TEP Electrical Distributors keeps thriving after a century of first-class family service
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Powering forward
TEP Electrical Distributors keeps thriving after a century of first-class family service
Open to public and trade since 1920 – members of the team at TEP Electrical Distributors .
In 1920 , Fred Thompson , an electrical engineer , opened his own electrical wholesaler in Hartlepool . More than 100 years later , that firm has gone from strength to strength – and remains firmly in the family .
TEP Electrical has survived a century ’ s worth of changing trends and technology – as well as both a world war and a pandemic – to grow into one of the longest-established independent companies of its kind in Britain .
Having been passed down through four generations of the Thompson family , the Darlington-based company is thriving thanks to its extraordinary experience and expertise – and the staff ’ s willingness to go that extra mile for customers .
Sarah Marshall is TEP ’ s first female general manager , having been promoted during the height of the pandemic . Lockdown was just one hurdle the firm had to navigate during the past century . “ The company has seen it all – from the advent of TV and the internet , to the creation of the NHS and some real lows such as Black Wednesday and the winter of discontent – but our adaptability has helped us not only survive , but thrive ,” says Sarah .
“ We continue to forecast and evolve with changing trends within our sector , especially in lighting and the introductions of products like LED , smart lighting controls and automation .
“ When we have had to adapt to those changes , we ’ ve always excelled .
“ Plus , we continue to uphold the same high standards of customer service and honesty that Fred maintained ,
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and that ’ s why I believe we receive constantly outstanding feedback from our customers .”
After Fred , a former captain in the Royal Engineers , opened the first store , his son Douglas – a Spitfire pilot – opened the Darlington branch , having been injured fighting in the second world war .
He grew it from a humble one-room office into the current , sprawling Valley Street base , before current owner Nimble Thompson took over after retiring from a successful legal career . His son Archie , an investment manager in the City , now offers expert boardroom guidance as a director .
That wealth of expertise has allowed the business to blossom , securing major national contracts with industry-leading clients , all keen to utilise TEP ’ s expertise in large-scale lighting installation projects and energy-efficiency advancements , as they aim to reduce both their carbon footprint and energy costs using TEP ’ s innovative solutions .
Offering an end-to-end lighting package , TEP controls every stage of the process , from the survey right through to the supply – and even project manage the installation .
One recent contract , the firm ’ s largest to date , resulted in TEP upgrading a national company ’ s lighting to LED across 120 different sites , while boutique spas have utilised their skills to create bespoke , ambient lighting to enhance their guests ’ five-star stays .
These coveted contracts , and surging profits , allowed the company to expand and bring the next generation through via an apprenticeship scheme – while TEP also currently has an exciting opportunity for another sales account manager to join the team .
That close-knit team is one of several factors behind TEP ’ s success and staff retention levels are second-to-none .
“ Our staff are the real difference makers ,” adds Sarah . “ We have a highly experienced team , so taking on large-scale lighting installation projects was a natural progression and an excellent opportunity for the team to showcase their talent and expertise .”
Post-pandemic , another issue – the cost-of-living crisis – meant the company needed to yet again get ahead of the curve and take stock to adapt to the everchanging market . It did – and again , it is thriving .
“ The cost-of-living crisis has meant rising energy costs , and that ’ s pushed customers towards more energy efficient products . Because of our ability to spot trends , we secured contracts with companies who were keen to embrace that early on ,” said Sarah .
“ And that , along with our desire to give customers the first-rate experience we ’ ve offered since day one , is why the Thompson family will always have a true passion and commitment for this business .”
For more on TEP , visit tepelectrical . com .