THE HISTORY OF BAKER PERKINS (EXPORTS) LTD

For a background to the growth of Baker Perkins’ export business, see Group Developments – In Summary - Exports.

Baker Perkins (Exports) Ltd began operations in Westwood Works, Peterborough on 1st September 1950. The business world at this time was still suffering from the after-effects of WW2, with import restrictions and currency problems that varied from country to country and liable to sudden change. The Board recognised that more detailed knowledge of conditions in other countries was required and that more expertise and focus needed to be brought to bear. Significantly more technical and commercial training would be required if overseas business was to be engaged in profitably.

Harold Crowther	H.S. Hargreaves

A new company was formed to take over the entire responsibilities for overseas sales, with Harold Crowther as Managing director and H.S. Hargreaves as his deputy. Young staff were recruited from within the Baker Perkins’ offices and the language problem was overcome by Harold Crowther’s organising foreign language courses. The new company soon became one of the group’s most valuable subsidiaries.

Exports sales rose to record levels, eventually reaching one-third of the group’s turnover. With a view to improving the efficiency of the Export Company, it was decided to transfer the headquarters of the export business to London and the operation moved to Swallow Street, Piccadilly, London in 1956.

Baker Perkins (Exports) Ltd Organisation Chart - May 1959. (NOTE: To maximise legibility, we have deliberately made this chart larger than 800x600 pixels, so you will need to scroll around the full image using your keyboard's arrow keys or the on-screen horizontal and vertical scroll bars).

By 1961, eighty agents had been established in overseas countries and every year was seeing new sales records broken. This increasing level of business and lack of space prompted a move to larger offices in Stanhope Gate, Park Lane, London in 1961.

On January 1st 1969, a new company Baker Perkins International Ltd., came into being and Baker Perkins (Exports) stopped trading after 18 years’ life and over £47m worth of sales. This move was part of the re-organisation of the group’s overseas activities into six geographical regions.

In 1971, the responsibility for international sales was given to the operating divisions and Baker Perkins International Ltd moved back to Westwood Works, Peterborough.

(See also The Export Company).

The decision to axe the Export Company recognised that exporting British technology – a concept that had paid dividends in the post-war years – was no longer the right way. The task was to ensure that each supply company understood what overseas customers really needed by demolishing the internal organisational barriers between the supplier and the market place. It was, however, also recognised that the Export Company had served an important purpose by sowing the seeds of expertise in selling overseas.

A more complete description of the day-to-day activities of the export business is given in The History of Baker Perkins International.

Now see:

Baker Perkins in Africa
Baker Perkins in Asia
Baker Perkins in Australasia
Baker Perkins in Europe
Baker Perkins in Latin America
Baker Perkins in the Middle East
Baker Perkins in North America
Baker Perkins in South East Asia