Company History

Having given the world the likes of television, pneumatic tyres, golf, antiseptic, the steam engine, mackintosh raincoats, tarmac and the telephone, the Scots have a fair reputation as inventors, thinkers and pioneers.

One of the less celebrated of these free thinkers was James Archibald Cuthbertson.

Cuthbertson was an early manufacturer of rubber tracks, dating back to World War II, and designed the first endless rubber belt. This led to many further developments based on applications for his invention, including half tracks, the unique “Water Buffalo” and the Land Rover conversions specifically for farmers forced to work in an uneven, hostile landscape.

Cuthbertson’s engineering skill saw him work with the governments of the UK, Canada and the USA, among others, including work on the underwater pipeline from Britain to France to supply Allied vehicles after D-Day.

The legacy Cuthbertson has left behind is his engineering company, based in Biggar and a team of Engineers who strive to ensure the pioneering days of Scotland continue.

The Company has participated in many varied aspects of Agricultural and General Engineering since its conception and is well known throughout the world for expertise, innovation and quality of product.

Alongside producing tracked vehicles, working on underwater pipelines, laying cables on both railways and motorways, Cuthbertsons’ became well known for plant recovery. So when a contractor got out their depth, the call was to J.A.C. to recover vehicles from hillsides and peat bogs.

These days J.A.C. specialise mainly in winter maintenance equipment but are not adverse to turning their hand to customers project requests.

Thanks to the connection with Airports with snowploughs, J.A.C. were asked to supply some ground support equipment – specifically for baggage handling and passenger control. The equipment is now used on a daily in both Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports.

Councils throughout the UK recognise the benefits of the “Clyde built” Cuthbertson snowplough or the open design of the J.A.C. gritter to facilitate wash down or the advantage of an easily removable, cartridge type conveyor system to reduce maintenance times. So when the time comes to replace the winter maintenance fleet, James A. Cuthbertson Limited will be clearing the way once again.