Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

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Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 167,669 pages of information and 247,074 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Presto Tools: Difference between revisions

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‎‎[[Image: ‎Im1951Benn-Easterbrook.jpg|thumb|1951]]
‎‎[[Image: ‎Im1951Benn-Easterbrook.jpg|thumb|1951]]
[[image: Im1983Eg-Presto.jpg |thumb| 1983.]]
[[image:Im1983Eg-Presto2.jpg |thumb| 1983.]]


The company dates back to 1843 when John Easterbrook began working for himself. 
Part of [[Easterbrook, Allcard and Co]]
 
In 1852 he was in partnership as [[Easterbrook and Scatchard]]
 
In 1854 as [[Easterbrook, Scatchard and Drury]], toolmakers and machinists at its Albert Works making ratchet braces, hammers, spanners, screw stocks, taps and dies, lathes and all kinds of tools made to order. 
 
In 1858, it came [[Easterbrook, Allcard and Co]].
 
The business moved to its present location in 1869.  John Easterbrook dropped out of the business, leaving James Allcard to run it. 
 
The firm's 26th catalogue published in 1900 lists around 200 different hand tools being offered for sale in addition to the company's machine tools. 


The Presto trademark appeared in 1907 followed in 1911 by the Greyhound trademark, later registered as “Two Dogs.”
The Presto trademark appeared in 1907 followed in 1911 by the Greyhound trademark, later registered as “Two Dogs.”


As the decade of the 1970s drew to a close all was not well. The economy was in decline and in November 1980 short time working was reintroduced for the first time since 1936.  
1995 The new owners core business was property and leisure and they soon decided to sell off 'Presto', which was prepared for sale by even more cost cutting and reduction of the workforce.  


In 1982 the company changed its status from that of a public company to being a private company.  
In October 1997, exactly 100 years from its incorporation, Kennametal Hertel Ltd acquired Presto Engineers Cutting Tools Ltd, new owners who would bring new life and prosperity to this much-respected Sheffield firm.  


J. Stanley Allcard died in August 1989 and his family sold its majority shareholding. In a very hostile take-over the McGee family had to withdraw from the battle and the company was acquired by the James Wilkes Group. Now the old family firm was exposed to a series of changes as assets were disposed of, staff numbers reduced and capital investment frozen.
2006 June. Presto return to an independent state as Suncraft International purchased the Presto brand from Kennametal. It also saw a welcome return of the famous trademarked Presto sign to Penistone road, Sheffield.  
 
More change was to follow when James Wilkes was in turn acquired by the chemicals conglomerate Suter plc in 1993. Suter set out to drive down costs even further, seeking a leaner operation and installing central controls, though happily investing some £2 million in 1994 on more CNC equipment.
 
Suter plc was in its turn acquired by Ascot Holdings in 1995. The new owners core business was property and leisure and they soon decided to sell off 'Presto', which was prepared for sale by even more cost cutting and reduction of the workforce.
 
In October 1997, exactly 100 years from its incorporation, Kennametal Hertel Ltd acquired Presto Engineers Cutting Tools Ltd, new owners who would bring new life and prosperity to this much-respected Sheffield firm.  


June 2006 saw Presto return to an independent state as Suncraft International purchased the Presto brand from Kennametal. It also saw a welcome return of the famous trademarked Presto sign to Penistone road, Sheffield.  
2012 Relocated from the original site on Penistone Road, Sheffield, to a 25,000 Sq Ft warehouse in Chapeltown, Sheffield.




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== Sources of Information ==
== Sources of Information ==
<references/>
<references/>
* [http://www.presto-tools.co.uk/History.html] Presto web site
* [http://www.presto-tools.co.uk/History, Presto web site company history page]


{{DEFAULTSORT: }}
{{DEFAULTSORT: }}
[[Category: Town - ]]
[[Category: Town - Sheffield]]
[[Category: Tools]]
[[Category: Tools]]

Latest revision as of 00:48, 30 March 2019

‎‎

1951
1983.
1983.

Part of Easterbrook, Allcard and Co

The Presto trademark appeared in 1907 followed in 1911 by the Greyhound trademark, later registered as “Two Dogs.”

1995 The new owners core business was property and leisure and they soon decided to sell off 'Presto', which was prepared for sale by even more cost cutting and reduction of the workforce.

In October 1997, exactly 100 years from its incorporation, Kennametal Hertel Ltd acquired Presto Engineers Cutting Tools Ltd, new owners who would bring new life and prosperity to this much-respected Sheffield firm.

2006 June. Presto return to an independent state as Suncraft International purchased the Presto brand from Kennametal. It also saw a welcome return of the famous trademarked Presto sign to Penistone road, Sheffield.

2012 Relocated from the original site on Penistone Road, Sheffield, to a 25,000 Sq Ft warehouse in Chapeltown, Sheffield.


See Also

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Sources of Information

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