As a family-run business, our ethos is shared across the whole team. Wherever we work and whatever the role, our people take pride in doing things the right way, supporting one another, finding solutions, and giving customers the confidence to move forward.
Founded in 1909 when Percy W. Stephenson opened a hardware store in Darlington, County Durham, the business embodied the entrepreneurial spirit of many Northern family enterprises of the era. Darlington’s status as a hub for engineering, railways, manufacturing, and joinery made it the ideal location for a business built on craft, quality, and service.
Through two world wars, Percy W. Stephenson & Son continued to grow, diversifying into ceramics, architectural ironmongery, and joinery before specialising in kitchen componentry and furniture. By the 1980s, this became the company’s core focus, leading to the creation of PWS Distributors Ltd.
As the UK kitchen trade expanded, PWS established partnerships with leading global manufacturers, particularly in Europe, introducing innovative materials and designs that shaped the industry. Out of this success, The Danesmoor Agency was formed under Mark Stephenson – Percy’s great-grandson and now Group CEO – evolving into an independent division providing specialist buying and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers, and the trade.
In 2007, following Mark Stephenson’s acquisition of the business, Danesmoor Group was established as the parent company, uniting PWS operations and The Danesmoor Agency. Since then, the Group has pursued an ambitious strategy of organic and acquisitive growth, supported by major investment in infrastructure and innovation. This includes one of the UK’s largest independent worksurface fabrication plants, one of Europe’s most advanced automated paint finishing facilities, a kitchen cabinet manufacturing operation, two market-leading design centres, and the launch of Life Kitchens for Living retail.
Today, Danesmoor Group stands as a fifth-generation family business – proud of its heritage, driven by innovation, and committed to helping its customers thrive.
We continue to invest in our people year after year, and we’ve recently introduced five new company values that are more than just words - they shape how we think, how we act, and how we move forward with momentum and purpose. From a hardware store in Darlington, County Durham, into a national market leading organisation. Together, these values shape the culture of The Danesmoor Group. They’re not just words on a wall – they-re the principles we live by every day.
Percy W Stephenson opens a hardware store in Darlington, laying the foundations for a business rooted in quality and service.
Post-war demand sees the business expand into joinery, architectural ironmongery and ceramics, building the skills and specialisms that still define us today.
As demand grew, we moved into new premises across two sites, and branched into ceramics, architectural ironmongery and joinery services – which eventually led to us supplying kitchen componentry and furniture.
PWS Distributors is established, supplying kitchen componentry to a growing trade market and forging strong European manufacturing partnerships.
Mark Stephenson acquires the business and forms Danesmoor Group, bringing PWS, Danesmoor Agency and new ventures under one group structure.
Significant investment enables the development of a major worksurfaces facility and one of Europe’s most advanced paint finishing lines.
The Group continues to grow with the launch of Life Kitchens, two design centres, and expanded manufacturing and cabinet production capabilities.
Still proudly independent and family-owned, Danesmoor Group remains a trusted partner to trade and retail clients across the UK.
