James A. Cuthbertson

What James A. Cuthbertson does

James A. Cuthbertson Limited is a UK-based designer and manufacturer of winter maintenance equipment, founded in 1936 in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, Scotland and incorporated as a limited company in 1946. The company operates across three UK sites with a combined 13-acre headquarters at Station Road, Biggar, shared with its parent Atlas Winch and Hoist Services Limited following a 2019 acquisition. Core manufactured products include snowploughs (Fixed Vee MK4–MK6 and Mini Hi-Lift/Hi-Lift, Straight Vee MK1–MK3 with Power Angling, agricultural vee ploughs, light/medium/heavy duty blade ploughs, and airfield ploughs from 3m to 6m wide), spreaders (permanent mount, drop-in, body swap and hook-lift units from 0.8m³ to 12m³, plus towed and 3-point linkage variants from 0.26m³), and vehicle bodies including the Multi Purpose Body with industry-leading walking floor technology and integrated Bucher control systems. The company also manufactures airport ground support equipment — Cuthbertson Universal Barrier passenger barriers, JAC belt loaders, baggage trailers and cargo dollies — and serves as UK dealer for EPOKE, Saltnex, Snowline and Brodd brands. After-sales revenue is generated through calibration to British Standards, refurbishment, multi-year mobile service contracts, spare parts and OEM on-site training. Customers are UK councils, airports (Glasgow and Edinburgh named), agricultural operations and specialist contractors. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; sales are direct via phone and website, supplemented by the dealer channel for distributed brands. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 certification (NQA, UKAS accredited).

Name

James A. Cuthbertson

Legal name

James A. Cuthbertson Limited

Website

https://jamescuthbertson.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

James A. Cuthbertson Limited is a Scottish designer and manufacturer of winter maintenance equipment, including snowploughs, spreaders, vehicle bodies and airport ground support equipment, serving UK councils, airports, agricultural operations and specialist contractors since 1936.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Winter Maintenance Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (33331)

SIC

Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Snow & Ice Management (De-icing, Plowing) (BPABADAG)

Keywords

• Winter maintenance equipment
• Snowplough manufacturing
• Salt spreading equipment
• Airport ground support
• Vehicle body fabrication

Headquarters

HQ city

Biggar

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equipment Manufacturing and Sales: Design and manufacture of snowploughs, spreaders, vehicle bodies, and airport ground support equipment. Product range includes vee ploughs, blade ploughs, snow blowers, towed spreaders, vehicle-mounted spreaders, and custom fabrication. Revenue from one-time hardware sales with various mounting configurations.
2. After-Sales Services: Contract maintenance packages with mobile Service Engineers covering the UK. Services include calibration to British Standards, refurbishment (bare metal to tidy-up packages), spare parts supply, and OEM on-site training for operation and setup.
3. Dealership/Distribution: UK dealer for EPOKE, Snowline, Brodd, and Saltnex equipment. Revenue from distribution of branded winter maintenance equipment and spare parts with access to full product ranges from manufacturers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

James A. Cuthbertson Limited is a designer and manufacturer of winter maintenance equipment including snowploughs, snow blowers, spreaders and vehicle bodies, alongside airport ground support equipment (passenger barriers, belt loaders, baggage trailers, cargo dollies). The company also serves as UK dealer for EPOKE, Snowline, Brodd and Saltnex brands, and provides after-sales services such as calibration, refurbishment, maintenance contracts, spare parts and OEM training.

