The Balco name first appeared back in the 80s, and subsequently became a World leader in the manufacturing of ground-breaking tyre equipment, manufacturing some of the best loved, most cutting-edge alignment and balancing equipment the market had ever seen.

Over that period, the brand went on to be the undisputed first choice for tyre shops and garages in the UK – you could barely pass a workshop without seeing a product bearing the logo.

However, following an acquisition of the company by automotive giant, Snapon Tools, the Balco name was eventually retired in favour of their US equipment marque, John Bean.

For those that have been around long enough to remember, this left quite a void for many, who had come to love their Balco tyre changer, wheel balancer or aligner.

It was when we were researching the market and asking customers about equipment they’d owned, their opinions and ‘wish lists’, we realised that Balco was still a common source for praise. “My old Balco is still going strong..” was a common response, and it was that feedback that led us to relaunch the famous brand.

To top off this nostalgic story, our Managing Director today was, in fact, one of the very first employees of the fledgling Balco UK business, spending the first 15 years in a 30 plus year career in garage equipment with Balco UK.