Our Story
OUR STORY
For over thirty years the world’s greatest technology and defence organisations have worked with Chess for modular, easily maintainable, market-leading, and reliable systems.
We are proud of our incredible journey and the relationships we have built with loyal customers, dedicated employees, and supportive partners.
View from the Top: David Tuddenham, Group Managing Director
‘Pioneering technologies have driven the success of Chess Dynamics, but there is also a genuinely innovative approach to the way we work.
Without exception, our R&D process has been based on identifying innovative solutions to address a customer need. It’s only through collaboration with customers that we can truly meet their real-world requirements. We see customers as ‘partners’, which has led us to taking on some challenges that other manufacturers may not.
This spirit of collaboration goes further. Our partners are not only in the defence sector, but crucially also the commercial space. In the past few decades, commercial technology has advanced far more rapidly than in defence, and Chess has consistently explored how we can adopt and enhance this technology to develop defence capability.
Because flexibility powers our innovation, we have to be across the latest trends in defence and security to understand evolving threats and requirements. As a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), we then have the advantage over some larger organisations with our flexibility to pivot to our customers’ needs.
Where threats have emerged rapidly, Chess has been there to develop solutions at pace to improve capability for the operator. Our innovation actually supplements those larger organisations working through big R&D programmes to ensure that solutions can be tailored to evolving threats.
Our milestones are impressive, our relationships even more so. We are proud to say that “We are Chess Dynamics”.’
General Company FAQs
What inspired the name 'Chess Dynamics'
Originally the company didn’t have a name. Chess' founder, Graham Beall traded as a design consultant. By early 1993 it was clear that the business was growing, and he needed to operate as a Limited Company. Eventually he came up with the name, Chess Engineering Systems Ltd. “Chess” was chosen because it was a great description of the function of our pick and place machines. Also “Chess” is an internationally known name and was easily recognizable. Our machines were so intelligent and accurate that they had the ability to “play chess and move around intelligently” – hence why “Chess” was a fitting name for the early business.
What market segments are you active in?
Chess operates in two strategic business areas: Land (branded as Hawkeye Systems) and Maritime (branded as SeaEagle Systems). Our capability areas include: Surveillance, Fire Control Positioning Systems.
Are you open to working and collaborating with other companies?
Yes, Chess is a sub-system supplier and would welcome the opportunity to collaborate and work with other companies. Design excellence and collaboration are at the heart of all we do.
Do you offer bespoke design and manufacturing against specific customer specifications?
Yes. Our customers often face individual challenges where one size does not fit all. Chess Dynamics has three decades of experience in designing, developing and manufacturing specialist electro-mechanical products and solutions to meet individual needs. We deliver bespoke designed, modified, tailored and fully customised products that can be embedded into our customer integrated solutions to meet any challenge.
Where are your products manufactured?
All of our systems are designed and manufactured in-house across our three UK sites.
Can you export to all countries?
We export in line with UK guidance.
What Quality standards do you work to?
Chess holds ISO9001, the international standard for a Quality Management System. We also work to IPC soldering and wiring standards.
Do your products have any Russian content or ITAR controlled technology?
Chess Dynamics products do not contain any ITAR controlled parts or parts of Russian origin.
Where are your offices based?
Chess Dynamics has three UK sites. Horsham (Head Office), Plymouth (Maritime Centre of Excellence) and Wokingham (Software House).
What other companies are in the Cohort Group?
Cohort is the parent company of seven innovative, agile and responsive businesses. The six operating subsidiaries are Chess, EID, ELAC Sonar, MASS, MCL, SEA and EM Solutions.
What is your Value Proposition? / Why Chess?
Protect what matters most with dependable, cost effective technology. Chess has three decades of experience in designing, developing and manufacturing solutions from the ground up. This includes being able to offer first-rate bespoke design and rapid prototyping services. And as we are the engineers who design and build our solutions, we also provide high-quality training, refurbishments and maintenance services.
