Stuart Tickle, Managing Director, AWE
fl y and in 1989 was fulfi lling runway lighting transformer contracts for Heathrow, Gatwick, and the Ministry of Defence. • In 1990, Stuart D. Tickle started working for the business as a ‘Saturday boy’ in the
that being a company owner brings” refl ects Stuart Tickle, Managing Director at AWE. “This couldn’t be done without the support of others, so my sincere gratitude extends to the entire AWE team past and present, our loyal customers, and our valued brand partners for their ongoing commitment and unwavering trust.”
AWE TIMELINE: A Family Legacy Forged in Sound Originally founded in 1935 by Edgar A. Tickle, AWE started its 90-year journey as ‘Radio Menders’, a business to repair and sell radiograms – wireless, in the original form! This formed the early foundation of what is now AWE and commenced its expertise and passion for delivering the very latest in high-quality audio. • In 1946, Alex J. Tickle became the second- generation Managing Director and having pivoted into an engineering business during the war years, in 1953 Radio Menders evolved into Electro-Winds Ltd. The business grew, and in 1978, Barry E. Tickle was announced as third generation Managing Director. • In 1984, Barry launched Audiolite, a sister company of Electro-Winds, to manufacture background music systems. In 1987, Audiolite opened an independent electrical retail shop in Thornton Heath at the company’s HQ. Meanwhile, Electro-Winds continued to
Summer 2025
retail shop, which, by that time, was selling a range of audio-visual equipment including Laserdisc and early surround sound systems. In 1994, Audiolite and Electro-Winds were
merged into one company, with the three initials being used and becoming AWE. • In 1997, AWE began focusing specifi c eff orts on expanding sales into the new and exciting residential installation market. • In 2002, AWE joined CEDIA, the trade body for the emerging smart home installation market, and exhibited for the fi rst time at CEDIA Expo in Brighton. In 2003 Stuart was elected to the CEDIA UK Board of Directors, serving for 6 years. • In 2003, Stuart Tickle was announced as the fourth generation Managing Director of AWE and in 2003 the company HQ moved into new offi ces and warehouse in Epsom, focusing entirely on AV distribution into the residential sector. • In 2014, having outgrown its premises the company moved locally to a much larger building, updated the corporate identity, and launched a new show apartment including cinema demonstration facilities and the Smart Home Academy training initiative. • In 2021, AWE sponsored a GT Cup Aston Martin team. The Tickle family’s well-known love for motorsport has come to life over the years through partnering at various F1 events and AWE’s highly lauded Motorsport Sensation customer days.
PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
Today, AWE remains an independent family- run business, with Stuart Tickle at the helm and a senior management team who have been a part of the company for between 15 and 35 years. As well as Stuart’s niece, Christina, working her way up to Head of Partnerships, Sales Director Paul Mott joined in 1995 and his son, Nick, has been in the business for 15 years. AWE’s General Manager, Jackie Penfold, has had a son, brother and mother who have all worked for the business. Stuart’s brother (Darren) is often seen helping behind the scenes, too. So, it is not just the Tickles with family depth in the company.
More Than Just a Milestone With a portfolio of premium AV brands and a reputation for long-standing relationships with both retailers and custom installers, AWE is still a family-run business, and that sense of pride and partnership runs thorough everything they do. Over the coming months, AWE will be sharing a series of behind-the-scenes content and mark the milestone at key industry events. First up is a video showcasing ‘90 Years in 90 Seconds’, a dynamic video created in partnership with some of their iconic distributed brands, including Bowers & Wilkins, Epson, LG, Marantz and Sony. As the celebrations continue throughout 2025,
there’s no better time to discover the milestones, stories, and moments that have shaped AWE and be inspired by what’s to come. Follow AWE on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube to explore the moments, people and partnerships that makes AWE, unequivocally, AWE.
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