Alba (electronics)

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ALBA PLC

Type	Public: LSE: ALB
Founded
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Industry	Consumer electronics
Website	http://www.albaplc.com

Alba PLC is a consumer electronics company, based in the United Kingdom. The company originally made only low-cost consumer products under its own brand name, but has both founded and acquired other companies either wholly, in part, or UK manufacturing rights, building it into a large company. Beyond its own name, Goodmans, Breville, Bush and Hinari are its best known brands. In addition, with Turkish electronics giant Beko was until May 2008 one of the joint owners of the German brand Grundig.

Alba also own Pulse Home Products, which they purchased in October 2001.^[1]

The name Alba was a former trademark of the radios and televisions produced by A.J.Balcombe Ltd. The company was originally formed in 1917 by Alfred Balcombe and went into receivership in June 1982. During that time it was a significant contributor to the development of the British radio & TV industry.

They also produce products which are rebranded or endorsed by people and organisations including Antony Worrall Thompson, Cable and Wireless, Carl Lewis, JCB, Ministry of Sound, Nicky Clarke and NTL.

For the year ended 31 March 2005 Alba made a profit before tax of £20.8 million on turnover of £664.6 million. It has a network of offices and warehouses throughout the UK, including Elstree, Rugby and Sheffield. It is currently the largest supplier to the high street catalogue retailer Argos.