Our History

The Managing Director, inventor of the Disklok was a professional Forester by trade but was also an accomplished metal worker in his leisure time which would prove valuable in the early days.

Car Thefts:

The MD was a keen motorist and unfortunately had two Mark II Escort RS Turbo’s stolen and burnt out in the same year! With some anger to settle the score with car thieves and an obvious gap in the vehicle security market the MD decided enough was enough and set about designing a low cost solution.

Pedalok Inception 1988:

Various prototypes where crafted from steel in the MD’s garage which comprised of a single intricate bar, additional metal loop below the steering column and circular padlock. When locked in place, the vehicles brake was held down securely to prevent a thief from driving the car away. Several tweaks to the design allowed the devise to fit multiple models and the Pedalok was born.

Pedalok to Market:

With the MD a member of the RS owners club, this seemed the first logical step for feedback and more importantly sales. The first Pedalok was sold at the Oulton Park RS Owners Club regional day in the summer of 1988. Demand for the Pedalok grew quickly and soon designs were made for Vauxhalls who also had performance models high on thieves shopping lists. Soon the Pedalok was a familiar sight at all major Ford and Vauxhall Owners Club shows throughout the UK.

Disklok Concept 1993:

The idea of a full cover device not physically locking to the wheel was envisaged over a pint in the local pub. Unfortunately the beer mat was not saved but that was the second eureka moment paving the way to a revolutionary product in the car security market. With an initial prototype mocked up in the MD’s garage, borrowing features from the Pedalok, the Disklok was born. With positive feedback from fellow Ford and Vauxhall owners and the security market growing, the Disklok arrived at the perfect time and relished in a competitive market.

Disklok to Market

Again, the sales platform for the Disklok initially was through the national car enthusiasts’ shows which could now be extended to other marques thanks to the universal fitment of the Disklok. With a patent certain and media attention building, the Disklok brand was now gathering pace throughout the car enthusiasts scene and police crime prevention groups.

UK Manufacture:

Soon, handmade production was unsustainable therefore the scale of production moved to a local firm to meet demand. The opportunity was taken to re-design certain areas to improve the strength of the product and develop medium and large sizes for commercial vehicle applications.

Awards

Auto Express magazine was the leading publication for car news and reviews. Back in 1995, the Disklok won its first industry award with the official Auto Express awards for the best vehicle security. This prompted the interest of motor factors, car part/accessory outlets and most notably major national retailers such as Halfords. Sales were boosted with features on Top Gear by Jeremy Clarkson when the show was on BBC 1 and Crime Beat.

Overseas Manufacture:

In 1997, sales and testing standards were increasing therefore the production needed further up-scaling and the lock could be improved further. Taiwan was producing the best barrel locks in the world so the decision was made to import the Disklok. Further design tweaks and the addition of an integrated lock further cemented Disklok as the number one car security device on the market.

Further Awards:

Throughout the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, the Disklok had won every test, award and accolade in the industry and sales went from strength to strength. The Disklok was one of only a select few products which was accredited with Thatcham and Sold Secure seals of approval tested to a minimum of 5 minutes!

Key Stockists:

By the turn of the millennium, the Disklok was stocked by Halfords and Argos with a complete distribution network of independent retailers. Interest from abroad also paved the way for our distributor in Holland amongst others in the EU.

Today:

The Disklok is still the UK’s number one vehicle security device and although new cars have many standard security features the Disklok sales continue to stay strong. The Disklok range has become important in the prevention of light commercial and motor home thefts and more recently Land Rover Defender and classic cars that are devoid of modern alarms and immobilisers.