When Sigismund Pollitzer and John Beck founded a transport and warehousing business in 1863, they could not have foreseen that 150 years later, the firm, now based in Dartford, would become an international byword for machinery installation and relocation.

Beck & Pollitzer Engineering celebrated the anniversary with a special event at its Burnham Road headquarters. VIPs and guests came from all over the world to mark the occasion.

The firm was based for much of its life in London before moving to Dartford in 1968. It was run by three generations of the Pollitzer family until 1961, specialising in warehousing, exhibitions, trade shows and machinery movement.

It installed massive print machines and was closely involved in the landmark shift of the national press from Fleet Street to London’s Docklands.

It was in the 1920s that the company began to undertake machinery moving as part of its transport and packing business. Even the economic crash at the end of the decade did not stop the growth as it looked overseas for new opportunities.

Beck & Pollitzer worked on scores of prestige projects, including the 1948 Olympic Games in London, carrying, forwarding and importing sporting equipment and artworks.

The firm had been based on a Thames wharf and owned substantial land close to Southwark Bridge that had become home to cranes and warehouses.

With the decline of port activity, that land was eventually sold for smart riverside properties, with some of the proceeds invested in a purpose-built head office in Dartford.

In 1961, the family sold the business to the Transport Development Group (TDG), and began to step up its industrial moving and crane work. In 1994, TDG sold Beck & Pollitzer to the firm’s management with financial backing from Schroder Ventures.

It has since done several private equity deals and is now backed by Bridgepoint which injected £55 million in the business in 2007. Beck & Pollitzer operates across Europe, especially in Russia, Poland, Germany, France, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Romania. It also operates in Turkey had has recently expanded into India.

Overseas earnings account for some 45% of the firm’s £70 million turnover.

Beck & Pollitzer can boast a host of blue-chip clients. “We’re the guys who fit out the Nissan or Toyota factory, from the building work finishing to when production starts,” said chief executive Tony Percival.

“The bit in between of handling, installing and getting it working is the core activity of Beck & Pollitzer.”

Other clients include BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Nestle, Schindler and Rolls-Royce. The company offers total project management.

“We try to be all things to all men rather than a real specialist in one sector or one industry, said Mr Percival. “We cover as much of the service as possible.” Geographical and industrial spread of activity had helped the company do well during recession, he added.

Mr Percival puts the firm’s longevity down to customer service and “going the extra mile”. “If we say we’re going to do it, we do x-plus and the customers appreciate that. It’s a bit like moving house. It’s a stressful time.

“It’s something unusual for them and they want someone to take the problems away. That’s our job.”

He added: “There are very few companies in the UK or indeed Europe today which can celebrate both the longevity and financial success that Beck & Pollitzer has enjoyed.

“Our achievements are directly attributable to our highly skilled workforce as well as our fantastic customers and I’d like to thank them for their continuing support and commitment.”

Looking ahead, Mr Percival said he expected the firm to “stick to the knitting” while continuing to push into new markets.

“We will go where our customers invest. India is our latest stop on the map because our customers are going there.”