Bright signs and a growing order book for Hartlepool firm

Stadium Group in Hartlepool. Photo by Dave Charnley Photography.

The Stadium Group, which chose Hartlepool as its UK centre of excellence, has revealed its end of year trading update.

It shows that 2016 was “broadly in line with market expectations.”

Charlie Peppiatt. Photo by Jeff Gilbert.

But a closer look at the figures shows the company’s forward order book has continued to improve, with significant year-on-year growth.

Bosses said that it reflects Stadium’s strategy of making the change to a design-led technology solutions business.

Charlie Peppiatt, chief executive officer, said another bonus was the firm had just acquired the assets of a Colchester-based company called of Cable Power, a specialist manufacturer of bespoke cable and power products and accessories.

Cable Power will join Stadium’s power division, Stadium Stontronics, which announced in March last year that it had become the only approved external power supply manufacturer for the Raspberry Pi 3.

Stadium Group in Hartlepool. Photo by Dave Charnley Photography Ltd.

Mr Peppiatt added: “There is a great deal of synergy between the product ranges of our power division, Stadium Stontronics, and Cable Power, and we already work closely with many of the same customers.

“Bringing together the expertise of Cable Power and Stontronics places Stadium in a unique position to offer a highly compelling exclusively approved ‘one-stop-shop’ solution for the Single Board Computer sector.”

He said Stadium had made “significant progress in 2016 with continuing growth in the technology products division.

“With the order book at new record levels and strategically located design centres, manufacturing centres of excellence and regional fulfilment centres in place to support its delivery, as well as the recent acquisition, we are confident about the outlook for 2017 and beyond.”

Bosses have described the Hartlepool plant, in Brenda Road, as integral to the overall success. It provides electronic technologies to markets including the industrial, marine, aviation, transport infrastructure and communication sectors.

Preliminary results for the year ended December 31, 2016 will be announced in March.