F Taylor & Sons was established at Barr Hill Works, Bolton Road in Salford in 1895, eventually expanding into factories in Pendleton and Glazebury. Originally established as a commercial vehicle distributor, the firm became a manufacturer of hydraulic cranes and mine equipment. Taylor's was the first company to produce cranes with a slewing jib and hydraulics. The company's best known product was the 'Jumbo', a snoop-nosed crane.

In 1946 F Taylor & Sons designed a Hydracrane based on an ex-Army Morris transport vehicle. The Hydracrane had a 24 h.p petrol engine, five forward gears and a reverse gear, and four-wheel drive. The company's innovation was to add a non-slewing jib with a simple hook raised and lowered by hydraulic rams onto this chassis.

In 1959, Steels Engineering Products took over F Taylor & Sons, and later in the same year was incorporated into Coles Cranes.