Electrium is a German-owned British manufacturer of electrical wiring accessories, circuit protection, cable management, and control equipment.
Electrium has two sites across the UK as of 2025: the old main factory in
Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe () is an area of Manchester, England. Historically part of Cheshire, in 1931 Wythenshawe was transferred to the City of Manchester, which had begun building a large housing estate there in the 1920s. With an area of approximately , ...
,
Manchester
Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
closed in 2024,
leaving only
the distribution center at
Hindley Green,
Wigan
Wigan ( ) is a town in Greater Manchester, England. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. It is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its ad ...
, and the head office at
Cannock,
West Midlands.
The company is under the ownership of
Siemens AG
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational technology conglomerate. It is focused on industrial automation, building automation, rail transport and health technology. Siemens is the largest engineering company in Europe, and holds the posit ...
UK.
Brand names
Siemens
After the takeover of ''Electrium Sales Ltd'' by Siemens AG in 2005, Electrium began to manufacture and distribute Siemens branded circuit protection and electrical equipment.
Crabtree
J. A. Crabtree & Co was founded in 1919 by John Ashworth Crabtree.
The company became one of Britain's leading manufacturers of electrical accessories, low voltage switchgear and motor control gear. In 1972, the company was acquired by the
British Ever Ready Electrical Company, which was itself acquired by
Hanson Trust in 1981. For many years the company was based at the ''Lincoln Works'' in
Walsall
Walsall (, or ; locally ) is a market town and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of Staffordshire, it is located ...
,
Staffordshire
Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation ''Staffs''.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, ...
, which was closed in 1997.
Volex
Ward & Goldstone Ltd. was founded in 1892 by James Henry Ward and Meyer Hart Goldstone.
The company's ''Volex Accessories'' brand is now part of the Electrium Group and manufactures and sells circuit protection and wiring accessories.
Wylex

George H. Scholes Ltd. was founded in the mid-1920s by George Hamer Scholes to manufacture electrical accessories and
fuse boxes. In 1934, he built the ''Wylex Works'' at Wythenshawe, near Manchester.
The company's ''Wylex'' brand consumer units still dominate the UK market. However, in recent years
RCD protected consumer units have generally replaced the old rewireable fuse units. Parent company Siemens have now begun manufacturing the
MCBs used in the more of the company's products in Europe.
Appleby
H. & L. Appleby Ltd. was founded in 1840. The company's factory was in
Short Heath, Willenhall,
Staffordshire
Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation ''Staffs''.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, ...
.
The company offers a comprehensive range of
pattress boxes,
dry lining boxes and bulkhead light fittings.
Marbo
Marbourn Ltd. was a British manufacturer of electrical accessories, based in the
North East of England. The company closed its factory in
Hartlepool
Hartlepool ( ) is a seaside resort, seaside and port town in County Durham, England. It is governed by a unitary authority borough Borough of Hartlepool, named after the town. The borough is part of the devolved Tees Valley area with an estimat ...
in 2000.
Other uses
There is also a science museum in
Sainte-Julie, Quebec called Electrium, see
Électriumbr>
References
{{Reflist
Siemens