Baker Perkins Limited

Baker Perkins Ltd, manufacturers of ovens for bread and confectionary

Baker Perkins Ltd was established in 1920 when two companies merged. Jacob Perkins - an inventor of a steam oven for baking bread - moved to England from Massachusetts in 1819. Joseph Baker, a Canadian, invented a successful combined flour scoop and sifter and came to sell in the English market in the 1870's, his company Joseph Baker and Sons Ltd was a large manufacturer of food machinery in the UK. During World War One the two companies collaborated on baking equipment for armies and in 1920 merged to become Baker Perkins Ltd.

After the merge the company continued with two factories: Perkins in Peterborough and Baker in Willesdon, North London, however with the financial crash, in the 1930's the Willesdon factory closed and equipment and people were transferred to Peterborough. In 1987 the company was acquired by APV, dairy and liquid food specialists, where there was a re-location to Paston. Tweedy of Burnley was acquired in the late 1980's and incorporated in the Peterborough business.

In 2006 Baker Perkins regained its independence when it was acquired by private investors John Cox and Brian Taylor. They currently opperate in two locations, the headquarters at Paston, Peterborough and Grand Rapids, Michaigan.