Raytel Group Limited

The Raytel Group was formed in 1980 as a ‘central services’ and parent company for Rayleigh Instruments Limited (Established 1964) and Raytel Security Systems Limited (Established 1979).

The main ‘central services’ supplied to the Group sales companies are Accounts, Stores & Warehousing, IT, Graphic Design/Web Design and Production.

Production

Over the years, our Production department has grown from a basic instrument repair workshop to a fully integrated development, design and manufacturing organisation. Its main function is to produce electronic based products to the Groups sales companies to satisfy their respective market requirements. Since it’s inception the Raytel Group has built a substantial reputation in the UK for the quality of it’s products and customer service.

Rayleigh Instruments supply to industry a wide range of control, instrumentation and relay products.
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Raytel Security Systems is a prominent supplier of a wide range of Door Entry and Access Control Equipment to the UK Security Industry for both private applications and for public buildings.
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The Raytel Group of companies welcome the opportunity to quote for the design, development and manufacture of custom products. Or simply the subcontract manufacture of existing designs, whether it be small or mass-production.

Quality Management System

The Raytel Group of Companies employ a Quality Management System that is relevant to our business, that is measured by BSI and complies with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 – Certificate of Registration Number : FS 12165 – Click Here to view.

ISO 9001 Quality Management is ‘the worlds most recognised quality management standard’ – to find out more about BSI and this Certification Click Here.

Company Registration Information

Registered Office Number : 1279536
Registered Address : Raytel Group Limited, Raytel House, 1-5 Cutlers Road, South Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 5WA. Number :
Directors : R. Lawrence (Chairman), E. Biddle, D. G. Brookes, F. T. Hoare
VAT Number : GB 394 9607 00
Terms and Conditions of Sale Click Here.

Origins

When mass car production began once more in the United Kingdom after the end of WW11, the instrument panels on many of these cars were extremely basic having only a speedometer and perhaps a fuel gauge. There was, therefore, a large market for auxiliary instrument panels among car owners. One of the major suppliers to the UK market was Motometer GMBH of Stuttgart, West Germany. Their agent was based in Hatton Gardens, London. Motometer also had a range of high-quality Industrial temperature controllers that they were also anxious to promote and sell in this country. Their London agent was then persuaded to employ an experienced young industrial sales manager, Lesley B. Nobbs to promote the industrial temperature controllers. After nearly a year without any orders and more used to quick, retail sales, Les was given his notice by his London employers.

At this point, Les contacted a friend and former colleague, Roy Lawrence, who was working as UK Sales Manager for a Danish company. Since Les had been about to receive a large order for 500 temperature controllers from a large, plastic moulding machine manufacturer, He and Roy decided to approach Motometer directly to seek financial help in setting up their own company in the UK. A quick visit to Stuttgart to see Motometer’s owners, Robert Schlaich and his sister, Mrs. Baumeister gained the required financial support and a further visit several months later, sponsored by Motometer, to the massive Hannover Fair, gained the young entrepreneurs the UK representation of other German and Swiss companies.

In July 1964, Rayleigh Instruments Ltd., began trading from a small shop front at 271, Kiln Road, Thundersley, Essex with Les and Roy as joint MDs and Les’ wife, Eileen as receptionist/secretary and Roy’s wife, Pat as an experienced book-keeper. The new business thrived and when Motometer was sold several years later, RI was given generous terms by its new American owners to gain complete independence. Les’ brother-in-law, Richard Hipkins and his son, Alan had joined RI at an early stage to handle repairs and modifications and they contributed to the company’s growth for many years.

 After eight years, Les and Eileen retired from the company leaving Roy as MD and Eileen Biddle took over the financial reins of RI in 1973 allowing Roy’s wife to retire.

The following years were turbulent for the small company with many staff, product, and political changes to deal with but despite these problems, Rayleigh Instruments continued to grow.

In 1979, one of Rayleigh Instruments’ departments that specialised in Security products became a separate company, Raytel Security Systems Ltd. because its market was very different from that of Rayleigh Instruments. Further structural changes took place in 1980 when The Raytel Group Ltd was formed as a holding and service company for the two sales subsidiaries, RI and RSS.

In spite of the many changes previously mentioned, the company’s policy of promoting from within, wherever possible, plus new talent, has given the Group a substantial degree of stability. For example, one young sales engineer named Gary Brookes who joined RI in 1981 has risen through the ranks to become RI’s current Managing Director, as well as joining the main Group Board. Eileen Biddle became Group Financial Director in 1980 and has continued to keep the Group’s finances stable through both good and bad times.

Although any review of a company’s market success is merely a snapshot in time, we hope that our strategy of offering good quality, leading-edge products at affordable prices backed by good after-sales support, and sharing our success with our staff will enable the Raytel group of companies to continue to serve our customers for many years to come.

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