About Stanley

Key milestones in Stanley’s history

1948

Norman Stanley ( Mechanical Handling ) was founded by Norman and Ruby Stanley in a family home in St Albans, Hertfordshire. The first product was The Hydratruck, a 500 kg hand hydraulic press tool handler. Which went on to sell 1000 units.

1960

Robert Stanley joins the business taking the headcount of the company to four. The annual turnover was £32,000.

1965

The company bought the “ROBUR“ range of hand pallet trucks from WC Youngman of Crawley. This product was made by Kentruck, Sweden who also made a range of hand-pushed stackers

1967

Stanley was appointed exclusive distributors for Kentruck in the U.K. selling an expanding range of battery lifting and propelled stackers and pallet trucks under the ROBUR brand name.

1968

The Company had operated from rented premises in St Albans but in 1968 bought a site in Guildford Road, St Albans and built a 3000 sq ft warehouse and service facility to accommodate an increasing activity involving pallet racking, shelving and the stock of ROBUR and Forager.

1968

Storage solutions and mezzanine flooring was introduced into Stanley’s offering. A £100,000 pallet racking installation contract for Kellogs, Trafford Park was later signed as well as an installation project worth £1,000,000 of mezzanine floors in over 30 stores for Texas Homecare (which later went on to be known as Homebase)

1969

The UK fork truck industry was rapidly expanding. Stanley was appointed Southern distributor of the Forager – an innovative 500kg battery-powered counterbalanced fork truck, manufactured by Yorkshire based A Hirst & Son. The machine was designed to address the bale handling needs within the Yorkshire/Lancashire textile industry. Subsequently, Stanley became exclusive distributors for an area south of Birmingham to sell the machines alongside the ROBUR range.

1969

Stanley Handling was incorporated.

1974

Stanley had outgrown the already expanded St Albans unit and purchased an 18,000 sqft single-storey factory in nearby Harpenden to cope with anticipated expansion.

1975

The company purchased manufacturers of the Forager, A Hirst & Son as Stanley was outselling them. Increasing market competition later made this business unprofitable. Only a couple of UK forklift battery-powered manufacturers remained.

1985

Association formed with Candian company LP International to resell 500 kg capacity Powermate powered stair climbers to the UK market, following an enquiry from Stanley’s existing customer Coca Cola. As the largest global manufacturer of soft drinks, they needed to move 450kg vending machines to areas not served by good lifts. Stanley is still the largest provider of Powermate machines in Europe and has sold over 3000 units to date.

2016

The company had further outgrown the unit in Harpenden so relocated to a site in Luton, Bedfordshire with an adjoining warehouse.

2017

Health and Safety in the workplace becomes commonplace, and the market for smaller capacity powered stair climbers expands. The Sprinter power stair climber range was created with a carrying capacity of 100 – 250kg.

2017

The UK demand for accessibility products expands. Stanley acquires Movability introducing the Tolo and Jolly range for disabled access and evacuation.

2019

Stanley Handling rebranded after 70 years to Stanley, refocusing its vision on helping businesses improve health and safety and employee wellbeing.

2019

The Stanley office relocates back to a 6500 sqft site in St Albans consisting of modern office space with an adjoining warehouse, workshop and demonstration facility. The team has since grown to 25 members.

2020

Covid-19 pandemic drives demand for online home delivery as the UK cannot visit stores in person during the National lockdown. This propels the requirement for last-mile efficiency and the business need for lightweight powered stair climbers such as the Sprinter 85.

2020

With workplace injuries on the rise, Stanley become a reseller of innovative AI Wearable technology SoterCoach and SoterTask as part of the vision to improve business safety and logistical challenges

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2021

Asda is the first supermarket to introduce the Sprinter 85 powered stair climbers into its urban delivery fleet as part of the last mile initiative.

View case study

2023

Ergonomic Safety Tech Division

Stanley launched the Ergonomic Safety Tech division, bringing innovative wearable safety technology to the UK. Solutions include WearHealth exoskeleton scanning technology and the Modjoul SmartBelt device.

Testimonials

See what other people are talking about

The Tolo mobility stair climber training was truly great. He provided a thorough in-depth demonstration to explain in precise detail how to operate the machine. The team now has the confidence and knowledge to use the equipment on their own. The care home will be using Stanley to train further staff on how to operate the Tolo.

Threeways and Devonshire Nursing Homes

Mike Allistone, Home Services Manager

Working with Stanley for over 20 years, the business has built a large fleet of powered stair climbers which provide the perfect solution for delivering appliances to houses and flats.”

L.W.Cole

We were apprehensive about purchasing a new stair climber as a machine from a different supplier had failed us. However, after a free demonstration at our Manchester bar, we are confident that the Sprinter 85 can safely carry 60kg beer kegs into the cellar. Deliveries down the steep steps are now made safely, quickly, and easily using the tracked machine.

Oscars Bar Canal Street Ltd

David Fine, Director

The Jolly has given my husband his independence and confidence back. I use the machine to take him upstairs, whilst he comfortably sits in his wheelchair. It has removed the hassle and fuss of transferring him in and out of his chair.

Mrs. Mary Howard

The free demonstration we had went beautifully, and I am thrilled we can now get my husband out of the house and into the world once more. Because of the need for the stairclimber, we first encountered your company at a time of desperate sadness and uncertainty. Every encounter we had with you was respectful and sensitive. You were encouraging but also practical, never promising the earth, but always prepared to investigate possible solutions.Can’t praise your company enough for the care they have taken to ensure we get the right product and can use it safely.

Sheila Taylor

We know that our drivers are making an increasing number of deliveries in urban areas where many customers live in flats and apartments, which often require access up several flights of stairs. Through collaboration with Stanley, we have been able to create a powered stair climber that suits the needs of our drivers and growing online operation, which in turn will see us reduce time at the doorstep and improve the customer experience.

ASDA

Simon Gregg, Vice President of Online Grocery

We were very pleased with the demonstration and training given by Paul Long on his two visits to our company. On the first visit, we gave him an industrial, heavy-duty door to take up some stairs, a lot of people watching to add to the pressure but it worked and he happily answered all our questions. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending him or the product to anyone looking for that kind of thing.

Technocover

The stair climber training that we received at our site was thorough yet straightforward. A special thanks to trainer Paul Long who confidently answered the questions from our facilities team.

Susan Field

Project Administrator, AECC Univeristy College

We have been so impressed by the Stanley team and the powered stair climber machines. It has made the seriously daunting part of our full move - after 20 years in the building - painless!