# List of companies of Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain. Over the last 250 years, Wales has been transformed first from a predominantly agricultural country to an industrial, and now a post-industrial economy. Since the Second World War, the service sector has come to account for the majority of jobs, a feature typifying most advanced economies. From the middle of the 19th century until the post-war era, the mining and export of coal was a dominant industry. At its peak of production in 1913, nearly 233,000 men and women were employed in the south Wales coalfield, mining 56 million tons of coal. From the mid-1970s, the Welsh economy faced massive restructuring with large numbers of jobs in traditional heavy industry disappearing and being replaced eventually by new ones in light industry and in services. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Wales was successful in attracting an above average share of foreign direct investment in the UK. However, much of the new industry was essentially of a "branch factory" ("screwdriver factory") type where a manufacturing plant or call centre is located in Wales but the most highly paid jobs in the company are retained elsewhere.

## Notable firms

This list includes notable companies with primary headquarters located in the country. The industry and sector follow the Industry Classification Benchmark taxonomy. Organizations which have ceased operations are included and noted as defunct.
Notable companies Active State-owned Defunct :
| Name | Industry | Sector | Headquarters | Founded | Notes |
| Admiral Group | Financials | Full line insurance | Cardiff | 1991 | Vehicle insurance |
| Air Wales | Consumer services | Airlines | Cardiff | 1997 | Airline, defunct 2006 |
| Anglesey Aluminium | Basic materials | Aluminium | Holyhead | 1971 | Aluminium, defunct 2009 |
| Ankst | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Cardiff | 1988 | Record label |
| Arriva Trains Wales | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Cardiff | 2003 | Passenger rail, owned by Arriva, defunct 2018 |
| Avon Inflatables | Consumer goods | Recreational products | Dafen | 1959 | Inflatable boats, part of Zodiac Nautic (France) |
| Bank of Wales | Financials | Banks | Cardiff | 1971 | Bank, part of Lloyds Banking Group, Defunct 2002 |
| Bank of Williams and Rowland | Financials | Banks | Neath | 1821 | Bank, defunct 1836 |
| BBC Cymru Wales | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Cardiff | 1964 | Broadcaster, part of the BBC |
| Black Boy Inn | Consumer services | Hotels | Caernarfon | 1522 | Hotel |
| Brace's Bakery | Consumer goods | Food products | Crumlin | 1902 | Bakery |
| Brains Brewery | Consumer goods | Brewers | Cardiff | 1882 | Brewery |
| Breconshire Brewery | Consumer goods | Brewers | Brecon | 2002 | Brewery, defunct 2014 |
| Buy as You View | Consumer services | Broadline retailers | Bridgend | 1972 | Home and electronics retailer, defunct 2019 |
| Cadwalader's Ice Cream | Consumer services | Restaurants & bars | Cardiff | 1927 | Ice cream |
| Cambrian Airways | Consumer services | Airlines | Cardiff | 1935 | Airline, defunct 1976 |
| Cardiff Bus | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Leckwith | 1902 | Bus services |
| Cardiff Waterbus | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Cardiff | 2000 | Water transport services |
| Celtic Manor Resort | Consumer services | Hotels | Newport | 1982 | Resort |
| Clark's Pies | Consumer goods | Food products | Cardiff | 1909 | Pies and confections |
| Corona | Consumer goods | Soft drinks | Porth | 1874 | Defunct soft drink |
| Dee Valley Water | Utilities | Water | Rhostyllen | 1863 | Water supplier |
| Dyfed Steels | Basic materials | Iron & steel | Llanelli | 1976 | Steel |
| Edwards Coaches | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Llantwit Fardre | 1925 | Bus services |
| Felinfoel Brewery | Consumer goods | Brewers | Llanelli | 1870s | Brewery |
| Ffestiniog Railway | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Porthmadog | 1836 | Passenger rail, now tourist attraction |
| Fflach | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Cardigan | 1981 | Record label |
| Filco Foods | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Llantwit Major | 1946 | Grocery chain |
| First Cymru | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Swansea | 1995 | Bus services, part of FirstGroup (Scotland) |
| Gelert | Consumer goods | Recreational products | Widnes | 1975 | Outdoor equipment |
| George Hotel, Chepstow | Consumer services | Hotels | Chepstow | 1899 | Hotel |
| GHA Coaches | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Ruabon | 1990 | Bus services, defunct 2016 |
| Gilbern | Consumer goods | Automobiles | Llantwit Fardre | 1959 | Automobiles, defunct 1973 |
| Gocompare.com | Financials | Insurance brokers | Newport | 2006 | Financial comparisons |
| Gomer Press | Consumer services | Publishing | Llandysul | 1892 | Publisher |
| Gwasg Carreg Gwalch | Consumer services | Publishing | Llanrwst | 1980 | Publisher |
| Heart Wales | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Cardiff | 2000 | Radio |
| Hilton Cardiff | Consumer services | Hotels | Cardiff | 1947 | Hotel, part of Hilton Hotels & Resorts (US) |
| Hodge Bank | Financials | Banks | Cardiff | 1987 | Bank |
| Howies | Consumer goods | Clothing & accessories | Carmarthen | 1995 | Clothing manufacturers |
| Hurns Brewing Company | Consumer goods | Brewers | Swansea | 1995 | Brewery |
| Hyder | Utilities | Multiutilities | Cardiff | 1996 | Defunct utility, bought by Western Power Distribution |
| Hypervalue | Consumer services | Broadline retailers | Merthyr Tydfil | 1980 | Retailer, defunct 2006 |
