The business, which became a limited company 100 years ago, has roots stretching back even longer, having been in continuous operation since 1850. Thorite has 10 branches nationwide.

It has put customer service at the heart of its 100 year celebrations with the launch of a state-of-the-art webstore offering a click-and-collect service for over 30,000 products, including more than 100 brands of pneumatic, compressed air, vacuum and fluid handling components.

Thorite’s managing director, Stephen Wright, said the company’s strong focus on customer service and aftermarket support was central to its successful trading history and would help drive its plans to achieve £10 million growth over the next five years.

Wright said: “We worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to ensure our customers received the products and support they required.

“That experience gave us valuable insight into the ways customers interact with the company and inspired us to develop a webstore which is easier, faster and more intuitive.”

Thorite’s robust response to the lockdowns meant it maintained sales figures at pre-Covid levels.

Wright added: “Thorite’s resilience and responsiveness has helped the company reach its milestone 100 years of incorporation and complete more than 170 years of successful operations.

“I’m confident that this and our customer-focused approach will help us achieve our five-year growth plan.”

www.thorite.co.uk