Based in the Black Country town of Lye, in the industrial heart of the English Midlands, Baker Horseshoes is the oldest horseshoe manufacturer in the Western world and one of the largest in Europe. (originally called Benjamin Baker LTD.) The firm was established on June 10th 1887 by a young man who gave the company his own name. The enterprising Mr Baker proved early on that he had a knack for solving any problems that came his way. Barred from building an industrial site in a residential area, Benjamin simply disguised his factory as a row of terraced houses. At first, he concentrated on manufacturing nails in the traditional way, by hand. But, with nail production becoming increasingly mechanised Benjamin soon moved on to more profitable lines. By 1889 he was making 'frost-cogs', anti-skid studs for the shoes of working horses. From there, it was a logical step to move onto the manufacture of hand-made horseshoes. The move was made even more profitable by the outbreak of the Boer War in South Africa. Benjamin's factory supplied the shoes that kept Britain's horse-borne troops ready for action. Business continued to boom throughout the early years of the 20th Century. By 1912, Benjamin's factory, still disguised as terraced houses- was employing more than 100 men. At the outbreak of the First World War, the company installed drop forges for the production of such essential items as crankshafts and spades. After the war, the impact of the motor car became increasingly apparent and the number of working horses declined rapidly. Once again, a problem was solved by the creation of a complete new range of products. The company began to manufacture wheelbarrows and garden rollers. It was a very successful move, with the company using as much as 3,000 tons of steel a year in the 1930's. The Second World War saw the company working flat out, producing horseshoes and wheelbarrows as their contribution to the British war effort. After then, however, the mechanisation of agriculture grew at a phenomenal pace. The demand for horseshoes plummeted. In the 1950's , the company was using 400 tons of steel a year. Nevertheless, there was still a demand for quality horseshoes. Meeting the demand remained the core activity of the company as, one by one, competitors fell by the wayside. In the 1960's horseriding for pleasure began to grow in popularity. As a result Benjamin Baker's shoes were increasingly in demand, especially in the USA. In 1978, the company showed that it was still capable of great leaps of imagination and innovation. The Baker Readymade shoe was launched, arguably the greatest advance ever made in horseshoe design and the beginning of a major revolution in farriery. In 1981, the company was bought by the current Chairman, Ray Burn. His first job was a major modernisation and a complete £300,000 re-equipment of the factory- still housed in its original, cramped and ageing terrace. The company was given a new lease of life. One of the first fruits was the launch of the 'Derby' shoe pattern in 1984. A lightweight shoe, designed for the American market, the 'Derby' was the first to solve the metal displacement problem caused by three-quarter groove. The problem was solved by a unique method of closed die forging which, even today, remains a closely guarded secret. Other innovations followed: a 'dead-soft' training shoe for racehorses, a very hard steel trotting shoe and, in 1988, a brand new shoe designed specifically for the Continental market. The company also acquired Vaughans (Hope Works) Ltd. and Brooks Anvils in 1987. In 1992, the company finally left the terraced houses which had been its home for over a century and moved into Baker House, a 55,000 sq.ft factory building, still in Lye, close to the hub of the British motorway network. With an eye on the 21st century, the Baker House Group are still looking to the future with confidence and imagination. Old Benjamin would have approved.

Copyright Baker Vaughans Ltd 2004