Wm Clark and Son (Parkgate) Ltd has provided engineering and forestry services for over 100 years and is one of the UK’s leading suppliers and manufacturers of forestry equipment. From humble beginnings as the local blacksmith and farrier in 1924, the family business has always been at the forefront of engineering design and innovation and currently, together with its sister company Powerhand, operates from a 50,000 sq ft factory on a five-acre site with over forty employees.
Still under the ownership of the Clark family, our company is now in its fourth generation and the future has never looked better.
1924
The Early Days
Founded in 1924 by William Clark, the business started with the purchase of the assets of a small blacksmith’s workshop and field at Parkgate, Dumfriesshire for the sum of just under one hundred pounds. The site of the original blacksmith’s workshop where our company began lies within the much larger site our Clark Engineering workshops still occupy today. Shoeing of local working horses including forestry horses that assisted in hauling timber in the nearby Ae Forest, linked Clark to the forest industry from the very early days.
The General Strike in 1926 almost brought William Clark’s fledgling business to its knees. The miners’ strike lasted from May until the end of November which meant that both coal and steel were unavailable for a long period – the basic raw materials of the blacksmith’s smithy. Around the same time Parkgate Post Office and Telephone Exchange became vacant and William’s wife, Sarah, became Postmistress and was able to ensure that the smithy was able to continue.
William and Sarah’s son, Murray, left school at the age of 14 and joined the family business in 1940. Murray began to design and manufacture a range of forest cultivation ploughs.
1960s
The Plough Years
By the mid-1960s, Clark offered a full range of forestry ploughs. Over 2000 ploughs were sold and exported worldwide and much of the UK’s established forests were initially cultivated with Clark ploughs. Wm Clark and Son also developed deep working ploughs for specialist applications such as salt ridging in Iraq, oil exploration in Australia, irrigation in Africa and sub-sea cable trenching around the UK coastline.
1980s
Changing Times
In the early 1980s, the decline in bare ground tree planting in the UK, along with changes in cultivation techniques resulted in the degeneration of plough manufacturing and so, Doug Clark, Murray’s son, moved the company into the sale and manufacture of specialised timber harvesting equipment. During the 1980s, Clark became the distributor for many of the world’s leading forestry equipment manufacturers, including Indexator Ab of Sweden and OFA tyre chains of Finland; relationships that still exist today. At this time, the company also began the design and production of forest machine tracks (which eventually became Clark Tracks Ltd), and their first range of Clark log grapples.
1990s
Making Tracks
The production of forest machine tracks began in 1988 and Clark became the second largest manufacturer of this equipment worldwide. Most Clark tracks were fitted to Nokian forestry tyres which resulted in a close technical relationship with Nokian and ultimately the UK distributorship for Nokian Tyres in the UK. A new company, Nordic Tyres, was formed in 1999 to sell and market all Nokian heavy tyres. Clark Tracks Ltd was broken away from the main business and ultimately sold to Gunnebo Industries Ab in 2007.
THE NEW MILLENIUM
Moving Into New Times
Over the following years, Clark secured the dealerships of many more of the world’s leading forestry equipment manufacturers who are still represented today including, ExTe, Cranab, Markusson, Oregon, Tamtron and more recently FaoFar for their range of forwarding trailers.
After the sale of Clark Tracks the company moved into new areas, one of which was the sale of forestry PPE and arborist equipment led by Doug’s wife, Yvonne. Securing the world leading Pfanner and Protos distributorships for the UK and Ireland in 2012, this business grew substantially, resulting in the formation of a new company, Outwear Ltd, in 2018. Outwear operates from its own warehouse in Lockerbie and now represents many leading brands for the professional outdoor worker and outdoor enthusiast.
2000s
Product Design And Innovation
Progressing into the new millennium, design, innovation and product development has been at the heart of the company and today Clark leads the market with their range of innovative refuelling tanks and systems, whilst the Powerhand division is a leading designer and manufacturer of forestry, sawmill, recycling and railway attachments.
2019
Next Generation
2019 saw the company reach a new milestone in its history, with Murray, the son of Doug and Yvonne Clark, becoming the fourth generation of Clarks to join the family business. Murray assumed the role of Managing Director in 2021 and with an experienced team beside him and the opening of a newly built Advanced Machining Centre in 2022, he is following in the entrepreneurial footsteps of his predecessors, setting the company on a new trajectory, with the future looking as positive as ever.
A Century-Old Story
Our Key Moments
Company Creation
William and Sarah Clark's New Venture
Having served as a farrier in the first world war and then working in the ship yards on the River Clyde, William Clark and his young wife, Sarah, move to Parkgate in Dumfriesshire, south west Scotland where William takes over the local blacksmith and farrier business.
Regular work includes the repair of forest cultivation spades and hand tools and the shoeing of forestry horses at Pleasance, Parkgate.
