Companies in Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the 52nd biggest place on the UK company register, with 14,139 live companies, or 0.2% of the UK total. 1,507 of those were formed in 2025. 920 (6.5%) have a proposal to strike off on file, below the UK figure of 7.3%. Compared with the UK as a whole, Chelmsford stands out for growing of cereals (except rice), leguminous crops and oil seeds: 32 companies, 3.1 times the national share.
What Chelmsford has more of than the rest of the UK
Each trade's share of Chelmsford companies, compared with its share across the UK.
Biggest trades in Chelmsford
Live Chelmsford companies, by year formed
Only companies still live are counted, so older years look smaller. 2026 stops on 1 November 2026.
See every year as a table
| Year | Live companies |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 296 |
| 2013 | 361 |
| 2014 | 428 |
| 2015 | 436 |
| 2016 | 563 |
| 2017 | 593 |
| 2018 | 639 |
| 2019 | 734 |
| 2020 | 740 |
| 2021 | 858 |
| 2022 | 827 |
| 2023 | 918 |
| 2024 | 1,070 |
| 2025 | 1,507 |
| 2026 | 1,391 |
Oldest active companies in Chelmsford
- Chelmsford ClubFormed 1884
- The Red Poll Cattle SocietyFormed 1888
- Woodcote Grove EstateFormed 1904
- Salvation Army General Insurance CorporationFormed 1909
- Company of Proprietors of the Chelmer and Blackwater NavigationFormed 1913
Funny company names registered in Chelmsford
- Smashing BunsFormed 2014
Nearest in size
Town means the post town of the registered address, which isn't always where a company trades. Many companies use an accountant's or formation agent's address. Figures come from Companies House on 1 November 2026.