Shining a light on success by Jonathan Ruff, Managing Director, LED Hut on 31-Jul-2013

The UK’s leading online LED retailer has joined some of the country’s fastest-growing companies as a finalist in this year’s National Business Awards. Having increased sales five-fold over the last 18 months, LED Hut has been shortlisted in the Growth Business of the Year category of the prestigious national awards, which take place on 12 November 2013 in London.

"We are delighted to have been recognised by experts in the field for the results of our growth and marketing strategy over the past 18 months, especially amongst such an impressive mix of competitors in this category," said Jonathan Ruff, founder and Managing Director of LED Hut.

"In the face of challenging market conditions and fierce competition, the team has worked hard to grow the company from its small beginnings to where it is now, with a dominant share in the online LED market. We have now provided more than one million bulbs to UK households and in the last year alone, we’ve supplied enough replacement bulbs to save around 3000 tonnes of CO₂, delivering approximate customer savings of more than £3.5m. We’re committed to maintaining our position as ultimate specialist online resource for competitively priced, top-quality LEDs and we’re looking forward to the next phase of growth."

Jonathan, a 31-year-old internet entrepreneur, founded the company in 2011 and it has grown from a small five-person start-up to take a leading 23.6% share in the online LED market in the UK. As well as its successful consumer offering, the company has since opened a dedicated online trade portal for the commercial sector and has expanded to France and Germany.

Shortlisting judge Yvonne Quinn, of the Cranfield School of Management’s Business Growth Programme, said: "LED Hut uses excellent digital marketing to enable it to build and educate a broad range of consumers to the benefits of LED (rather than focussing on simply selling to the converted). With strong brand values which build on the environmental benefits of LED, it has achieved extremely rapid and impressive growth in a challenging crowded marketplace."

Jonathan continues, "With household bills soaring and the need to save energy becoming increasingly pressing, LED light bulbs have emerged as a quick, convenient and cost-effective way for people to cut their carbon footprint and their costs. This has been an important driver behind LED Hut’s growth. We focus on providing the information and support the customer needs to choose the right LED options for the best results in their home – and the highest level of service at every stage of the process."

The National Business Awards are the UK’s most prestigious independent business recognition platform, recognising excellence across 15 categories. This year’s finalists were chosen from hundreds of entries and nominations, and winners will be revealed at a ceremony on 12 November 2013at the Grosvenor House, London. For more information, please visit: www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk

The National Business Awards supports The Prince’s Trust, a charity that offers practical and financial support to young people who need it.

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