Hard Times
Two Years In and Disaster Strikes
In 1926, only a couple of years after William starts his business, The General Strike almost brings the fledgling business to its knees. The strike begins on the 3rd of May, 1926 and on the first full day of action, on the 4th of May, there are estimated to be between 1.5 and 1.75 million people out on strike. The miners strike lasts until the end of November which means that both coal and steel are not available for a while – the basic raw materials of the smithy.
At this time Parkgate Post Office and telephone exchange becomes vacant and Sarah takes up the position of Postmistress and thereby ensures that the smithy is able to continue business.
Murray's Early Start
Murray Clark joins the family business
At age 14, Murray, William and Sarah’s son, joins the family farrier tradition. A typical day in the blacksmith’s shop starts at 6am, six sets of horse shoes being made before breakfast, then the workforce files into the blacksmith’s house where Sarah has prepared breakfast, before work starts on the main work of the day; shoeing farm horses, repairing local farm equipment and manufacturing metal parts needed by the joiner next door.
Forced Change of Direction
Moving with the Times
With the modernisation of agriculture, horse shoeing all but stops in the blacksmith’s shop by the early 1960s. After the war, work continues to be predominantly for the local farms and estates. In the late 1940s and early1950s, the Forestry Commission (government forestry department) begins large scale tree planting in the Dumfriesshire area and Murray Clark becomes involved in the design and manufacture of forest cultivation ploughs.
In these early years of plough development, there is a significant investment into the development and design with very little income. During these years, the company is also involved in the manufacture of logging arches, crawler tractor cabs, forestry hand tools and nursery seed bed grit spreaders.
Fuelling the Future
Parkgate Petrol Filling Station
In the late 1950’s, Murray decides that the business is in need of another income stream in case of a downturn in the engineering and plough manufacturing business. In 1960 he opens the Parkgate Petrol Filling Station, selling everything from fuel and oils to batteries and tyres, as was common with filling stations of the period.
Unfortunately, due to the rural location, the petrol station never makes much profit and closes it’s operation in 1976.
The site of the Parkgate Petrol Filling Station is now currently occupied by the Clark company offices.
Leading the Way
Forestry Ploughs
After a decade of investment into plough development and manufacture, the Clark range of forestry ploughs are now in use all over the UK as thousands of acres of new commercial forest plantations are being created. Up until the early 1980s forest ploughs and deep cultivation equipment is the main business for the company.
Over 2000 ploughs were produced with sales not only throughout the UK and Ireland but stretching as far as Iceland and Canada.
Third generation
Douglas Clark joins the family business
Leaving school at age 16, Douglas Clark, son of Murray and Dorothy, joins the company, bringing the third generation into the family business. The workforce at this time consisted of a team of five engineers plus the family.
During these years, the forestry plough industry in the UK was in decline and looking for alternative markets, the company drew on the knowledge and experience gained with forestry ploughs and began manufacturing deep cultivation and reclamation ploughs, many of which were sold to Ireland. These products however offered low sales in difficult to find specialist markets, so by the mid 1980s, the company turned its full attention to the forest industry.
Timber Grapples & Rotators
New Directions
The company had always produced a small range of timber extraction hooks and fittings, so entering the timber harvesting market was a natural direction….making equipment to harvest the trees planted on ground prepared by Clark ploughs over the previous thirty plus years.
The first of these new products, a range of timber grapples, leads to a close cooperation with Indexator Ab from Sweden, the world’s leading manufacturer of hydraulic rotator motors for grapples and attachments. Clark becomes the UK and Ireland distributor for Indexator. A strong cooperation which still continues to this day.
A range of refuelling tanks, grab tanks, is also designed and manufactured.
Band track production begins
Making Tracks
Further developing the forestry range of products, including cooperation with Finnish tyre chain manufacturer, OFA, Douglas saw an opportunity to manufacture forest machine band tracks and in 1988 sells the first set of tracks to the Forestry Commission.
This first set of tracks being manufactured in rustic fashion.. on an enlarged smithy fire and an old plough mouldboard press.
Production techniques become more sophisticated over the following years resulting in Clark becoming the second largest forest machine track manufacturer in the world.
ExTe Distribution
Timber Bunks
Cooperation begins with ExTe Fabriks Ab of Sweden and Clark becomes the UK and Ireland distributor.
ExTe supply products to timber hauliers all over the world who stipulate demands for road safety, a good working environment and rational transport. ExTe’s product development has created standards in many countries regarding the design of cargo securing that is safe in traffic.
The company was established in 1898 and has by far the widest range of cargo securing equipment on the market for securing loads on road and rail.
Powerhand Attachments
The start of a new brand
The first Powerhand Attachments products are produced, with the rail industry using Powerhand sleeper grabs to lay new sections of rail. This is the first product in a range of materials handling attachments that operate in not just the rail industry, but in forestry, ports, recycling and construction industries.
