History
Welcome to the ‘King Archive’
Becoming Europe’s largest stockist of re-conditioned industrial boilers and building a reputation for first class service and reliability did not, as you can imagine, happen overnight!
The key to our success has always been our commitment to provide professional, friendly and personal service and good value for money. Founded in 1912, the King family business is now one of the UK’s most successful privately owned multi-disciplinary engineering companies.
The King story began all those years ago when Langham Frank King, the present Chairman’s grandfather, provided a service of building, well-boring and pump repairs in his local Lea Valley area employing over 60 staff.
1939 brought World War II and the Lea Valley became hugely important as the country depended on the area for much of it’s fresh salad produce. The area was also home to numerous factories involved with aircraft repairs, furniture manufacture, agro-fertilisers, breweries, ammunitions and a large power station. Kings served most of them.
1946 saw 2nd generation, Leonard King continue his father’s work, and diversify the business into boiler house construction, buying, selling and repair of steam and hot water boilers and agricultural plant, pipework, re-tubing and servicing of boilers.
The 1950’s began with Leonard’s son, John King, taking the King family business into it’s 3rd generation. The business steadily grew in size and reputation during the 1960’s, taking on board David Simmonds as Project Manager and later Director, expanding it’s client base with the installation of boilers throughout the South and South West of England.
An important part of the service during this time had been the provision of temporary mobile steam boilers to the horticultural sector for soil sterilisation. The demand for this boiler hire service was such that the family decided upon the formation of King’s Boiler Hire Ltd.
In 1973, under John King’s leadership, Kings had established probably the country’s first specialist boiler hire company. This innovative step took the King name nationwide with clients now including government departments, health authorities and major processing companies.
The 1970’s saw the King organisation continue to grow and welcome it’s 4th generation with Jayne, Gerald and David each bringing specialist knowledge to the business. In 1972 King’s (I.P) Ltd., was established to supply industrial pipe, pipe fittings and heritage boiler spares from a new Trade Counter in Nazeing (later moving to Hoddesdon). 1975 saw L.F. King & Son Ltd. expand to Mildenhall, Suffolk to accommodate it’s ever growing stocks of boilers and storage tanks.
Throughout the 1980’s King’s sales of large steam and hot water boilers to major UK industry expanded significantly and an upsurge took place in the company’s exports abroad. This, together with a huge investment in King’s boiler hire fleet lead to the Group’s further expansion at Mildenhall – our Mildenhall depots currently hold Europe’s largest stocks of second hand steam and hot water boilers, storage tanks and boiler spares for sale, hire and export.
Storage tanks for a variety of uses had been an integral part of King’s business for many years, but in 1990 this was broadened with the purchase of a specialist company manufacturing fuel storage systems. Taylor Fuel Control became King’s newest division dedicated to tank and chimney manufacture. Today, Taylor Fuel Control are known worldwide for their design, manufacture and installation high quality chimneys, storage tanks and floating fuel pontoons.
The year 2000 saw continued success for all parts of the King Group, made possible through the sheer wealth of knowledge and energy generated by the Group’s directors and loyal staff, many of whom had journeyed with the business for over 45 years.
In 2012 King’s Boiler Hire had the privilege of supplying temporary boiler plant to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The sale of quality second hand boiler plant to our international clients continues to grow as we strive to expand our global market ever further.
Today, as our family business celebrates over a century in business and the 43rd birthday of King’s Boiler Hire Ltd., we have become a truly multi-disciplinary organisation based on knowledge, experience, service and strong family values. It is with great pride in our history and enthusiasm for our future that we continue to serve our customers in every type of industry in the UK and abroad.
