ABOUT US

Tenacious problem-solving and careful attention to customer service have been key features of Marwood from the start. We have always sought to go above and beyond, providing robust end-to-end solutions for our clients.

Things were so exciting when we started out in business, and they continue to be now. The lighting industry is changing fast, and we are proud to be changing with it. We work hard to stay ahead of innovation in lighting design and manufacture and are committed to delivering excellence in all our projects.

Marian Woodcock
Co-Founder, Marwood Electrical Company Limited

Marwood Lighting Solutions - our story so far

Marwood was founded in 1958 by Bill and Marian Woodcock. Having met whilst working at Lloyd's in the City, they spotted an opportunity to supply lighting and electrical products to many of London’s borough councils. Marian’s father was already working in the electrical sector at the time and was able to introduce Bill and Marian to a number of key contacts to get the business up and running.

Within two years the first Marwood business premises was secured near Bishopsgate in the heart of the city, enabling Bill and Marian to branch out their services to many of the big banks who were based nearby, including National Provincial, Barclays and a few years later National Westminster was to come on board. Running the entire business themselves, Bill and Marian could often be seen personally delivering goods to their customers, initially on foot (which proved challenging when carrying a box of 12 eight-foot long lighting tubes through a windy London Wall!) walking from their office to their clients, and later via their first company transportation, a Ford Thames van.

Marian’s father would often lend a hand as their delivery driver, allowing Bill and Marian to focus on expanding the business. He was often found driving the van through London’s maze of streets whilst Marian jumped in and out to personally deliver orders to customers. Bill and Marian’s hard-work, determination and enjoyment for their business quickly led to Marwood becoming a key supplier of lighting and electrical products, and at the time they were the only electrical wholesaler within London’s Square Mile.

As the Marwood team began to grow, Bill and Marian moved premises within the city before re-locating south to Thornton Heath in 1975 where the business continued to expand. This proved to be a great location, close to a key lighting manufacturer and with strong transport links into central London where many key customers were based, and to surrounding counties where new customers were emerging.

The growing success of Marwood’s full-service approach to finding the right lighting and electrical solutions for clients led to continued expansion and Bill and Marian moved the business again in 1980, to a purpose-built facility within a specialist distribution centre in Paddock Wood, Kent. This was a landmark step in Marwood’s journey as it enabled the business to scale quickly, taking on new members of the team and growing its client base across the UK.

By 1993, requiring further office and warehousing space to support continued growth, the business premises moved again to another site in Paddock Wood, a former print works which was converted and extended and remains Marwood’s Head Office today.  

Honesty, transparency and a willingness to help were the foundations that Bill and Marian built Marwood upon, and those are the values that remain core to our business today. Our reputation sets us apart.