Lister Petter
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| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturing and Distribution |
| Predecessor | R A Lister and Company Petters Limited |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Hawker Siddeley (Merger) |
| Headquarters | Hardwicke, Stroud, Gloucestershire, England |
| Products | Engines, generator sets and associated services |
| Brands | Lister, Petter |
| Owner | Hawker Siddeley (1986-1996) Schroders Venture Capital (1996-2000) EGL Group (2012-present) |
| Parent | EGL Group |
Lister Petter is a British company that manufactures internal combustion engines for industry, a subsidiary of Birmingham, England based EGL Group.
History
The company was formed in 1986, after owner Hawker Siddeley Group Plc merged Dursley, Gloucestershire based R A Lister and Company (acquired in 1965), with Yeovil, Somerset based Petters Limited (acquired in 1957).
In 1992, Hawker Siddeley Group Plc was acquired by BTR plc for £1.5bn.[1] In 1999 BTR merged with Siebe to form BTR Siebe plc, which was renamed Invensys plc.[2] In preparation, BTR sold-off any subsidiary operations, including Lister-Petter in 1996 to Schroders Venture Capital.[3]
In 2000, with Schroders looking to exit, the firm was bought through a £13.5M management buyout, enabled through selling the original Listers factory site to the South West Regional Development Agency. By this timer, the core engine products were in demise, and the company employing around 250 people on a turnover of £35M. Costing cutting measures included closing the award winning foundry in 2001, which had been one of the most advanced in Europe when it opened in 1937. In 2003, the company fell into its first administration.[3]
Products
Both companies produced a range of small diesel engines, ranging from single-cylinder water-cooled engines of 2.7 horsepower (the 'Zeta' series) up to the 64 horsepower (48 kW) 'Delta' engine. One higher-power engine of up to 335 horsepower (250 kW), the 'Omega' is also produced under licence. The engine designs range from more recent design high-speed turbodiesels (such as the 'Gamma' or 'Omega' engines) to traditional single-cylinder medium-speed types such as the 'A-Series' and 'Phi' types.
Applications
Lister Petter engines are generally used in stationary industrial applications such as pumping and electricity generation. The company produces a range of complete generator sets, units equipped for welding and in-house pumping sets, as well as supplying engines to other equipment manufacturers. L-P engines are widely exported[citation needed], especially for use in irrigation projects[citation needed]. The company also maintains a long tradition (of both its founder companies) in supplying engines for marine applications both as prime mover engines for small vessels and as auxiliary power units in larger ones.
Gas-fuelled engines
Lister Petter's main product[citation needed], the 'Alpha' series of sub-2-litre engines, is also available in spark ignition forms for running on natural gas or propane. L-P also manufactures and sells biodiesel plants, allowing customers to produce their own fuel for diesel engines.
History
- 1867 R A Lister company founded by Robert Ashton Lister.
- 1893 James B Petter & Sons founded.
- 1895 First oil engines made by Petters.
- 1910 Petters Ltd founded.
- 1929 First diesel engines produced by R A Lister in Dursley.
- 1960s/1970s peak employment of over 5,000
- 1986 R A Listers and Petters Ltd merged to form Lister Petter Ltd.
- 2004/2005 Lister Petter sees unprecedented growth and re-investment in its core products
- 2013 Goes into administration
- 2014 moves operations to former RAF Aston Down site, saves 80 jobs
Lister & Petter engines were workhorses of the British Commonwealth[citation needed]; many of these engines[citation needed] are still in use today in dump trucks[citation needed], generators[citation needed] and water pumps[citation needed]. They generally, but not exclusively, leave the factory in a Mid Brunswick Green colouring.
Locations
The company's headquarters and manufacturing facility until 2013 were in Dursley, Gloucestershire, formerly the headquarters of R A Lister and Company. After the company fell into administration in late 2013, the assets were bought by EGL Group of Birmingham. The headquarters had already moved to Hardwicke, whilst the operations were then moved to the former RAF Aston Down.[4]
Lister Petter have agents in France, the United States, China and India, which market their products and carry out final assembly of larger items such as generating sets from imported parts.
References
External links