Product overview

James A. Cuthbertson Limited is a designer and manufacturer of winter maintenance equipment founded in 1936, operating from Biggar, Scotland. The company's product portfolio is organized around three core product families: (1) Snowploughs and Snow Blowers — encompassing Fixed Vee ploughs (MK4-MK6, Mini Hi-Lift, Hi-Lift), Straight Vee ploughs (MK1-MK3 with Power Angling option), Agricultural Vee ploughs, and Blade ploughs in Light/Medium/Heavy Duty configurations plus Airport/Airfield, Forklift, 4x4, and Slushblade variants; Snow Blowers include the professional Snow Blower 3330 and Thor high-capacity models for Nordic regions. (2) Spreaders — covering Vehicle Mounted (Permanent Mount, Drop-In, Body Swap from 0.8m3 to 12m3), Towed (Road Drive, Hydraulic Drive, Engine Drive from 0.26m3 to 3.5m3), and 3 Point Linkage (PTO and Hydraulic Drive from 0.26m3 to 2m3) configurations. (3) Vehicle Bodies — including Multi Purpose Body (MPB) with walking floor technology, Tipper Bodies, and custom Alternative Bodies. Additionally, the company serves as UK dealer for distributed brands including Epoke, Snowline, and Brodd equipment, plus Saltnex liquid spreaders. Airport ground support equipment includes CUB Passenger Barriers, JAC Belt Loaders, Baggage Trailers, and Cargo Dollies. The company offers comprehensive after-sales services including Calibration, Refurbishment, Service/Maintenance, Spare Parts, and Training, plus Special Projects and Custom Fabrication capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agricultural Vee Ploughs Smallest Vee plough in the Cuthbertson range with 2.26m clearing width, designed for smaller framed tractors with 3-point linkage, loader mount, or tractor-specific chassis mount options. Targeted at farms and agricultural businesses.
• Light Duty Straight Blade Snowploughs Lightweight 2750mm wide x 600mm high snowplough with steel or polymer breast plate on steel skeleton, designed for lighter vehicle applications.
• Medium Duty Straight Blade Snowploughs Snowploughs available in 750mm, 840mm and 900mm heights with steel or polymer breast plates and reversible rubber edges for medium-duty applications.
• Heavy Duty Straight Blade Snowploughs 3050mm wide heavy-duty snowploughs available in 840mm, 900mm and 1200mm heights with spring-mounted reversible rubbers for high-speed 35mph operation.
• Tractor Blade Snowploughs Tractor snowploughs ranging from 1384mm x 600mm straight blade to Hi-Lift fixed Vee plough, all available with specific tractor attachment systems.
• Airport/Airfield Snowploughs Wide snowploughs from 3m to 6m width with high-speed 35mph hubs and foam-filled tyres for airfield apron clearing. Targeted at commercial and military airports.
• Forklift Snowploughs 600mm high blade ploughs attached via individually sized tine sleeves for forklift yard clearing applications.
• 4x4 Snowploughs Snowploughs for Land Rover Defender and Santana vehicles with quick-release 'Cubby plate' mounting system for smaller car parks and driveways.
• Slushblade Lightweight 600mm high slush blade available in 2140mm to 3050mm widths with polymer breast plate option for compact vehicle applications.
• Snow Blowers (3330 and Thor series) Professional front-line snow blowers including the Snow Blower 3330 with large capacity open sides and large open auger for deep snow, and the Thor series large-volume snow blower for Nordic regions designed for tractors up to 350HP with capacity up to 70m3/minute.
• Permanent Mount Spreaders Vehicle-mounted spreaders from 0.8m3 to 12m3 capacity with hydraulic drive powered by engine PTO or auxiliary engine, available in road speed related or non-road speed formats. Equipped with Bucher control box and GPS connectivity.
• Drop-In Spreaders Removable spreaders from 0.8m3 to 12m3 capacity with Ro-Ro or high leg mounting systems, available in road speed related or non-road speed formats with Bucher control box and GPS connectivity as standard.
• Body Swap Spreaders Swappable body spreaders from 0.8m3 to 12m3 capacity using 4-ram chassis or hook-lift mounting systems for flexible vehicle deployment.
• Towed Spreaders Towed spreaders including hydraulic drive (0.26m3 to 3.5m3 powered by towing vehicle hydraulics) and road drive (0.26m3 to 0.5m3 powered from drive wheels with drop or spinner options) variants for versatile gritting applications.
• 3 Point Linkage Spreaders Tractor-mounted spreaders from 0.26m3 to 2m3 capacity, available in PTO drive and hydraulic drive variants for 3-point linkage attachment applications.
• Multi Purpose Body (MPB) All-round vehicle body with walking floor technology, calibrated control system and cross conveyor belt for handling rubble, tar, surface dressing, cement and winter maintenance duties.
• Tipper Bodies Vehicle tipper bodies from 3.5 to 32 tonnes with fully integrated hydraulic system for spreader body integration.
• Custom Vehicle Bodies Custom-built vehicle bodies including beavertails and specialised configurations to meet specific customer requirements.
• Cuthbertson Universal Barrier (CUB) Passenger barrier with single or double reel configurations designed for airport apron safety with longevity-focused manufacturing. Deployed at Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports.
• JAC Belt Loaders Towable belt loaders (JAC 5000 and JAC 6000) for airport apron baggage handling where motorised loaders are prohibited.
• Baggage Trailers Bespoke baggage trailers available in open, covered, or curtain side configurations for airport ground support operations.
• Cargo Dollies Cargo handling dollies available in roller top, ball bearing top, or castor top configurations for airport operations.
• Saltnex Liquid Spreaders UK distributor offering for the Saltnex range of liquid spreaders from 50 to 1750 litres including electric walk-behind, tractor-mounted and fully mounted options, plus small-scale brine production plants.
• EPOKE Spreaders and Equipment UK dealer for EPOKE equipment including walk-behind, towable and truck-mounted spreaders in dry or pre-wet variants, plus liquid sprayers and brine mixing stations.
• Snowline Equipment UK dealer for Snowline equipment including small ploughs and attachments for mini tractors through to HGV vehicle equipment, plus artificial grass brushes and ploughs.
• Brodd Sweepers UK dealer for Brodd mechanical sweepers available in towable self-collecting, towable conveyor loading, and truck-mounted configurations.
• Calibration Services Calibration service offering certification to British Standards, ensuring correct salt and brine dosage delivery and reducing waste and litigation risk.
• Refurbishment Services Full nut-and-bolt bare metal refurbishment or cosmetic restoration with on-site shot-blast and spray booth facilities to OEM standards.
• Service and Maintenance Contracts Contract maintenance packages with mobile Service Engineers covering the UK for check-overs, full service and calibration of winter maintenance equipment.
• Spare Parts Well-stocked spare parts facility providing all components for Cuthbertson spreaders and snowploughs, as well as distributed brand equipment.
• OEM Training Services OEM on-site training for correct operation of Cuthbertson spreaders and snowplough setup, delivered to customers.
• Special Projects and Custom Fabrication Custom design and manufacturing of special projects including drain fillers, effluent spreaders and one-off fabrication builds for unique engineering challenges.

