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Companies in Glasgow

Glasgow is the 4th biggest place on the UK company register, with 75,705 live companies, or 1.3% of the UK total. 10,190 of those were formed in 2025. 7,049 (9.3%) have a proposal to strike off on file, above the UK figure of 7.3%. Compared with the UK as a whole, Glasgow stands out for distilling, rectifying and blending of spirits: 108 companies, 3.9 times the national share.

What Glasgow has more of than the rest of the UK

Each trade's share of Glasgow companies, compared with its share across the UK.

  • Distilling, rectifying and blending of spirits (108 companies)3.9×
  • Dispensing chemist in specialised stores (245 companies)2.4×
  • Joinery installation (573 companies)2.4×
  • Take-away food shops and mobile food stands (2,129 companies)2.2×
  • Wholesale of wine, beer, spirits and other alcoholic beverages (165 companies)2.2×

Biggest trades in Glasgow

Live Glasgow companies, by year formed

Only companies still live are counted, so older years look smaller. 2026 stops on 1 November 2026.

20122026
See every year as a table
YearLive companies
20121,403
20132,091
20142,207
20152,593
20163,426
20173,132
20183,147
20193,903
20203,354
20213,697
20224,179
20235,415
20246,563
202510,190
20269,403

Oldest active companies in Glasgow

  1. The Institution of Engineers in ScotlandFormed 1871
  2. Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts.Formed 1879
  3. William Collins Sons & CompanyFormed 1880
  4. Clydesdale BankFormed 1882
  5. Clyde Cooperage CompanyFormed 1884

Funny company names registered in Glasgow

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.

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