Little did our founder, Ken Britner know that the fledgling business he started back in 1973 would develop into a multi-million-pound business 50 years later – quite a stark difference from what he envisaged all those decades ago! To celebrate Springfield’s half a century of success and to honour Ken’s memory, we thought we would look back at where this journey began and what the business has achieved over the last 50 years.

1973: The Very Beginning

Ken started the business by selling caravans. One of the first units constructed was given the grand brand name of “Acapulco” and proved a popular choice with our customers. These caravans were clearly built to last, confirmed by the fact that we were contacted by the owners of one of the original caravans which was still in regular use until very recently. As a memento and in remembrance of Ken, we managed to persuade the owners to sell it to us and it now takes pride of place at our production facility in St Helens shown below.

Changing Focus

However, business was tough going in the early days, but as with all successful companies, a lucky break changed the fortunes of Ken and his team. They were approached to manufacture a number of “wheeled units,” which we now know as “Welfare units,” for the construction sector. This led us to focus on producing portable cabins and modular buildings to serve the growing demand for this type of building and the beginning of the highly respected modular manufacturer we were to become. Demand continued to grow, and the Merton Road site grew from one production unit to three until we finally outgrew the site, and a move to the current site was planned.

Three welfare units leaving the old Springfield Factory, Merton Road St Helens

2010 – Present

In 2012, we moved to the current 40,000 Sq. Ft manufacturing site in Abbotsfield Road. During this time, Ken decided to step down and passed on the responsibility to daughter Lyndsey, who took the business from £2.4M in 2011 to £8M+ in the current year and a full order book until mid-summer! The scale of our projects has accelerated dramatically in recent years and developed from classrooms to substantial office blocks unrecognisable as modular buildings and represented by the impressive fifty-three modular unit double-storey office block below for Astra Zeneca. Production has also had to step up with 227 individual modules constructed to complete orders for seventy-nine different projects.

The above is a brief summary of the journey so far – Acapulco to Astra Zeneca! Who knows where the next 50 years will take us, but one thing is sure the high regard in which Springfield is held, coupled with the financial strength, expert craftsmanship and strong management suggest the future is that bright you may need sunglasses!

This story isn’t complete without a heartfelt thanks to Ken our founder and patriarch of the Britner family, owners of Springfield. Ken was born in 1940 and sadly left us in 2019. He continued to actively manage the business until his retirement at 70 years when he passed the reins over to his daughter, Lyndsey.

He is sadly missed by all who knew him, but boy did he leave a rich legacy by creating the business that is Springfield - and the good news is, he did see the full Acapulco to Astra Zeneca journey.