News | 15/08/2024

Made in Huntingdonshire: Le Mark Group

Le Mark - A global leader in the arts and entertainment industry

Le Mark Group Ltd is an international family-run business established over 40 years ago in Huntingdonshire. Since 1983, the company has grown from a modest table-top operation to a global enterprise, recognised as a no. 1 supplier in the arts and entertainment industry. Manufacturing many of its own products through its four specialist divisions, it operates a network of 150 wholesalers, with distributors and stockists in over 70 countries.

Co-founded in Alconbury Weston by joint Managing Directors Stuart and Linda Gibbons, today the business employs over 50 members of staff from its three-acre manufacturing and warehousing base located in Houghton Hill, St Ives, Cambridgeshire. For more than four decades, Le Mark has manufactured and distributed a wide range of award-winning products, including professional self-adhesive tapes, custom printed labels, crew wear and performance floors.

Initially renowned for their adhesive products, the business has continually evolved and diversified. During the 1990s, many popular TV shows including Top of the Pops, Morecambe & Wise, and Play Your Cards Right were using Le Mark flooring. In 2012, Le Mark proudly supplied the flooring for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics. Watched by an estimated 900 million viewers, the 7,500 square metres flooring was the largest ever printed outdoor show floor. Today it counts the Royal Opera House amongst one of its gold chip partners.

Innovation

Product innovation to solve industry challenges has always been part of the Le Mark story. The award-winning self-adhesive foil tape, BlackTak^TM, was one of two products born out of a conversation co-founder Stuart Gibbons had with lighting technicians whilst working at the BBC. He recalls identifying a need for an on-set tape that could mask light, but also withstand the high temperatures associated with equipment operating in TV, film and theatre environments.

More recently, in 2023, the “Dirty Rigger” technicians all weather backpack became the fast-selling item in Le Mark’s history. Part of the renowned Dirty Rigger® brand, established in 2010 to supply specialist gloves to riggers working backstage, the backpack was designed in consultation with industry specialists and meticulously fine-tuned to ensure optimal design for their end customer.

 

Sustainability products and greener working practices

Sustainability is a key feature of Le Mark products, reflected in many of their product lines. Their flagship gaffer tape, MagTape™ Ultra Matt was developed with reduced chemicals and energy efficient manufacturing processes. PAL (plastic adhesive laminate) is a reusable label, exported globally and considered to be the world’s most sustainable label. The company is strongly committed to carbon neutral working and has implemented a several policies to support this, including a car fleet made up entirely of hybrid vehicles, car sharing, and low energy workstations and lighting. 

A local export business champion

Le Mark proudly holds five industry awards recognising both their products and their international development. A longstanding export champion, in 2018 Stuart was appointed a Department for Business and Trade Export Champion and has since worked tirelessly to encourage regional companies in the UK to become involved in export. Working closely with the Department for Business and Trade on regional and online events; he shares his expertise on exporting to the USA and central Europe.

The importance of native speakers

In 2021, Stuart was awarded an OBE for his Services to International Trade. Today, 35% of Le Mark products are exported to 60 countries world-wide including Australia, North America and Scandinavia. Stuart attributes some of this export success to their commitment to employing native speakers.

“The team comprises of a diverse mix of nationalities including native speakers of Polish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Romanian, and Russian. We recognised that many people living in Huntingdonshire have these languages within their skillset, along with a strong work ethic, so much of our recruitment has been local. The proficiency we have in these multiple languages has really helped us navigate the complexities of export. Likewise, our location, close to the A14 with its access to major airports and transport links, has also helped to facilitate international trade.”

Local community

Le Mark, while commercially and internationally successful, is also very proactive in the local community, giving its support to the Huntingdon-based Saturday Polish School. Furthermore, Stuart Gibbons is patron of the Young Technicians Academy in Yaxley, providing training and technology to young people in performing and production arts.

Why Huntingdonshire?

“Huntingdon has long been a strategic base for business. Its solid road infrastructure and well placed position between two local airports - Stansted and Luton – make it ideal for outbound business trips, or for inbound supplier visits. However, Huntingdonshire is much more than a well-placed strategic base. Without doubt, its prime asset is its people! We are blessed with a cultural mix of people bringing their skills, language, and work ethics to our region. Le Mark has embraced and benefited from having these readily-available business attributes on our doorstep. Even as a typical SME, in addition to English, we have at least 6 European languages being spoken in our business on a daily basis. I would hope that more local businesses considering starting or enhancing their export strategy will reach out to our amazing local new Huntingdonians. By working together, interacting and sharing opportunities, we can create an amazing and enviable infrastructure to help grow our business and our region.”

- Stuart Gibbons OBE, Managing Director

Interview with: Stuart Gibbons OBE, Managing Director

Interview date: Fri 23^rd May 9:30am

https://www.lemark.co.uk/stuart/