H F Butterworth & Co was founded in 1946 by Henry and Peter Butterworth and traded as Silversmiths and Silver Platers.  Sited in the old British Legion Hall in Albert Street in Ramsgate they were the only Journeyman Silversmiths in East Kent at that time.  The company quickly grew to 7 employees and by 1950 the company bought out a small nickel and chrome company called Westwood Plating and moved their entire operation into the premises at Albert Street increasing the offering to cadmium, zinc, nickel and chrome plating.  

Soon after, the company became Limited and Butterworths (Regia) Limited was born.  Regia, meaning Royal, was earned as several generations of the Butterworth family had worked at Garrards the Crown Jewellers as Silversmiths.  Shortly after, the staff grew to 12 with a working jeweller on site.    

The company then acquired neighbouring buildings which allowed further expansion to include more modern nickel, chrome, tin, cadmium, zinc and anodising plant.  Following the death of Henry in 1961 the company purchased the current site which had previously been a furniture depository in Westcliff Road in Ramsgate, and installed home-designed semi-auto cad, zinc, nickel, chrome, tin, anodising and chemical black, plus a larger barrelling plant.  At this time the silver and gold barrelling became specialised with mini barrels used for millions of parts for early computer circuit boards and contacts.

Butterworths (Regia) Limited has seen huge investment and modernisation since being taken over in 2006 by the current owners who have introduced more efficient tanks to the plating lines.