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GCH Corporation — Our Story

Built Over Decades.
Never Sold.

From our first acquisition in 2010 to twelve businesses today — the story of how GCH was built, one company at a time.

Co-founded by Cassie & Greg Hutchings  ·  GCH Corporation, est. 2010
12
Active Businesses
1878
Earliest Heritage
1,200+
People Employed
5
Industry Sectors
0
Businesses Sold
The People Behind GCH

GCH Corporation was established in 2010 with a clear and enduring vision: to acquire great British businesses, invest in them for the long term, and never sell. That founding conviction remains at the heart of everything we do.

CH
Founder & CEO
Cassie Hutchings
The Vision Behind GCH
“We don’t acquire businesses to put our stamp on them. We acquire them so they can keep putting their stamp on British industry.”

Cassie co-founded GCH in 2010 with a belief that has never wavered: acquire great British businesses, invest in them for the long term, and never sell. From a single acquisition to a portfolio spanning multiple industries and employing over a thousand people, she has built a group designed to endure across generations. She leads from the front, knows every business personally, and holds the group to a simple standard — every company should be stronger under GCH ownership than it was before. That principle has guided every acquisition, every investment, and every decision since day one.

GH
Chairman & Co-Founder
Greg Hutchings
The Capital and Conviction Behind GCH
“I have spent forty years acquiring and building industrial businesses. The most valuable thing you can give any of them is certainty — of ownership, of investment, and of commitment. GCH was built on that principle. We think in generations, not in deal cycles, and that changes everything — how we buy, how we invest, and how we hold.”

Greg Hutchings is one of the most experienced industrialists in Britain. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he led major listed companies, oversaw portfolios of dozens of businesses, and developed an unwavering conviction that ownership — not financial engineering — is what allows great companies to thrive. Greg provided the founding capital for GCH and, as Chairman, continues to shape its strategic direction. His judgement, his discipline, and his belief that profit should be reinvested back into the businesses are the bedrock on which GCH is built.

The Journey

A Timeline of British Industry

Crompton Lamps
Founded in the era of the first commercial electric light, Crompton begins manufacturing lamps in Britain — a heritage that endures nearly 150 years.
1878
1956
ADM Pressings
Established within the Vickers Armstrong Group, ADM begins precision metal pressing for Britain's industrial heartland.
Thurston Group
Thurston begins manufacturing modular and portable buildings, pioneering a sector that would become essential to British infrastructure.
1965
1980s
Whiteline Group
Whiteline is founded as a fabricator of premium PVCu windows and doors, building a reputation for quality in South East England.
Sycamore Lighting
Sycamore is established as a specialist LED lighting manufacturer for the KBB trade, growing to become a trusted partner for professionals across the UK.
1998
2010
GCH Corporation Founded
Cassie and Greg Hutchings co-found GCH Corporation with a single conviction: acquire great British industrial businesses, invest in them, and never sell. The group's first acquisition follows immediately.
HK Timbers — Acquired
GCH's first acquisition. A long-established manufacturer of timber packaging and pallet boxes supplying the food production and horticultural industries from Lincolnshire.
Mar 2010
Apr 2011
Unitruck Ltd — Acquired
A trusted supplier of forklift trucks and materials handling equipment to businesses across the UK. GCH's second acquisition, broadening the group into the automotive aftermarket.
Crompton Lamps — Acquired
One of Britain's most iconic lamp brands, manufacturing quality lighting products since 1878. GCH acquires the heritage business and commits to preserving its name and legacy.
Oct 2011
Oct 2011
Lightbulbs Direct — Acquired
One of the UK's most established online lighting retailers, acquired alongside Crompton Lamps to create a vertically integrated lighting group serving both trade and consumer markets.
Dent Steel — Acquired
A specialist steel stockholder and processor supplying the construction, engineering and manufacturing industries. GCH backs the business with capital investment and a long-term ownership commitment.
Jul 2012
Mar 2014
Sycamore Lighting — Acquired
A specialist in high-performance LED lighting solutions for residential, commercial and hospitality environments, based in Garforth, Leeds. GCH's sixth acquisition, strengthening the lighting portfolio.
ADM Pressings — Acquired
A precision engineering business supplying the automotive and industrial sectors from Newcastle upon Tyne. GCH invests significantly in the facility, including new laser cutting and paint plant equipment.
Dec 2015
Jul 2016
Stackright Ltd — Acquired
A manufacturer of portable and modular buildings for construction, industry and the public sector, based in Skelmersdale, Lancashire. GCH's eighth acquisition, entering the modular buildings market.
Newspace — Acquired
Specialists in the sale, hire and conversion of shipping containers and portable cabins, based in Lydney, Gloucestershire. GCH's ninth acquisition, adding container solutions to the modular portfolio.
Nov 2016
Jun 2023
Whiteline Group — Acquired
A leading manufacturer and installer of PVCu windows, doors and conservatories serving trade customers across the South East. GCH's tenth acquisition, marking a return to growth after consolidation.
Thurston Group — Acquired
One of the UK's most established modular building manufacturers, acquired by GCH in December 2025 to preserve hundreds of skilled jobs and a 50-year legacy of British manufacturing excellence in Yorkshire.
Dec 2025
Dec 2025
Storplan — Acquired
Specialists in mezzanine floors, pallet racking and bespoke industrial storage systems, based in York. Acquired alongside Thurston Group, bringing the portfolio to twelve businesses.