Our History

1960’s

The 1960s was another transformative decade for BWT. Our company had already joined the Society of British Aircraft Companies (SBAC) in the late ‘50s and had started exhibiting products at the Farnborough Air Show – a major turning point that propelled our growth, expansion and popularity way forward.

Under the stewardship of Eric Taylor, BWT became further involved in the development of a full pressure suit and helmet for high altitude flying. Based upon a design by R E Simpson, this pressure suite was being made for experimental purposes at the RAE using the Windak technology. Work continued over a period of three to four years and what was eventually developed was a pressure suit with articulated arms using metal rings at the shoulders, elbows and wrists. The rings were able to turn within their own circumference but remain completely airtight. This design incorporated an anti ‘G’ corsellette and a sealed helmet.

Thanks to this invention we added another feather in our proverbial cap, because although as a pressure suit it was never put into production, the innovative joints were given to the US space agency for use in their space exploration programme. At the same time, BWT continued exploring its capabilities in insulation and expanded its portfolio of insulation products for commercial aeroplanes.

1980’s

The global airline industry was vastly different in the 1980s from what it is today. There was a variety of fleets, passengers had more allowances (including smoking), you could carry bottles of liquids on board and a dress code was required from first class ticket holders – suffice to say it was a very different era for air travel, heavily defined by speed, affluence and largesse.

For BWT however, it was business as usual. From our new facilities in Adlington, our local, dutiful, hard-working UK team kept on honing its skills, streamlining its processes, perfecting its range of products and coming up with newer and better solutions for ducting systems. In the ‘80s, BWT was consistently receiving more and more orders from all the big aerospace companies so by end of the decade it had sold off its linings business to focus solely on air ducts.

As always, our vigorous interest in new technologies and latest product developments remained intact, and, although we kept on predominantly supplying the aircraft industry with ducting systems, we also got involved in an array of one-off specialist projects, including things as diverse as medical, motorsport and Richard Branson’s hot air ballooning exploits.

We also had a brief fling with stardom: our famous Windak heated flying suit made an appearance in Star Wars, as worn by bounty hunter Bossk in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980). This was our second film appearance, as our pressure suits and helmets were worn by the actors in the H G Wells classic science fiction film ‘First Men in the Moon’ (1964).

2020’s

2020 is the year that no one will forget but it’s also the year when BWT, in response to the critical shortage of PPE for front line workers in the UK, used their capability in additive processes to produce full face visors for local NHS hospitals, surgeries, care homes and local police forces, all free of charge. Also, following customer demand (and as a throwback to our retail history), we also launched a new online shop, Baxter Collection, which featured a range of visors and face masks for commercial use.

2021 started with much more of a bang. In January 2021, we launched our new Additive Manufacturing facilities after five years of preparation. Our technology level is now at Technology Readiness Level 9 (full production), in a dedicated, environmentally controlled production cell. Combined with the capabilities throughout our company, Senior Aerospace BWT is firmly placed to further expand its engineering future.