Celestion honoured by member of parliament with plaque Commemorating 100th year

Celestion recently celebrated its centennial anniversary at its Ipswich headquarters with a visit from Patrick Spencer, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, who unveiled a plaque to commemorate Celestion’s 100 years of success in manufacturing for the music products business.

“I am delighted to join Celestion to mark their centenary year, and to meet the team and congratulate them on their outstanding achievements,” said Spencer. “Businesses like these are integral to Suffolk's local economy providing jobs for local people. And with such a global reach and high-quality products, it's no wonder that Celestion is still here today marking 100 years in business. I look forward to seeing them grow even further in the next hundred years.”

In 1974, HRH Princess Margaret visited the Celestion factory on Hadleigh Rd to unveil a similar plaque to commemorate Celestion’s 50th year.

With a rich, lasting legacy spanning 10 decades, Celestion has made countless breakthroughs in loudspeaker technology and is well known for innovating the modern guitar amp speaker, as well as having the most iconic PA system brands featuring Celestion speakers at their core.

Throughout the years, the company has set benchmarks in hi-fi, instrument amplification speakers and sound reinforcement – never losing sight of its focus on innovation and acoustic excellence.

While there have been many changes over the past 100 years at the Celestion, the company’s core values remain the same as they were when the founders pioneered one of the world's initial cone loudspeakers. Through its continuing pursuit of sonic perfection and drive for innovation, Celestion has left an indelible imprint on the landscape of sound technology and solidified a legacy that resonates across generations of musicians and industry professionals alike.

“Celestion is honoured to be recognised on our 100th anniversary,” said Nigel Wood, Managing Director at Celestion. “As a company, we started making loudspeakers 100 years ago, and today we are still making loudspeakers. Celestion has always stayed true to its core identity.”

Here, managing director Nigel Wood sheds light on the profound evolution that has shaped the company’s legacy and the pivotal role it has played in shaping the sound of generations of music, and what the future holds for the brand.

Here, Headliner looks back on the company's 100 years of innovation, decade by decade.