Nokian Tyres and Nordic Tyres
New distribution agreement
Forest machine track manufacture brings a close working relationship with Nokian of Finland and in 1998 Clark becomes the UK and Ireland distributor for Nokian’s range of forestry tyres.
The success of the Nokian forestry tyre distribution by Clark creates a new opportunity to distribute the full range of Nokian Heavy Tyres in the UK and Ireland. A new company, Nordic Tyres (UK) Ltd is formed in 1999; a partnership between Douglas Clark and Alan Lindsay to become the UK and Ireland distributor of Nokian Heavy Tyres.
Initially operating from the Parkgate site and then moving to a dedicated warehouse near Brampton, Cumbria and more recently to a 4000 square metre modern warehouse facility in Dumfries, Nordic Tyres develops into one of the UK’s leading suppliers of agricultural and forestry tyres incorporating the Nokian and CEAT brands.
Nordic Tyres (UK) Ltd is sold to GB Tyres Ltd in October 2023.
New Track Factory
Increasing track production
With the strong growth of export sales of the Clark track product into Europe and supplier to OEM John Deere in Finland, Clark starts construction of a dedicated 800 square metre track production factory.
Investments into new induction heating systems and streamlined production, assists Clark in becoming the number two producer of tracks in the world. Dealers are appointed in 25 countries globally and investment in production and systems continues.
Five years later, Clark Tracks Ltd, a new stand alone company is formed and in 2007 Clark Tracks Ltd is sold to Gunnebo Industries Ab.
New Office facility
Building Space
As the business continues its growth, new offices are built on the Parkgate site providing 300 square metres of modern office space and canteen facilities.
Powerhand attachments division
Moving in to a new space
Following the sale of Clark Tracks Ltd in 2007, the growing Powerhand attachments division moves into the vacant factory on the Parkgate site and begins development of a comprehensive range of materials handling equipment.
Clark Forest
New Arb and Forestry Division
Clark has been supplying customers with chainsaw consumables, forestry tools and PPE products for many years and since 2008, the range of equipment expands to include many new ranges including products for the tree care industry. The growth and demand for these products requires a new identity to differentiate between Clark Engineering and the Clark Forest brand was born.
Managed by Yvonne Clark (Douglas’ wife), Clark Forest becomes one of the leading suppliers of arborist and forestry equipment in the UK and the Clark Forest online shop is launched, together with a supporting sales catalogue.
Pfanner and Protos
Focus on Distribution
The growth of the Clark Forest division grows and Clark becomes the UK distributor for Pfanner and Protos of Austria, distributing their range of chainsaw PPE throughout the UK.
The distribution business continues growth and in 2018, a stand alone company, Outwear Ltd, is formed between Douglas and Yvonne Clark and Andrew Hunter and the Outwear company relocates to a warehouse and distribution facility in Lockerbie. Outwear continues to focus on the import and distribution of premium quality PPE, clothing and equipment for the professional outdoor worker and outdoor enthusiast. Outwear is the sole UK and Ireland importer for Protos GmbH and Pfanner Schutzbekleidung GmbH of Austria, Woolpower of Sweden, CRISPI from Italy and Sasta from Finland.
Birth of VRS
Vehicle Recycling System
Powerhand makes large investments into the design and manufacture of the first VRS attachment for dismantling end of life vehicles.
Hydraulic Repair Centre
Clean Room
To enhance the quality of servicing Indexator hydraulic motors and other specialist hydraulic parts, a dedicated Clean Room Hydraulic Repair Centre opens.
Fourth Generation
Murray Clark joins the family business
After completing engineering and business management studies at Edinburgh University, Murray Clark, son of Douglas and Yvonne, joins the company, bringing the fourth generation of Clarks into the family business.
Murray’s partner, Rebecca Sanderson, also joins the business administration and accounts team.
G-Tank
Refuelling for the Future
Production of the newly designed UN ADR approved diesel refuelling tank, G-Tank, begins. A new concept of tank which is UN approved for transport of fuel on the highway, G-Tank products are soon exported throughout Europe.
Clark also manufactures complimentary products based on the grab bar principle, including tool boxes, mini workshops and oil drum stores.
Building for the future
New state of the art facility
The construction of a new 2,000 square metre manufacturing facility commences in 2021 with the new state of the art facility opening in October 2022. This new facility houses the machine shop with CNC lathes and milling machines, a hydraulic cylinder manufacturing cell and assembly hall as well as providing office space and canteen facilities.
Our Centenary
100 Years of Engineering Innovation
2024 marks one hundred years since William and Sarah Clark moved to Parkgate to set up their blacksmithing business. Since the very early days of the business, the goal was always to innovate, advance the company and produce the very best equipment. Many challenges were overcome and some tough times were experienced, but the focus on the future was always firm. Over four generations the motto of never giving up has helped steer the path forward. As the company enters its second centenary, investments in advanced production (robotic welding cells) are paving the way forward.
