ElectraCat history
Our Story

Built on Trust,
Driven by Innovation

ElectraCat was founded in Manchester in 1875 by Thomas Volta, a former railway electrical engineer with a vision to supply reliable, certified components directly to the trade. What started as a small catalogue business has grown into a global platform trusted by hundreds of thousands of professionals.

We stock everything from modular wiring devices and distribution boards to smart building controls, data infrastructure and safety devices — all held to the highest BS EN and IEC standards and shipped the next working day.

"Our mission has never changed: put the right product in the hands of the right professional, every time."
— Sarah Volta, CEO, ElectraCat Ltd
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What We Stand For

Mission & Values

Everything we do is guided by a commitment to quality, integrity and the long-term success of the professionals who trust us.

Quality First
Every product in our catalogue is independently tested and certified to BS EN, IEC and CE standards before it reaches your project.
Professional Partnership
We work alongside installers, contractors and specifiers — not just as a supplier, but as a long-term technical and commercial partner.
Speed & Reliability
Next-day delivery on thousands of stocked lines. Our 98.6% on-time delivery rate means your project never waits on materials.
Continuous Innovation
From smart home integration to DALI lighting and EV infrastructure, we invest in next-generation product categories so you're always ahead.
Global Reach
Operating in 80 countries with multilingual support, multi-currency pricing and local compliance expertise wherever you work.
Sustainability
We are committed to carbon-neutral logistics by 2027, sustainable packaging, and a product range that promotes energy efficiency.
Our History

150 Years of Milestones

From a single warehouse in Manchester to a global platform — here are the moments that shaped who we are.

ElectraCat milestones
1875
1875 — Founding
Thomas Volta opens the first ElectraCat warehouse
Starting with 200 products and a horse-drawn delivery service, Thomas Volta sets out to give railway engineers direct access to certified electrical parts in Manchester.
1924
1924 — National Expansion
Branches open in London, Birmingham and Glasgow
Post-war construction boom drives demand. ElectraCat expands to serve residential housing projects across the UK with a 4,000-product catalogue.
1972
1972 — ISO Certification
First in the sector to achieve BS 5750 (later ISO 9001)
Quality management becomes a founding principle. Every product line is independently tested and certified — a practice we maintain today with over 12,000 SKUs.
1998
1998 — Digital Catalogue
Launch of the first online product catalogue
ElectraCat.com goes live with 6,000 products, online ordering and downloadable datasheets — a year ahead of most competitors.
2014
2014 — International Growth
Expansion into 40 new markets across Europe and Asia
Multi-currency checkout, multilingual support and regional compliance teams bring ElectraCat to 60 countries and 25,000 trade accounts worldwide.
2025
2025 — Platform Launch
ElectraCat Pro Platform: project management meets procurement
A new era begins. The ElectraCat platform integrates product search, project management, live quoting and order tracking into a single professional tool for contractors and specifiers.
The People Behind the Platform

Leadership Team

Experienced engineers, product specialists and industry veterans united by one goal: making professional electrical procurement simple.

Sarah Volta
Sarah Volta
Chief Executive Officer
5th-generation founding family. 20 years in electrical distribution and supply-chain leadership. BSc Electrical Engineering, Manchester.
Marcus Chen
Marcus Chen
Chief Product Officer
Former lead buyer at a FTSE 250 electrical contractor. 15 years specifying and procuring electrical equipment for commercial projects.
Priya Sharma
Priya Sharma
Head of Technical Support
Chartered Electrical Engineer. Leads our team of 18 certified engineers providing product selection guidance and compliance support.
James Okafor
James Okafor
VP of Operations
Oversees logistics, warehousing and next-day delivery for 80+ countries. Drove our 98.6% on-time delivery rate achievement in 2024.
Standards & Credentials

Certified to the Highest Standards

All ElectraCat products and operations are independently verified against international quality, safety and environmental standards.

🏅
ISO 9001
Quality Management Systems — certified since 1972
🛡️
CE Marking
All products compliant with European safety directives
⚡
BS EN Certified
British Standard compliance across the full product range
🔌
NICEIC Approved
Recognised supplier to NICEIC approved contractors
🌱
ISO 14001
Environmental Management — committed to net zero by 2030
Schneider Electric
Hager Group
Legrand
Siemens Building
Eaton
ABB
Gewiss
Clipsal by Schneider

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Product updates and compliance news — monthly.