Our Story, how it all began over 50 years ago…..
The origins of WCE can be traced back to the 1950s, with its original owner and founder Mel Bayliss. Born in 1928, Mel had a passion for engineering and in particular, motorised travel. So much so, in 1959 Mel built his first “Fastakart” racing Kart, which was all the rage at the time!
Less than 10 years later, there was a turning point and Mel was asked to build his first hydraulic cylinder for one of his customers. By early 1969, Mel had manufactured his first farm tipping ‘ram’ and his new business was born.
Fast-forward to 1972 and Mel was joined in the business by his son Ken. Ken can be seen in the middle of the motorbike picture as a little boy in shorts! Ken completed his engineering training. By 1975 Ken was in charge of the entire Bromyard factory, at the young age of 25. By the time he was 36, Ken was running the company and taking the business to new heights.
Current day, origins of WCE still remain…
To this day, the origins of WCE remain a family business producing high-quality hydraulic cylinders. They now cover a wide range of sectors including waste management and mining, but farming and agriculture remain at its core. At 50 years young WCE’s manufacturing process may have changed a lot, but our dedicated, experienced and knowledgeable staff are still key. Our passion for engineering will always remain at our core.
