New era dawns for Devon-based lodge manufacturer

After a successful 33 years at the helm of the country’s leading luxury park home and lodge manufacturer, Pathfinder Homes, managing director Mike Wills and fellow company director Martin Hember have announced plans to hang up their crowns and take a step back, making way for successor’s Bruce Macdonald & John Hoyle.

Mike and director Martin have decided to break into retirement slowly and whilst still assist the new heads, enjoy a well-deserved break.

Mike said: “I am proud of Pathfinder Homes, as a manufacturer, as a business and as a community. From humble beginnings we have innovated and grown from strength to strength. I am confident we have found perfect investors in Bruce and John and that they will continue to build upon the solid foundation of Pathfinder Homes and continue to experience tremendous growth.”

The company’s history enriches a strong and fascinating 58 year heritage. Mike originally invested in what was then known simply as ‘Pathfinder’s’ in 1983 following Tony & Gerry’s Horton, the company’s founders, retirement. Under Mike’s reign Pathfinder Homes branched away from Pathfinder Village and became one of the UK’s leading lodge manufacturers.

During the 90s, Pathfinder Homes employed a modest yet strong workforce of 8 team members, 1 computer (exclusively for accounts) and built one home to their high standard, every four weeks. Compare this now with their current statistics of 160 team members, delivering 24 homes a month, the success and growth Mike and Martin have achieved. With limited work space, restricted facilities and hand drawn plans Mike recruited Martin Hember as a company director and they both grafted long and hard alongside the team driving the Pathfinder Homes butterfly to leave the cocoon!

Now managing director Bruce Macdonald, has been close friends with Mike for almost 20 years and joined the Pathfinder Homes team in 2013, originally on a 3 month contract. His vast experience and varied skill set within the construction and development industry offered transferable skills and Bruce immediately found his way around the production line. He went on to play a vital role in implementing dynamic processes and supporting the production team during an intense period of large orders and needless to say Bruce continued to turn into Pathfinder Homes long after his three month contract.

Bruce commented “When Mike & Martin started talking about their retirements I saw an opportunity; it makes perfect sense. Pathfinder Homes is a successful business in a thriving industry, with a clear vision and a strategy to get there. Mine and Johns experience in construction and development are of course an advantage but all we aim to do is continue to uphold and even work to improve the quality of our homes, the process of production and ultimately the future of the business.”

Throughout Pathfinder Homes’ rich heritage they have always continued to create awe-inspiring designs and have won numerous awards for their innovation, quality and architectural brilliance. There seems to be no question that Bruce and John are excited and passionate about continuing this upon their new business venture. John stated “Bruce and I are proud to become a part of this successful business and will continue to uphold its core values. We will always employ the finest standards of craftsmanship and utilise a variety of premium, exceptionally high-quality materials and make sure owning a Pathfinder Home still offers the highest standard, handcrafted, truly unparalleled experience people have come to expect.”

Bruce and John also run Pemberton, specialist regional main contractor in the South West, bringing hugely valuable knowledge to operations at Pathfinder, but also contributing greatly to the local economy with increased growth and employment throughout the area.

Pathfinder Homes as a team, with Bruce and John at the forefront and Mike and Martin remaining to share their experience and expertise, will continue to bring the UK a unique and accelerative way of thinking about the Park Home and Lodge industry. From the inception of trade till today and even as a long term vision they will continue to assist their clients to fulfil their home building and park development dreams through a complete and comprehensive understanding of their values, lifestyles and wishes.