Astro Lighting has been identified as one of London Stock Exchange’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain. The report is a celebration of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses.
To be included in the list, companies needed to show consistent revenue growth over a minimum of three years, significantly outperforming their industry peers. More detail on the methodology can be found in the report online at www.1000companies.com.
Astro was founded in 1997 – the time of Cool Britannia, YBA’s (Young British Artists), and increased pride in UK creativity. John Fearon and James Bassant saw an opportunity to re-establish British lighting design for high end domestic and hospitality settings and bring it to an international audience.
“2016 is another big year for Astro” says MD, John Fearon. “We move into a new purpose-built 86,000 square foot headquarters in June and this will be our first full year with our new division in the United States.
“We have done well because our lighting is approachable, honest and inspiring, which is also how we do business. Our passion for quality goes far beyond the technical excellence of our products. It drives us to achieve the highest possible standards of customer service and professionalism in everything we do.”
With a team of eight creative design engineers, headed up by design director James Bassant, there is a wealth of experience to take Astro’s passion for Pure British Design and bring it to life in the finest homes and hotels throughout the world.
“High growth SMEs are the driving force behind the UK economy, developing the skills, jobs and growth we need,” says Xavier Rolet, Chief Executive, London Stock Exchange Group said. “But ambition alone is not enough; their success must be highlighted and their growth properly supported with appropriate finance. That’s why today’s event is so important: demonstrating the strong alliance between UK Government, financial market participants, investors, entrepreneurs and companies to support these inspiring businesses.
“Today’s celebration is fundamental to London Stock Exchange’s core, the need to support UK high growth companies in their journeys from Start-up to Stardom and create an entrepreneurship revolution.”
Writing in the publication, The Rt. Hon. George Osborne MP says: “UK high-growth businesses are leading the charge in rebuilding our economy. These companies are the backbone of the British economy. They create high-quality, well paid jobs, innovate and drive economic growth. This government fully understands the need to support ambitious entrepreneurs and ensure they can access the finance they need to grow.
“We have held the steadfast belief that -alongside deficit reduction – nurturing entrepreneurs, creating jobs, supporting hard-working families and keeping taxes low would get the UK economy back on track. Our measures to increase access to finance for business and encourage more investment have had a transformative effect on our economy.”
