LBBC has stood at the forefront of British engineering—an enduring legacy shaped by innovation, craftsmanship and five generations of family leadership.
Originating from 1876, The Leeds and Bradford Boiler Company began by manufacturing boilers, tar stills and brewing pans for local industries. In 1892, the company was acquired by a number of investors including Mr D. Pickard marking the start of the Pickard family’s long and influential stewardship. Under David’s son, Herbert Hattersley Pickard, the family secured majority ownership, cementing LBBC’s identity as a family‑run enterprise.
Throughout the early 20th century, LBBC adapted to rapidly changing industrial needs. During the First World War, the company expanded into presswork, supplying hot‑pressed hemispheres internationally. In 1934, Maurice Pickard, one of Herbert’s sons introduced the revolutionary Quicklock® door—dramatically improving autoclave safety and ease of operation and influencing industry safety standards still recognised today. Following the Second World War, LBBC supported global reconstruction with autoclave systems used across sectors from vulcanising to timber treatment.
By the 1960s, the company had gained worldwide recognition for its contribution to the investment casting or lost‑wax processes, earning the Queen’s Award for Exports in 1967. In the 1960’s LBBC’s reputation for pressure containment and safety led to its products being applied to doors and hatches on Britains submarines. This application continues to develop and grow to this day.
As the industrial landscape shifted in the 1970s, LBBC responded by expanding into sub‑contract machining as well as developing other advanced autoclave systems. The Boilerclave®, Leaching Autoclave and Thermoclave® reshaped process technology within the investment casting and composite‑curing fields, with the Boilerclave® becoming a globally recognised market leader. The challenging economic climate of the 1980s affected manufacturers across the UK, yet LBBC’s lack of debt and focus on quality ensured its resilience.
Throughout the 1990s, LBBC invested heavily in technology‑driven product development ensuring continued high levels of safety and support from the global service engineering team.. This period also saw the introduction of 3D solid‑modelling design technology, strengthening LBBC’s engineering capabilities. In 2003, the company reorganised to create LBBC Technologies and LBBC Beechwood, enabling clearer strategic focus on technology-led equipment and advanced manufacturing.
As LBBC marks its 150th anniversary, the company is embracing a new chapter that strengthens collaboration across its operations. In 2025, LBBC came together more closely as one unified organisation, introducing a refreshed logo and new workwear that symbolise a stronger, more cohesive identity and a shared vision for the future.
From its origins in boiler manufacture to its global leadership in autoclave technologies and engineered solutions, LBBC’s 150‑year journey is defined by resilience, ingenuity and a commitment to excellence. Today, the company continues to invest in its people, facilities and long‑term innovation—one family, one team, one LBBC.
