HISTORY
The company was established in 1836 by James Baxter as a manufacturer’s agency dealing in cotton goods based in Manchester, United Kingdom. James retired in 1887 and his brother Frederick became Managing Director. Robert Woodhouse joined as a sleeping partner along with John Taylor as Company Secretary. When Fred retired, John Taylor became Managing Director and the firm was from then onwards known as Baxter Woodhouse & Taylor.
In 1941 Baxter Woodhouse & Taylor moved to the former silk mill in Poynton and then in 1947 to the Woodside factory. The business progressed from selling agent to manufacturer of waterproof clothing products for sports and expeditions. Products were sold under the Windak trademark. Windak was then developed for the Air Ministry and this opened the door to many clothing related developments such as heated flying suits. After the war developments progressed to electric blankets and electro-thermal gloves.
Baxter Woodhouse & Taylor became involved in the development of pressure suits and helmets for high altitude flying and with the US Space agency for space suits. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Company became increasingly involved in the provision of insulation and other products for passenger aircraft.
In 1958 Baxter Woodhouse & Taylor joined the Society of British Aircraft Companies (SBAC) and began exhibiting their products at the Farnborough Air Show.
In 1999 BWT was acquired by Senior plc and become known as Senior Aerospace BWT. In April 2002 the Company relocated to a 85,000 sq.ft. purpose-built facility in Adlington, UK.