| Iceland | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Deeside | 1970 | Supermarket |
| Ifor Williams Trailers | Industrials | Commercial vehicles & trucks | Corwen | 1958 | Trailers |
| Inexus | Industrials | Heavy construction | Cardiff | 2005 | Infrastructure |
| ITV Cymru Wales | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Cardiff | 2014 | Television, part of ITV |
| ITV Wales & West | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Cardiff | 1968 | Television, became part of ITV |
| Leekes | Consumer services | Broadline retailers | Talbot Green | 1897 | Department stores |
| Lloyds Coaches | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Machynlleth | 2001 | Bus services |
| Loyn & Co | Industrials | Business support services | Penarth | 1987 | Architects |
| Lurvills Delight | Consumer goods | Soft drinks | Ynyshir | 1896 | Soft drink, defunct 1910 |
| Media Wales | Consumer services | Publishing | Cardiff | 1869 | Publishing |
| Michton | Consumer goods | Food products | Swansea | 1998 | Chocolate factory |
| Moneysupermarket.com | Financials | Investment services | Ewloe | 1993 | Price comparison website |
| Monmouthshire Building Society | Financials | Banks | Newport | 1869 | Bank and building society |
| Monnow Valley Studio | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Rockfield | 1975 | Recording studio |
| Nation Broadcasting | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Cowbridge | 1999 | Radio |
| National Welsh Omnibus Services | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Cardiff | 1929 | Operated in southeast Wales 1929 to 1992 |
| Newport Bus | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Newport | 1901 | Bus services |
| Padarn Bus | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Llanberis | 1979 | Bus services, defunct 2014 |
| Peacocks | Consumer services | Apparel retailers | Cardiff | 1884 | Fashion retailer |
| Penderyn Distillery | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Penderyn | 2004 | Whiskey |
| Percy Thomas Partnership | Industrials | Business support services | Cardiff | 1912 | Architects, defunct 2004 |
| Peter's Food Services | Consumer goods | Food products | Bedwas | 1971 | Bakery |
| Placid Casual | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Cardiff | 1998 | Record label |
| Plas Bodegroes | Consumer services | Restaurants & bars | Pwllheli | 1986 | Former Michelin-starred restaurant |
| Princes Gate Spring Water | Consumer goods | Soft drinks | Narberth | 1991 | Water |
| Principality Building Society | Financials | Banks | Cardiff | 1860 | Bank and building society |
| Rachel's Organic | Consumer goods | Food products | Aberystwyth | 1984 | Organic dairy |
| Real Crisps | Consumer goods | Food products | Crumlin | 1997 | Crisp brand, part of Tayto |
| Redrow | Consumer goods | Home construction | Ewloe | 1974 | Homebuilders |
| Rockfield Studios | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Rockfield | 1963 | Recording studio |
| Rowecord Engineering | Industrials | Heavy construction | Newport | 1967 | Steel construction |
| Royal Mint | Financials | Specialty finance | Llantrisant | 886 | Coins and currency |
| S4C | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Cardiff | 1982 | Television |
| Sain | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Cardiff | 1969 | Record label |
| Seren Press | Consumer services | Publishing | Bridgend | 1981 | Publisher |
| South West Wales Publications | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Swansea | 1912 | Newspaper publishing |
| St David's Hotel | Consumer services | Hotels | Cardiff | 2000 | Wales' first 5-star hotel |
| Stagecoach South Wales | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Cwmbran | 1991 | Bus services, part of Stagecoach Group (Scotland) |
| SWALEC | Utilities | Conventional electricity | Cardiff | 1990 | Defunct utility, became subsidiary of Scottish & Southern Energy |
| Swansea Building Society | Financials | Banks | Swansea | 1923 | Bank and building society |
| Television Wales and the West | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Cardiff | 1958 | Television, defunct 1968 |
| The Vale Resort | Consumer services | Hotels | Vale of Glamorgan | 1994 | Resort, part of Leekes |
| Tinopolis | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Llanelli | 1990 | Television |
| Goitre Tower Anthracite | Basic materials | Coal | Hirwaun | 1864 | Wales' last coal pit, defunct 2008 |
| Trade Centre Wales | Consumer services | Specialty retailers | Neath | 2000 | Used car retailer |
| Transport for Wales Rail | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Pontypridd | 2021 | Passenger rail |
| Tŷ Nant | Consumer goods | Soft drinks | Aberystwyth | 1989 | Water |
| Veritair | Consumer services | Airlines | Cardiff | 1982 | Charter helicopters |
| Wales & West Utilities | Utilities | Gas distribution | Newport | 2005 | Gas utility |
| Wales West and North Television | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Cardiff | 1962 | Television, defunct 1964 |
| Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water | Utilities | Water | Cardiff | 1989 | Water supplier |
| Williams Medical Supplies | Health care | Medical supplies | Rhymney | 1986 | Medical supplies |
| Woodham Brothers | Industrials | Waste & disposal services | Barry | 1892 | Scrap metal merchants based at Barry Docks |
| Wrexham Lager | Consumer goods | Brewers | Wrexham | 1881 | Brewery |
| Y Lolfa | Consumer services | Publishing | Tal-y-bont | 1967 | Printing and publishing |
* The Port Talbot Steelworks in Port Talbot.
* The hydroelectric Dinorwig Power Station.
* Headquarters for the Principality Building Society in Cardiff.