Few names are as synonymous with the industry as Canford. In 1976, Iain Elliott (the driving force behind Canford) had the simple idea of creating a one-stop shop for everything needed for broadcast infrastructure and, thus, the 'Essential Source' was born.

As the company has grown over the decades, we have explored new avenues and ventures (including our custom metalwork manufacturing plant in Portland, Dorset) as well as merging Panamic, Tecpro, EMO and NEAL into the Canford Group. Our huge, and ever-expanding, product portfolio boasts around 20,000 carefully selected lines from more than 225 brands, all of which cater for broadcast, live events, pro AV, and many other industry sectors.

We've had the privilege of assisting hundreds of thousands of customers over the years; whether on our doorstep or based on a remote island, a member of the FTSE 100 or an individual contractor, ordering miles of custom-built fibre cable or a single ready-made connector. The reason behind this? All of our customers receive the same exceptional level of customer service that Canford has become renowned for. To better assist our overseas customers, we also have regional offices in Strasbourg (France), and Dubai (UAE).

In 2019, Canford was transferred to an Employee Ownership Trust to be run for the long-term benefit of all present and future employees. The Canford Group continues to operate under the same guiding principles that we always have, which also guarantees a significant workforce based in the North East of England.

In late 2021, Iain Elliott sadly passed away. And so it is up to us, the Canford employees, to build on his vision and to continue his legacy. Simple ideas can change everything.