News: Maplin amongst UK's leading companies

Rotherham-based retailer, Maplin Electonics has again been named amongst Britain's leading mid-market private companies.


With sales of £209m, the Manvers company has made it onto the latest Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 250 at number 177, down from 147 last year.

Top Track 250 companies have sales ranging between £140m and £550m, representing the next tier down from the biggest private companies. The list also includes local firms, Firth Rixon (22), A4E (148) and Stonacre Motor Group (166).

Manvers-based Maplin sells a range of 15,000 products to tech-savvy hobbyists as well as general consumers.

The company's website attracts over 170,000 visitors every day and a network of over 170 retail outlets throughout the UK and Ireland. Maplin opened their first store in Rotherham last week with a 5,000 sq ft unit at Parkgate Shopping.

Annualised profits for 2010 were listed as £23.2m. They are backed by Montagu Private Equity, who led a reported £244m secondary buyout in 2004.

Launched by two technology enthusiasts in 1972 who were frustrated by the lack of good quality electronics components, Maplin Electronics became the experts' choice, with a reputation for the best product range and expertise.

The recent profits are a far cry from the early days in Essex when founders, Roger Allen and Doug Simmons, remained in their full-time jobs for two years, and the company didn't make a profit.

In 2008 they moved to a 220,000 sq ft state of the art distribution centre and head office at Manvers in Rotherham.

Maplin website

Images: maplin.co.uk