A Hull firm that was launched in the same year Queen Elizabeth II and David Attenborough were born is marking its centenary with trading as strong as ever. The eponymous Vic Coupland was launched by former Earle’s shipyard electrical engineering apprentice Victor Coupland in 1926 – the same year as the general strike in the UK which saw about three million workers take part.
The mechanical and electrical engineering firm took an early specialism in radios – dealing with much of the cutting edge equipment of the time. Today some of that kit can be seen in the firm’s own museum, within its current Therm Road premises.
Chris Cooper bought the company along with fellow directors Phill Owen, Andy Scott and Mark Carmichael nearly two years ago. There had been one owner inbetween the last of three generations of the Coupland family – spanning Victor’s son Roy and then grandson Terry.
Today the firm employs about 70 staff, carrying out plumbing, mechanical and electrical services working with many of the largest companies in the region including Siemens, Reckitt and Drax. Its team also work on schools and office fit outs.
“We basically bought the company at a time when a lot of the work had run out,” jokes Chris. “It was one of the worst times to buy a company but within about five months it had bounced back. Turnover for this next year will probably be about £8m-£9m.
“The guys that we bought the company off had done a fantastic job in building on from the Coupland family and our plan is to build it even further. And so far, it seems to be going that way.”
Having started as a shop on Hessle Road, the firm evolved into a contracting business in the 1940s, with premises on Castle Street. Having been heavily involved with the army and navy throughout the war effort, the company graduated to premises on Carr Lane in the late 1950s and then Myton Street in the late 1960s, before landing at its current Therm Road location.
Terry Coupland was the last of the Coupland family to steer the business before it was acquired by Nigel Marris, Paul Chapman, Matthew Dodson in 2012.
In recent weeks the firm won ECA Contractor of the Year Award – up to £15m turnover and Excellence in Training & Skills Award at the Electrical Contractors’ Association Awards – the “industry Oscars”.
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