ITL Group

Amongst the many businesses situated on Ashford’s Ellingham Way business park is ITL Group, a full service medical technology development, design and manufacturing company.

Established in the town in 1977, the firm has established deep roots and a long history with Ashford, whilst growing and developing a portfolio of critical medical devices such as breast cancer scanners, cervical cancer staging devices, microbiology instruments, laboratory instrumentation, food safety equipment, X-ray targeting systems, eye scanners and Intelligent Nitric Oxide Delivery Systems.

The firm employs over 100 staff in Ashford, as well as representation from offices in Shanghai, China and Virginia, USA, making ITL Group a globally recognised company.

ITL Group in Ashford
ITL Group in Ashford

ITL Group is an international company, trading across Europe, the USA and China. Being able to access Europe quickly is important for us and for many of our clients, so the road and rail links in Ashford are invaluable.

Tom Cole, Managing Director

“ITL Group is an international company, trading across Europe, the USA and China. Being able to access Europe quickly is important for us and for many of our clients, so the road and rail links in Ashford are invaluable,” Managing Director, Tom Cole says.

Following a management buyout in December 2013, the firm has seen significant growth in its order book and consequent increases in output. Meeting this increased demand is met by the dedicated and committed workforce, many of which are recruited locally and are key to the company’s development.

ITL, ITL Group, Ashford Storyteller, ITL team
ITL Group celebrating their 40th Anniversary

This growth has continue with the acquisition of ITL Group in August 2018 by Gooch & Housego PLC (G&H), a leader in photonics technology and specialist manufacturer of optical components.

“This acquisition will further broaden our service offering and strengthen our ability to provide our customers with innovative solutions to meet their challenging needs.”

Tom Cole, Managing Director, and Greg Smith, Business Development Director at ITL Group
Tom Cole, Managing Director, and Greg Smith, Business Development Director

Our company is shaping the future of healthcare and helping to nurture the global engineering skills base; being able to access a skilled workforce is essential.

Tom Cole, Managing Director

2014 saw the firm cement its position within its sector and alongside considerable investment in globalising its core business, ITL Group has established its own brand of laboratory instruments, Vitl, a variety of solutions for microplate handling for laboratory applications.

ITL, ITL Group, ViTL, Lab equipment

And just like the town they trade from, ITL Group are adding a number of awards under their belts, including being shortlisted as a finalist in the Manufacturer of the Year Awards 2013 and winning two Kent Excellence in Business Awards, a feat it repeated at the 2016 KEiBAs, also winning Technology Business of the Year at the 2017 awards.