Britain's Top 100 Entrepreneurs 2014: No. 65 - John Jakes, Acorn Mobility

The stairlifts entrepreneur is worth £130m.

by Philip Beresford
Published: 26 Oct 2014
Last Updated: 24 Oct 2014

Acorn Mobility Services was set up in a cramped Bradford terraced block in 1991. Now based in Shipley it assembles  more than 1,000 stair lifts units a month  from components manufactured at other Acorn owned plants throughout the UK. Acorn's founder John Jakes owns all the business which saw its profits soar to £16.7m on £127m sales in 2013. 

Age: 58
Activity: Stairlifts
Wealth: £130m
Latest turnover: £127m
Five-year rise in turnover: 95%
No. of employees: 973
Five-year rise in employment: 22%
Score: 179

Tags:
Enterprise Transport Big Ideas

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