Some businesses last six months, some five years – but very few manage to stay afloat for six generations.
That’s exactly what wiring manufacturer Ormiston Wire has achieved.
Established in 1793 by Scotsman James Ormiston, Ormiston Wire has spent over 200 years crafting a unique niche as the finest wiring manufacturer in the country.
What’s more astounding is that the company’s managed all of this without sullying their original ethos – six generations later, it remains an independent and family business.
We can’t think of any better SME to use as a case study for success – so that’s exactly what we’re going to do. Here are a few lessons from one of the longest running businesses in the world.
Be forward thinking
In 2017, Jonathan Bartley, former co-leader of the Green Party, visited Ormiston Wire’s headquarters in Isleworth, west London, to highlight their self-sustaining business practices.
But those eco-friendly practices aren’t new additions to the company’s extensive list of merits – they were long-standing choices to cut costs and save energy.
In 2003, the company became the first UK-based SME to power their organisation by exclusively using wind turbines and solar panels.
This was part of a larger leap into an eco-friendly initiative which included the installation of energy-saving lightbulbs, purchasing a skip instead of using landfills, and recycling all packaging on site.
In the years succeeding this, huge companies like B&Q and Asda have put the same plans in place in their stores and enjoyed huge savings.
The lesson: don’t be afraid of thinking 10 years in advance – especially if it’ll improve your bottom line.
Know the A-list
Existing for a long time will gain you a pretty impressive reputation, which in turn will gain you recognition from some of the UK’s largest brands.
Ormiston Wire has experienced this many times, having fulfilled briefs forHeathrow Airport, Kew Gardens, Old Spitalfields Market, and even Mercedes Benz.
Yet these contracts didn’t materialise out of thin air. Instead, they were attained through hard-won pitches and adept business knowhow.
The lesson: if you’ve got the skills, then major companies will notice.
Rub shoulders with the arts
The art world can be just as sustainable a source of income as big business – especially if you’re supplying materials to some of the most renowned artists in the country.
Ormiston Wire has provided wiring to artists like Thomas Heatherwick, who has been described as one of England’s most renowned living designers.
But the company has even helped out on one of the world’s most beloved franchises, having supplied specially made wiring for the original run of the children’s programme Thunderbirds.
Dipping your toes in the art world can provide a number of healthy side gigs outside of the corporate sphere, especially if your USP is as well-regarded as Ormiston Wire’s.
The lesson: If you can make your product diverse enough for use in a wide array of industries, you’ll rarely run short of clients.
That’s our profile of Ormiston Wire. Did it inspire you and your business? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The lesson: if you’ve got the skills, then major companies will notice.
Rub shoulders with the arts
The art world can be just as sustainable a source of income as big business – especially if you’re supplying materials to some of the most renowned artists in the country.
Ormiston Wire has provided wiring to artists like Thomas Heatherwick, who has been described as one of England’s most renowned living designers.
But the company has even helped out on one of the world’s most beloved franchises, having supplied specially made wiring for the original run of the children’s programme Thunderbirds.
Dipping your toes in the art world can provide a number of healthy side gigs outside of the corporate sphere, especially if your USP is as well-regarded as Ormiston Wire’s.
Know the A-list
Existing for a long time will gain you a pretty impressive reputation, which in turn will gain you recognition from some of the UK’s largest brands.
Ormiston Wire has experienced this many times, having fulfilled briefs forHeathrow Airport, Kew Gardens, Old Spitalfields Market, and even Mercedes Benz.
Yet these contracts didn’t materialise out of thin air. Instead, they were attained through hard-won pitches and adept business knowhow.
The lesson: if you’ve got the skills, then major companies will notice.
Rub shoulders with the arts
The art world can be just as sustainable a source of income as big business – especially if you’re supplying materials to some of the most renowned artists in the country.
Ormiston Wire has provided wiring to artists like Thomas Heatherwick, who has been described as one of England’s most renowned living designers.
But the company has even helped out on one of the world’s most beloved franchises, having supplied specially made wiring for the original run of the children’s programme Thunderbirds.
Dipping your toes in the art world can provide a number of healthy side gigs outside of the corporate sphere, especially if your USP is as well-regarded as Ormiston Wire’s.
The lesson: If you can make your product diverse enough for use in a wide array of industries, you’ll rarely run short of clients.
That’s our profile of Ormiston Wire. Did it inspire you and your business? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
