout the Middle and Far East.
Very few companies can match the Laystall achievement. The credit for our long history goes to all employees, past and present, who have contributed to the success. Our continuing goal will be to maintain our position at the forefront of U.K. manufacturing for many years to come.