DOWSON ACQUISITION OF JBS COMBINES TWO OF THE UK BAKERY INDUSTRY’S SPECIALISTS
West Yorkshire based Dowson Food Machinery has acquired JBS of Peterborough, in a deal which brings together two of the UK’s most experienced bakery equipment specialists.
Both companies are well established leaders in their field. Dowson was founded by current MD John Murgatroyd in 1982, and specialises in baggers, slicers, splitters and custom-made bakery equipment. JBS was founded by Roger Jackson in 1980 and specialises in roll, bun and flatbread lines, decorating units, oven loaders, dividers and moulders. The acquisition by Bingley-based Dowson will bring together complementary technologies, making the company one of the largest operators of its kind in the UK.
Nick Lacey is commercial manager for Dowson Food Machinery, in charge of equipment sales, and he commented: “Both Dowson and JBS had developed strong in-house manufacturing capabilities. The new organisation, which will be called Dowson Food Machinery, brings together all this UK-based engineering expertise so we can offer an even wider range of products and systems to customers, here in the UK and worldwide, too.”
Both John Murgatroyd and Roger Jackson have strong engineering backgrounds, and both successfully founded their own bakery industry companies. Roger stays on as sales consultant to Dowson Food Machinery. Already in the pipeline is a new divider/moulder, where the need for flour dusting on the belt has been removed for all but the stickiest doughs, reducing airborne contaminants in the atmosphere. The concept was developed in conjunction with the Health & Safety Executive here in the UK.
Dowson baggers and splitters are widely used by leading bakeries such as Warburtons, Fine Lady, Brace’s and Premier, and the company claims to have 70% UK market share. JBS Rollmaster roll lines are widely used all over the UK, by companies like Greggs, Delifrance and Premier.
As Nick Lacey continued, “This acquisition will bring benefits to our existing and future customers, as we now have a strengthened offer and can take concepts right through to successful, finished products. Our British-built machines are in use all over the world, from Russia to South Africa, and we’re all looking forward to future UK and export successes.”
An associated company within this growing group is Spooner Industries, based in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, which manufactures industrial ovens and dryers for many different market sectors, including bakeries.
More information is available from Dowson Food Machinery on 01274 562378, email nick.lacey@dowsonfoodmachinery.co.uk or visit the website at www.dowsonfoodmachinery.co.uk
ENDS
For further media information please contact Bridget Summers, Footprint PR, on 01723 447424 or email bridget@footprintpr.org.uk
PHOTO-CAPTION: A JBS divider, one of the leading products Dowson has acquired