Quantifiable outcome

• Snowplough capable of clearing A83 and other local roads in Kintyre in really terrible conditions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EPOKEcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK dealer for EPOKE equipment including full range of EPOKE, Snowline, and Brodd equipment and spare parts. EPOKE manufactures spreaders from walk-behind units through towable units to truck-mounted units, available in dry or pre-wet variants. Also distributes liquid sprayers and brine mixing stations.
• SaltnexcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK dealer for Saltnex range of liquid spreaders. Saltnex manufactures liquid sprayers from 50 litres to 1750 litres including electric walk-behind units through to fully mounted units. Also manufactures small-scale brine production plants.
• SnowlineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK dealer for Snowline equipment including small ploughs and attachments for mini tractors and tool carriers through to larger equipment for HGV vehicles and large tractors. Also distributes artificial grass brushes and ploughs.
• BroddminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK dealer for Brodd mechanical sweepers available in various sizes and configurations, from towable self-collecting units and towable conveyor loading types through to truck-mounted units.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Boschung: Swiss manufacturer of winter road maintenance equipment including spreaders, ploughs and runway clearing systems. Directly comparable across both highway winter maintenance and airfield snow clearance product lines.
• Meyer Products: US manufacturer of snowplows and ice control equipment for light- and heavy-duty trucks. Comparable as a long-established specialist snowplough OEM serving commercial and municipal fleets.
• Hiniker Company: North American manufacturer of snowplows, ice control spreaders and related attachments for municipal, agricultural and commercial users. Directly comparable as a specialist winter equipment OEM with similar mounting and configuration philosophy.
• Aebi Schmidt Group: Swiss-headquartered global manufacturer of snowploughs, spreaders, sweepers and airport ground support equipment. Directly comparable as the largest international competitor serving the same council, contractor and airport customers with overlapping winter maintenance product portfolios.
• Epoke: Danish manufacturer of pre-wet and dry spreaders from walk-behind through truck-mounted units. JAC is its UK dealer, making Epoke both a partner and the closest direct peer in the spreader category.
• Kahlbacher: Austrian manufacturer of snowploughs, spreaders and winter service vehicles for municipal and contractor fleets. Comparable as a European specialist serving the same council and contractor customer base.
• Saltnex: Danish manufacturer of liquid spreaders and brine production plants, ranging from walk-behind to 1750-litre mounted units. JAC distributes the Saltnex range in the UK, making it a direct peer in liquid de-icing equipment.
• BOSS Snowplow: North American manufacturer of snowplows and spreaders for light trucks, contractors and municipalities. Comparable as a specialist snowplough OEM serving commercial winter maintenance fleets with a similar product configuration model.
• TLD Group: Global manufacturer of airport ground support equipment including belt loaders, baggage and cargo tractors, and passenger stairs. Comparable for the airport equipment line at Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports where JAC's CUB barriers, JAC belt loaders and baggage trailers overlap with TLD's portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Douglas Dynamics: US-listed parent of Western, Fisher, Blizzard and related snow and ice control brands, plus commercial work truck attachments. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating a multi-brand winter maintenance equipment platform with overlapping product categories and customer types.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/JamesACuthbertson
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/james-a-cuthbertson-ltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about James A. Cuthbertson