Spencer Carter - Company History

Spencer Carter was formed by Stephen Carter and Michael Spencer in 1964 and was first located in small premises in Egham, Surrey.

The business focused on sub-contract engineering/machining and tended towards the precision machining of hydraulic valve components in small batch quantities.

In 1968 the directors moved the company to Penryn in Cornwall. In their new location, the company soon found it being drawn to the fishing industry. This and the previous experience in industrial hydraulics was the basis for the marine winch equipment that has dominated the company's product range to this day.

The fishing industry continues to occupy the larger proportion of the company's winch production, mainly for trawling, potting, lining and netting, and for vessels of up to about 20 metres and 450 hp. The product range includes all the hydraulic requirements for the engine driven installations aboard these vessels.

That business, marine orientated, has attracted and created markets for specialised winches, diesel and electric power packs, wire blocks and fairleads, and related vessel hydraulics.

Apart from the fishing industry, the company's markets include: oil pollution control, slipways, survey vessels, salvage vessels, harbour mooring vessels, cargo handling, quayside unloading winches etc.

In 1987, with a need for larger premises, the company relocated once more to its current factory in Falmouth.

The company has earned an international reputation for quality and service, and continues to lead in the UK with fishing vessel winch technology.