Paul Chisnall, general manager of TED - Hughes Electrical's trade division - and the team which will be based at its national headquarters in Norwich.

East Anglian group Hughes Electrical has set its sights on creating a new national brand with the launch of a new trade division.

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Trade Electricals Direct (Ted) was created after Hughes merged its trade operation with that of its former rival Bennetts – acquired by Hughes in March this year.

Ted will have its headquarters in Norwich, based in the Bennetts store in Hall Road, with other branches in Ipswich, King’s Lynn, Peterborough, Colchester, Birmingham and Chelmsford, which will cover London.

The new operation has annual sales and contracts in excess of £10m this year with customers across the UK including small independent retailers, builders, care homes, schools, housing associations, local authorities and universities.

Norwich manager Pete Stevenson said: “These are exciting times and we are looking to develop Ted into a true national brand and are delighted it will be based in Norwich.

“Our goal is to become the leading supplier of major domestic appliances and audio visual products to trade customers. We aim to build long term relationships with customers rather than go for a one off sale – a sort of personal shopper for businesses.”

Hughes Electrical was founded in Lowestoft in 1921.

The company rewound industrial electrical motors for the fishing fleet, but in 1928 opened its first shop to build and sell radios.

Today it is one of the country’s biggest independent electrical retailers with 47 retail shops, five delivery and repairing depots, seven trade branches and two distribution warehouses.