A firm which was started in Bradford by two sets of brothers 15 years ago has become a £30 million turnover business.

Empire Electrical, which began life as an electrical retail store in Leeds Road, Thornbury, now has two stores in Bradford, one in Leeds and a fourth in Bolton.

The company, which was recently listed as one of the biggest-growers in the Yorkshire and Humberside region, was started by brothers Manohar and Madan Showan and Jas and Amarjit Toor. It has since diversified into a number of businesses.

The firm, which started with the four partners, now employs a total of 150 people on four sites.

The Bradford stores are the Empire Electrical Megastore on Ingleby Road and Cleartone off John Street, there is another Empire Electrical in Leeds and a second Cleartone in Bolton.

The firm has a growing diversified mail order arm managed by a team of 30 at a call centre at the Roundhay site in Leeds.

The mail order side of the business trades under Empire Direct and Electricals Direct banners, which form partnerships with major employers such as the Post Office.

The firms offer electrical goods at discounted prices to employees at their companies from brochures sent round the workplace.

The goods are despatched from a warehouse in Bradford where 50 support staff work in despatch, administration and service teams.

Manohar Showan said today: "People are busier and working longer hours, and because of that there is a trend showing more people are buying direct."

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