The Beginning
Marl founded in 1972
Marl was formed by our current chairman Brian Ainley in Ulverston in 1972 and initially operated from his home at the time, which was called Marl Park. This was utilised for the company name. Our current Managing Director Adrian Rawlinson joined the company in 1977 just after the move to an old school premises in the middle of the town. Originally the company distributed medical equipment and manufactured safety systems for the chemical industry. |
 LED Panel Indicators, one of three principle ranges which Marl have produced since the late 1970s
|
The 1970s and 1980s
Marl begins distributing LEDs «» The company rapidly expands «» Marl moves into Stone Cross Mansion
Marl began design and manufacture, involving packaging of LEDs, in the late 1970s when it was realised that these products (including high performance and custom variants) were required by the telecom and defence industries.
At this time the LED colour range was limited to red, green and amber and were only bright enough to be used as status indicators. By end of the 1970s Marl employed 9 staff, and by 1989 this number had increased to approximately 40.
In addition to panel lamps, the other core ranges were PCB mounting status indicators and some of the world’s first miniature LED bulbs to replace filament bulbs in switches and control panels.
 PCB mounting indicator, LED bulb replacement and panel lamp |
 Stone Cross Mansion |
By the early 80s, the design and manufacture of LEDs had become the core business.
In 1986, the company outgrew its factory and moved into Stone Cross, a Gothic Mansion (pictured above)
The 1990s
Brighter and different colour LEDs and clusters introduced «» Increasing involvement with Rail and Defence sectors
Office opened in Nevada, USA «» Workforce exceeds 100 employees «» Optosource formed
 Side illumination panel for discreet information display for Eastman Kodak, Rochester, New York
|
This was the decade that LED technology undertook massive investment in the primary manufacturing plants and increasing intensity and efficiency was subject to huge research programmes in Europe, the USA, Japan and the rest of the Far East. The primary output from this was brighter LEDs, with higher levels of operating efficiency and extended colour range, with the introduction of blue LEDs and eventually white when phosphor doping techniques had been developed sufficiently to allow repeatable mass production of chip die. |
One of the most significant market breakthroughs for Marl was securing Eastman Kodak as a customer which eventually led to Marl supplying their dark room lighting requirements for the manufacturing plants on a global basis. This was one of the first environments to truly take advantage of LEDs being utilised as illuminators and this led to the development of several ranges of products to suit specific applications.
One of the most generic product developments was the introduction of cluster LED lamps, suitable for either low voltage or mains applications, (in the USA, UK and Europe). Not only were these used extensively within Eastman Kodak, but also began to have spin offs into other industrial applications.
 A spot light track mounted variant of an LED Cluster |
 The 234 Series: One of the first products to benefit from the development work with liquid optics was the special radial LED display to allow 360° viewing. Note the special key feature on top of the device to assist with installation and removal from the host housing assembly. |
At this point, Marl’s core competencies were based on mechanical engineering; electrical engineering and an ever increasing need for sophistication of electronics, and optics.
The company realised that the complementary skill required to continue the development of capability and expertise was optical engineering and it was decided that utilisation of translucent and transparent potting material was an effective and efficient way of combining the core competencies to provide high quality, high reliability products. Many of the applications at this time required an increasing degree of ruggedisation for operation in hazardous and environmentally unfriendly environments.
By the mid 1990s, Marl was becoming increasingly involved with rail related indicator applications, for both track side and vehicle equipment. (Core products had already been used in control rooms since the 1970’s). One of the key emerging customers for Marl during this period was London Underground and the application shared a similarity with Kodak in that it involved a working environment with a controlled low ambient light condition. Other special applications that Marl were involved with included Aerospace. During this period Marl were involved with the conceptual design and development and proto-typing for both the Euro Fighter and Boeing 777 programmes. |
 Marl produced the first LED replacement in mainland Britain for an LED replacement in a signal head.
|
Optosource, our distribution brand, was formed during the 1990s to distribute LEDs across the world.
By 1999, the company had increased its employees to over 100 and opened an office in Nevada, USA.
The early 2000s
Market moves towards signs, displays and lighting «» Optosign formed «» Marl relocates to form Marl Business Park
|
The new millennium started with a move towards the sign and display market. At this time, both RGB and white LEDs were accelerating in terms of their intensity and performance characteristics and were sufficiently cost effective to be used in retail applications. Optosign was formed in 2000, to design and manufacture LED signs. One of Optosign's most notable projects was the Hutchison '3' display sign, which features 'waves' of changing colours. |
In 2001 Marl had the opportunity to re-locate again within Ulverston and moved to an existing site to create Marl Business Park.
 Marl Business Park, Ulverston, Cumbria from the air, comprising of a 7 acre site, providing 100,000 sq ft of manufacturing and office accommodation. |
The Mid 2000s - Present Day
CreativeArc formed «» Marl Opto Inc formed «» Massive growth continues
In 2006, during a rapid growth in the LED lighting market, CreativeArc was launched to specialise in architectural LED lighting solutions. Optosign's products were also incorporated into the CreativeArc brand.
 Architectural lighting on display in Marl's concert room |
 The new Marl canteen, opened in 2005, which features a combination of RGB colour change lighting and high intensity white task lighting |
In 2007, Marl Opto Inc was formed as part of our expansion in the USA.
Today Marl employs 120 staff, with considerable potential for job creation within a controlled programme of massive growth.