Henry Lindsay
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Original 1930s Lindapter Logo
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Lindapter
was born in 1934 when Bradford engineer Henry Lindsay (1873 – 1954)
invented an entirely new concept of connecting steelwork– simple and
fast clamping as apposed to often difficult and time consuming drilling
or welding. The idea that was to revolutionise millions of future
connections on countless projects spanning the globe was not dreamt of
overnight, rather shaped by Lindsay’s previous experience coupled with
his inventive mind.
Henry Lindsay was a prominent and widely
travelled engineer and specialised in the design of power transmission
technology, destined mainly for the woollen mills of Yorkshire and the
cotton mills of Lancashire. His career had blossomed at Crofts, a large
Bradford manufacturer of the time, but an entrepreneurial drive
destined Lindsay for greater accomplishment.
Lindsay identified
the difficulties of securing manufacturing equipment to cast or wrought
iron beams by drilling or welding and challenged these traditional
methods with a startlingly overlooked solution; to simply clamp
equipment to the structure instead.
The determined engineer
decided to take advantage of this gap in the market and responded to
the opportunity by setting up his own business with his wife Bertha and
son Lawrence, founding Henry Lindsay Ltd. The company’s first office
was located in the adjoining house to Lindsay’s in Queens Road
Bradford, so he would have found the daily commute to be very short
indeed!
Lindsay’s pioneering design was realised in 1934 with
the launch of the Lindsay Bolt Adapter, a single casting that converted
an ordinary bolt into a hook bolt. The adaptor clasped an iron beam
flange and with the nut firmly tightened, securely connected equipment
to steelwork. The unique solution quickly gained an established
popularity and combining the two words ‘Lindsay Adapter’ explains the
formation of the now famous brand name.
After the first year of
operation under the newly created brand, there was need for both the
expansion of staff and the necessity of a works. The ever-practical
Lindsay arranged to share a building in Northfield Place, Bradford only
300 yards from the office in Queens Road.
During the war years
the company prospered with more and more people recognising the
inherent advantages of clamping over site drilling or welding,
particularly where temporary structures were required. Applications
varied widely but they were used on Bailey Bridges, Mulberry Harbours
and even PLUTO (Pipe Line Under The Ocean) used to supply fuel to the
allied invasion forces in France.
Unfortunately, just as the
post war recovery was complete and the success of the company was
assured, Henry, now in his 80’s died but the company continued under
his son Lawrence Lindsay.
Slowly the product balance shifted
so that by the late 1960’s the vast majority of sales were for
Lindapter fixings leaving the power transmission business behind until
it was finally axed completely. Since then, Lindapter has
continued to expand and prosper with a change of company name en-route
as well as several moves to larger premises but still within the
Bradford area, finally settling at the current location in Brackenbeck
Road.
The vast product range has diversified from the original
1934 invention of the malleable iron hook-bolt adapter. Today the
distinguished array of products includes steelwork, cavity, decking,
support and floor fixings, in addition to bespoke product development.
Lindapter clamping systems are used throughout the world, on widely
varied projects ranging from applications on bridges in Australia and
Portugal, tea plantations in India, grain elevators in Argentina, the
Kremlin in Moscow to Buckingham Palace in London.
Lindapter has passionately grown over 75 years from modest beginnings to a reputable global brand and strives to continue its proud heritage; to invent and deliver ‘Technical Innovation in Steelwork Connections’.