BFPA celebrates its 65th anniversary in 2024

05 February, 2024

Throughout the last sixty-five years, the trade association has seen many changes, and the rate of change continues today with BFPA continuing to respond to market demand and the rapid advances in technology and the digital world 

BFPA anniversary dinner and dance on 12th July 2024

The first Dinner and Ball was held at the Dorchester hotel in London in 1961, with over 50 similar events at the Dorchester taking place over the years. To celebrate this landmark year, we are delighted to announce that we will be holding an anniversary dinner and dance at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Stratford upon Avon on Friday 12th July. The dinner and dance promises to be a memorable evening to include a drinks reception, three course meal, entertainment and industry awards, as well as being a platform for networking among industry peers.

The event is open to members, partners and guests and tickets are available on the BFPA website at www.bfpa.co.uk/events

A brief history of the BFPA

Formed in 1959 by a group of hydraulic equipment manufacturers, the trade association was originally called The Association of Hydraulic Equipment Manufacturers (AHEM), with the founder Chairman being Johnny Johnston of Stein Atkinson Vickers Hydraulics Limited. The first few years saw technical and publicity committees formed, resulting in the development of the first British and European standards for fluid power; data collection among members and surveys were established in 1975.

Two major milestones were reached in 1986 when pneumatic companies joined the association, and the British Fluid Power Association (BFPA) was created; two years later, in 1988, the British Fluid Power Distributors Group was formed. By 1988, the association had grown from under 20 companies, to over 200 members.

BFPA moved out of London in 1993 to its current offices in Chipping Norton, close to the premises of the then BFPA President Phil Hopkins of HYDAC, with the new building being officially opened by local MP the Rt Hon Douglas Hurd CBE on 11 March 1994.

Since it was introduced in 1994, the BFPA’s Approved Hose Assemblies Scheme has become a recognised symbol of quality, integrity and safety. The scheme now boasts around 100 members and is now the leading industry accreditation scheme for hose manufacturing and assembly, distribution and fitting. It sets a formal and credible standard for the assembly, storage and supply of hose across all sectors.

In 1997, BSI awarded the BFPA a contract to act as an external secretariat after all the fluid power standards development work on behalf of the British Standards Institution (BSI) with responsibility for over 500 standards within MCE/18 (Mechanical Engineering). Since then, BFPA has continued to provide secretariat support to the BSI for fluid power through the work of its numerous technical committees, which are made up of voluntary technical experts.

Anniversaries are for reflection but of course, the future is equally important. BFPA’s Managing Director Chris Butcher comments “Working with our members, we are hugely proud of everything the association has accomplished in its last 65 years and will be celebrating our many achievements in 2024 with events and awards. Whilst doing this, we recognise that we live in a rapidly changing world and here at the BFPA we have our focus on change and continuous improvement to meet the future needs of our members and the fluid power industry itself”

Contact the BFPA - website: www.bfpa.co.uk  tel: 01608 647900 or email: enquiries@bfpa.co.uk

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