Volex
 | |
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| LSE: VLX FTSE 250 Component | |
| Industry | Electrical engineering |
| Founded | 1892 |
| Founder | James Henry Ward and Meyer Hart Goldstone |
| Headquarters | Basingstoke, Hampshire |
| Key people | David Webster (chairman) Lord Rothschild (CEO) |
| Products | Power and data cables |
| Revenue |  £1,242.6 million (2026)[1] |
| £127.3 million (2026)[1] | |
| £67.3 million (2026)[1] | |
| Website | www |
Volex plc is an electrical engineering company, making power and data cables and headquartered in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.[2]
History
[edit]
The company was founded by James Henry Ward and Meyer Hart Goldstone in Gorton as Ward & Goldstone in 1892.[3] The company experienced strikes at 12 of its factories in 1975 and then got into financial difficulties in the early 1980s.[4]
It changed its name to Volex Group in October 1984,[5] and closed its main factory in Frederick Road in Salford in 1986.[6] Then in 1991, the company sold its accessories division, making switches and sockets for the building industry, to Wylex, which changed its name to Electrium Sales in April 2001.[7] By the early 21st century, manufacturing facilities were operating in China, Mexico and Poland.[8]
In 2009, NR Investments, a company controlled by Lord Rothschild, became the largest shareholder with 26.5% of the shares.[9] As part of a recovery plan, Lord Rothschild became CEO in November 2015.[10] The company then relocated to Basingstoke in March 2020.[11]
The company bought a Turkish business, De-Ka Elektroteknik Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi (DE-KA), for €61.8 million in late 2020,[12] and then bought another Turkish business, Murat Ticaret, for £135 million in June 2023.[13] In October 2023, the company was targeted by hackers.[14]
The company transferred from the Alternative Investment Market to the main market of the London Stock Exchange in July 2026.[15] In another large acquisition, the company acquired all the shares in did not already own in a medical equipment business, Kepler SignalTek (KST), for $89.4 million in July 2026.[16]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Annual Results for the year ended 31 March 2026" (PDF). Volex. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "FTSE UK Index Series Indicative Review Membership Changes Quarterly Review September 2026". FTSE Russell. 25 August 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ Rubinstein, W.D.; Jolles, M.; Rubinstein, H.L. (2011). The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 347. ISBN 9781403939104.
- ↑ "Ward & Goldstone". Science Museum Group. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "Volex plc". Companies House. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "Ward and Goldstone; Volex collection". Archives Hub. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "Electrium Sales Limited". Companies House. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "Volex suffers further losses". Manchester Evening News. 10 August 2004. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ Lea, Robert (17 June 2021). "Volex provides the extra charge for Rothschild's revived fortunes". The Times. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ↑ Waller, Martin (28 November 2015). "Nat Rothschild takes the controls to rescue Volex". The Times. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "Volex to push ahead with move to Main Market". Insider Media. 8 April 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "Cable guy's turnaround makes this one to buy". The Times. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ Kleinman, Mark (22 June 2023). "Rothschild's Volex taps investors to fund £135m Turkish takeover". Sky News. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ↑ Prescott, Katie (9 October 2023). "Hackers target Nat Rothschild manufacturer Volex". The Times. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "Volex set for FTSE 250 as moves to London Main Market". The Morning Star. 24 July 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ "Cables group Volex takes control of global medical sector business in $89m deal". The Business Desk. 14 July 2026. Retrieved 26 August 2026.