THE HISTORY OF BAKER PERKINS FAR EAST AG ZUG.

With its headquarters in Switzerland and an operational branch in Tokyo, the company was formed in 1964 to develop Baker Perkins' growing trade in the Far East. The company was responsible for sales of many of the group products manufactured in the UK and Australian factories.

Baker Perkins' connections with Japan and the Far East date back to the days of Joseph Baker & Sons before the 1914 War, but they were reinforced after the war when Charles Baker became resident representative in Shanghai. From there, he travelled extensively throughout the Far East, and was, for a time, based in Tokyo, booking a biscuit plant order worth over £200,000 in 1919 for Morinaga of Japan.

Around 1920, the American Trading Co. was appointed as agents, the manager, Mr. Kye Taylor, taking a great personal interest in promoting Baker Perkins interests in Japan. The American Trading Co. continued to operate as agents and in 1954 student apprentice Tommy Nutt was sent out to join them. Later, he became general manager of their machinery division and subsequently took over the management of a joint company they formed with APV Ltd. Soon after this, Peter Newton joined American Trading and the association with Baker Perkins was severed by mutual agreement. He became managing director of Baker Perkins Far East Ltd on its formation.

The company employed 20 people in the mid-sixties working as a sales and service organisation with a territory covering Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Okinawa, the Philippine Islands, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaya, Singapore, Indonesia and Borneo. This area covered approximately 20 million square miles and 320 million people. In the sixties, Baker Perkins Far East Ltd represented all of the group’s interests, with the exception of Baker Perkins Inc. Saginaw, and James Halley, who had their own agents.

More information on the day-to-day operations of BPFE can be found in History of Baker Perkins in South East Asia.

To further penetrate the fast growing S.E. Asian market branch offices were opened in Hong Kong in 1969 and in Singapore in 1973.

BPFE People

Mr M. Taniguchi Mr Tazaki The Food Machinery Section Peter Newton Peter Alexander

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