page_title: Dennis Specialist Vehicles
section_title: The 1960s
hierarchical_section_title: Dennis Specialist Vehicles / Dennis Brothers Limited 1901 to 1972 / The 1960s
context_page_description: Dennis Brothers Limited was an English manufacturer of commercial vehicles based in Guildford, building buses, fire engines, lorries and municipal vehicles such as dustcarts. All vehicles were made to order to the customer's requirements and more strongly built than mass production equivalents. For most of the 20th century Dennis Brothers was Guildford's main employer.
  Following a decade of financial difficulties original shareholders sold out in 1972 and Dennis's ownership has since passed through quite a number of hands. The Woodbridge site was sold and a new small factory built in Slyfield remains in use by lineal business descendant, bus-maker Alexander Dennis. No Dennis haulage trucks have been built since 1985. The last Dennis fire engine left the Guildford factory in 2007.
  The Dennis brand is still used on Alexander Dennis buses and Dennis Eagle dustcarts.
context_section_description: In the 1960s engines moved to the back of the buses.
  In May 1962, Dennis bought the fire appliance division of  Hawker Siddeley Group's Alfred Miles. In April 1964 tractor manufacturer Mercury Truck & Tractor Company, Mercury Airfield Equipment that manufactured airport tugs and later baggage trailers and ground units, and Mercury Snow Control were purchased.
  Potential passenger customers preferred their new vehicles front-entrance and rear-engined and Dennis had no bus in production to meet those requirements. Dennis chose to end bus manufacture in 1965 and concentrate on lorries which also faced declining demand.
  In late 1965 a significant block of shareholders dissatisfied with the performance of their business asked that Dennis Brothers cease production and liquidate its assets. The disputes ended when the rebels were unable to find a buyer for the Dennis business at an acceptable price.  Major changes were made to management and to the directorate. The following year turnover grew again and profits seemed to have made improvement. New capital was found for an expansion and modernisation programme and twelve months later the new chairman reported activities had been split into six clear-cut divisions and claimed they were "poised for recovery". 
  The shareholders were faced with continuing losses. Responding to their invitation John King of Pollard Ball took up the challenge and accepted the position of chairman of the board.  Julian Amery, a former Minister of Aviation, joined the board as did a new CEO and a new finance director. The workforce of 1,300 was cut by 150, mostly white-collar workers. A banker was added to the directorate.
  At King's suggestion Dennis Motor Holdings, was formed on 15 January 1970 as a holding company with all part-time directors. In June the chairman announced much greater losses in the subsequent half year but he remained optimistic. They listed their products as: commercial vehicles, fire engines, refuse collection vehicles and aircraft tractors.
  In 1971/72, Dennis sold 101 houses in Slyfield's Woking Road and in Midleton Road, Dennisville.
caption: 1961 Pax flatbed
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