John Guest (company)

The John Guest Group of Companies is a manufacturer of push-in fittings, pipe and plastic plumbing systems to a wide variety of industries and applications such as Drinks Dispense, Plumbing, Pneumatics, Compressed Air Systems, Water Purification, Drinks Vending, Automotive and Telecommunications. Headquartered in West Drayton, United Kingdom, the company has a global presence with offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, as well as the Pacific.

John Guest Ltd. is a family-owned company founded in 1961 by John Guest, after whom it is named.[1] John Guest is famous for pioneering the concept of the Speedfit push-in fitting which completely changes the ways of contemporary plumbing.

Company facts

John Guest has facilities in the UK, Europe, North America, Korea and the Pacific with over 1200 employees.[2]

Headquartered in West Drayton, United Kingdom, which is also the production site for many of its products, the company has spread operations across sites in Maidenhead, Hayes, Cornwall and Bracknell in the UK.

The first overseas company - John Guest SA was created in France in 1983. Two years later John Guest Pacific Ltd opened in Auckland, New Zealand and in 1986 John Guest USA Inc started life in New Jersey.

John Guest Italia SRL opened in Turin northern Italy, followed by John Guest Gmbh in Bielefield, Germany in 1990.

With the beginning of 1997 new offices were established in Sydney, Australia - JG Pacific and John Guest SL in Barcelona, Spain.

The first Far East operation opened in 2004 Seoul, Korea. In 2005 the company expanded reach over Eastern Europe with offices in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic and Poland.

History

The company founder - John Guest was born in Doncaster in 1927. John Guest started his working life as a toolmaker apprentice in the Royal Ordinance factory in Hayes. In 1950 John Guest had already developed his first prototype hollow pressure die-casting machine.

Under the name of John Guest Engineering the newly established company specialised in tool making and precision engineering. It operated out of a small building that was known as Factory 1.

The following year, John Guest Engineering merged with Guest Castings Ltd - a company specializing in zinc die-casting. This business also operated out of the Factory 1 site and its name remained unchanged until the early 1970s. During the 1960s both companies grew steadily specializing in simple die-cast products and tool making, consolidating their business in the white goods and automotive industries.

Renamed to John Guest Ltd in the early 1970s, Guest castings started producing more complex die-cast items and machining for the UK’s major pneumatic valve manufacturers. The steady expansion enjoyed by the company was also the result of the investment in the second operation-machining department and painting facilities, including an automatic black elector-phonetic paint plant.

In 1978 the company known today was formed, established specifically to market products designed and produced under the group name of John Guest Ltd.

In 1974, Guest invented the now famous ‘speed fit’ tube connector concept followed by opening his second factory at West Drayton covering around 9,000 sq ft the same year.

The company was recognized as a leading UK export manufacturer with two Queen's Awards for Export Achievement both in 1990 and 1995. The Director of International Sales at that time was Brian Hoyle who retired in 2009 at the age of 77 years. He joined the organisation in 1981 as Sales Manager.

In 1996 John Guest received an honorary master's degree from Brunel University.

In 2010, John Guest died aged 83.

The Company is still in the control of the family with the three sons of John Guest as Directors. They are Robert, Barry and Tim Guest. More recently, two grandsons, Tristen and James Guest, became Directors.

Speedfit Fittings

In 1974, John Guest invented the now famous ‘Super Speedfit’ tube connector concept. The new product reduced assembly times to a few seconds with an instant tube-coupling system, which needed no tools for putting together or disconnecting.[3]

The original fittings had brass collets and zinc or brass bodies. The current speedfit range mainly incorporates plastic fittings and plastic collets but still maintains the stainless steel teeth, an essential part of the collet design.

Underfloor Heating

John Guest manufactures Underfloor Heating(UFH) products and is a member of the Underfloor Heating Manufacturers Association in the UK.

References

  1. ↑ Peter Marsh, Financial Times, John Guest nurtures a family approach, September 10, 2013
  2. ↑ John Mesenbrink, PHC News, John Guest USA — the ‘Art’ of a successful business, August 23, 2013
  3. ↑ Mary Jo Martin, The Wholesaler, Engineered plastic fittings making connections across U.S., August 20, 2013
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