Lighting
2015: No.41 £88m
New entry
Andrew Thorpe is chairman and joint chief executive of the Redditch-based company FW Thorpe which designs, manufactures and supplies professional lighting systems.
The AIM-listed company has seven subsidiaries including Thorlux Lighting, Philip Payne, Solite and Portland Lighting, and employs around 500 people.
The company, which sells its products all over the world, is a profitable one and the year ending June 30, 2014 was a record-breaking one. Turnover at £62.9 million was 13 per cent up on the previous year, and pre-tax profit was 7.8 per cent up at £12.4 million.
More than half of the company’s sales come from LED lighting systems, and it is there that the company’s investment in product development is concentrated. Growth is high on the agenda with a new £1.4 million factory being built in Manchester and joint venture companies are growing sales in Australia and, more recently, in the United Arab Emirates.
The company subsidiary Sugg Lighting concentrates on heritage lighting products and refurbishments and its lanterns are lighting St Katherine’s Docks and Portobello Market.
Thorpe, 65, is the grandson of the company’s founder, Frederick William Thorpe. After serving an apprenticeship with the company he worked in various departments before becoming export sales director, manufacturing director and then managing director of Thorlux Lighting. In 2000 he became joint group chief executive (with Mike Allcock) and chairman in 2003. His brother Ian Thorpe is a non-executive director.
FW Thorpe is worth at least £150 million and the family has a stake worth more than £84 million, along with other assets.
