Atco Lawn Mowers

by Joy of Mowing | Jan 18, 2023

History

Founded in 1921 by Charles H Pugh, ATCO manufactured the first mass produced petrol lawnmowers at their factory in Birmingham, UK. After the First World War, the company was looking at new products and new markets, so when the donkey that powered the mower at their factory died, they decided: why not develop our own motor power not just for the factory, but to mass produce?

Charles H Pugh Ltd started making motor mowers with a 22-inch (560 mm)-wide cut. The Atco motor mower was an immediate success. 900 of them were made in 1921, each costing £75. Within five years, annual production had accelerated to tens of thousands. Prices were cut and a range of sizes was available, making the Standard the first truly mass-produced motor mower.

In 1981 a fire destroyed the old Charles H Pugh site and stock. The factory moved to Stowmarket in East Anglia, where it reopened as Atco Ltd. From 1980-85, Atco Motor Mowers imported lawn and garden tractors from the United States, made to its designs. In 1991 Atco Ltd was renamed as Atco-Qualcast Ltd, and the mower works was bought by its management in 1992; this company was acquired by Robert Bosch GmbH in 1995.

GGP Ltd bought the Atco name in 2011 and today is part of the STIGA Group

Fun Fact: Another company that Charles Pugh owned was the Atlas Chain Company, the title letters of this company created the catchy word ‘ATCO’, small enough to be stamped on every chain link produced – and so the ATCO brand was born. In the early days the left side of the letter ‘A’ was very much more rounded – it had to be in order to fit.

Sources: HeritageMachines.com, Atco, Tractors.Fandom