Hayter (lawn mowers)

Hayter Ltd. is an British high-end manufacturer and distributor of garden machinery, specialising in industrial and domestic lawn mowers. Its headquarters is based in Spellbrook, Hertfordshire, where it was founded in 1946 by Douglas Hayter, a pioneer of the rotary mower.[1]

Hayter
Limited company
IndustryGarden machinery
Founded1946
Headquarters
Spellbrook, Bishops Stortford
,
England
Area served
United Kingdom
Key people
Douglas Hayter (founder)
ProductsLawn mowers, scarifiers,
ParentToro
Websitewww.hayter.co.uk

History

The engineer Douglas Hayter (1914–2000)[2] formed the idea of the rotary lawn mower after he visited the London Science Museum where he saw a 100-year-old, horse drawn rotary mower, in around 1946. He returned to his house in Spellbrook, Hertfordshire, where he built a frame using some accumulated parts and combined it with a second hand, two-stroke engine. The following day, the machine was in full working order. Local interest in his design grew and he made similar machines for his neighbours. He called it the Hayter Motor Scythe and put it into production in 1947. Among his first customers was Ipswich Town Council. Further work, including the installation of a safety stone guard, was fitted to the mower deck. Hayter changed the two-stroke engine to a four-stroke variant with a horizontal crankshaft. Hayter's business became a limited company in 1946.[1]

The company was awarded with a Royal Warrant in 1960 by Elizabeth II, meaning it is a trusted supplier to the British Royal Family. To date, it is currently the sole supplier of lawn mowers to the British royal estate.[3]

Hayter was bought by the American horticultural company, Toro, in the 1990s.[4]

Products

Hayter supply four types of machine;[5]

Rear roller

  • Spirit 41 - 41cm cut width. Push, pull start, autodrive, petrol powered.
  • Harrier 41 - 41cm cut width. Push, pull start, autodrive, variable speed, electric start, petrol powered.
  • Harrier 48 - 48cm cut width. Push, autodrive, variable speed, pull start, blade brake clutch, electric start, petroleum powered.
  • Harrier 56 - 56cm cut width. Push, autodrive, variable speed, sens-a-speed, pull start, blade brake clutch, electric start, petrol powered.
  • Harrier Pro - Aimed at the commercial market. Push, autodrive, pull start, blade brake clutch, petrol powered.

Four wheel mowers

  • Osprey 46 - 46cm cut width. Push, recycling mower, pull start, auto-drive, petrol powered.

Electric rear roller mowers

  • Spirit 41 - 41cm cut width. Push, push button start, electric driven.

Specialist products

  • Scarifier - 36cm cut width. Push, pull start, petrol driven.

References
  1. "Our heritage", Hayter website, accessed 14 April 2020.
  2. "Blue plaque to honour Douglas Hayter", Landscape and Amenity, 29 March 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  3. Hayter Limited, The Royal Warrant Holders Association, accessed 14 April 2020.
  4. "The Toro Company Acquires Hayter Limited", Toro Company website, accessed 14 April 2020.
  5. "Hayter range", Hayter website, accessed 14 April 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.