Companies in Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent is the 49th biggest place on the UK company register, with 14,577 live companies, or 0.3% of the UK total. 2,243 of those were formed in 2025. 1,208 (8.3%) have a proposal to strike off on file, above the UK figure of 7.3%. Compared with the UK as a whole, Stoke-on-Trent stands out for manufacture of ceramic household and ornamental articles: 19 companies, 12.4 times the national share.
What Stoke-on-Trent has more of than the rest of the UK
Each trade's share of Stoke-on-Trent companies, compared with its share across the UK.
Biggest trades in Stoke-on-Trent
Live Stoke-on-Trent 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 | 230 |
| 2013 | 272 |
| 2014 | 344 |
| 2015 | 373 |
| 2016 | 416 |
| 2017 | 522 |
| 2018 | 573 |
| 2019 | 770 |
| 2020 | 741 |
| 2021 | 724 |
| 2022 | 822 |
| 2023 | 1,008 |
| 2024 | 1,386 |
| 2025 | 2,243 |
| 2026 | 2,184 |
Oldest active companies in Stoke-on-Trent
- Furlong MillsFormed 1898
- Bolton Metals GroupFormed 1902
- Simpsons (potters)Formed 1904
- Michelin Tyre Public Limited CompanyFormed 1905
- Stoke City Football ClubFormed 1908
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.