Labora Group

What Labora Group does

Labora Group is a privately held single family office, founded in 2014 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, that manages the business and philanthropic investments of the Mackie Family. The group's operations span three pillars: legacy operating companies in electrical materials distribution (a business traceable to a 1951 shop in Coventry, now grown organically across 12 countries); solar products distribution (entered via two major distributor acquisitions in 2021 with stated ambition to become a global leader in solar products and solutions); and Labora Capital Partners, an investment arm deploying a permanent capital base across asset classes globally. The family also operates two philanthropic foundations — the Hartland & Mackie Family Foundation and the Janet Nash Charitable Foundation — focused on poverty alleviation, children's health, mental health, community building, and the visual arts, alongside employee giving programs (CEF Cares and CES Cares) at affiliated operating companies.

The business model is primarily a holding-company structure, with revenue generated through hardware sales by the operating distribution subsidiaries (CEF, CES, and related entities) serving B2B industrial and commercial customers, complemented by investment returns from Labora Capital Partners. There is no public pricing, no disclosed revenue, and no external institutional ownership; the firm operates through direct relationships with operating companies, portfolio partners, and philanthropic grantees, with offices in Dallas, London, and Bussigny (Switzerland). The family's motto — "Save a little, spend a little, give a little" — frames a long-horizon, autonomy-and-stability-driven operating philosophy under President & CEO Thomas Hartland-Mackie, distinguishing Labora from time-pressured financial sponsors and emphasizing multi-generational stewardship over short-term returns.

Name

Labora Group

Legal name

Labora Group

Website

https://labora.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Labora Group is the privately held Mackie Family single family office, managing operating companies in electrical materials and solar product distribution across 12 countries, alongside the Labora Capital Partners investment arm and two family philanthropic foundations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Electrical Materials Distribution: Operating companies in electrical materials distribution have grown from a small shop in Coventry in 1951 to a global leader, operating across 12 countries organically.
2. Solar Products Distribution: In 2021, the Mackie Family expanded into solar by acquiring two major distributors, aiming to become the leading global provider of solar products and solutions.
3. Investment Management: Labora Capital Partners manages investments with permanent capital base allowing patient and prudent investment across asset classes globally, generating returns through investment portfolio appreciation and distributions.

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

Labora Group is a single family office managing the Mackie Family's business and philanthropic investments through a portfolio of operating companies and investment vehicles. Its core operations include global electrical materials distribution (a legacy business since 1951) and solar products distribution (entered via acquisitions in 2021), alongside Labora Capital Partners as its investment arm deploying permanent capital across asset classes globally.

Product overview

Labora Group is a holding company that manages the Mackie Family's business and philanthropic investments through a portfolio of operating companies and investment vehicles. The core operations consist of electrical materials distribution (a legacy business spanning over 70 years across 12 countries) and solar products distribution (acquired in 2021 as a growth opportunity). The company also operates Labora Capital Partners as its investment arm, along with family foundations for philanthropic activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Labora Capital Partners: Investment arm focused on building a legacy through lifelong commitment to learn from, invest in, and partner with those who share passion for growth and guiding life principles. Features permanent capital base for patient and prudent global investments.

Products and services

• Electrical Materials Distribution Global electrical materials distribution business serving industrial and commercial customers, operating across 12 countries. The business was built organically from a single shop in Coventry in 1951 to a global leader.
• Solar Products and Solutions Solar products distribution business created through the 2021 acquisition of two major solar distributors, serving industrial and commercial customers globally with solar products and solutions.
• Labora Capital Partners Investment vehicle with a permanent capital base that patiently and prudently invests across asset classes globally, focused on building a legacy through partnerships with companies aligned with the Mackie Family's values.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Hartland & Mackie Family FoundationcoreOthersFamily foundation focused on giving back and supporting communities, part of the Mackie Family's philanthropic initiatives.
• Janet Nash Charitable FoundationcoreOthersCharitable foundation focused on philanthropy and community support as part of the Mackie Family's giving initiatives.
• CEF CaresminorOthersEmployee giving and community support program operated by City Electric Supply (an affiliated company), focused on helping people reach their full potential.
• CES CaresminorOthersEmployee giving and community support program operated by City Electric Supply (an affiliated company), focused on poverty alleviation, children's health, mental health, and building strong communities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sonepar: Global #1 electrical materials distributor operating across 40+ countries with significantly larger scale than Labora's CES/CEF operations. Direct competitor in electrical materials distribution with overlapping geographic footprint and similar B2B industrial customer base.
• Rexel: Global #2 electrical distribution group with operations across 30+ countries and publicly listed equity. Competes directly with Labora's electrical materials distribution subsidiaries on multinational accounts, pricing, and supplier relationships.
• Graybar: US-focused electrical, communications, and data networking products distributor, employee-owned with $10B+ revenue. Operates in overlapping electrical distribution categories with Labora and shares a similar long-term, private ownership ethos.
• Werner Electric Supply: Regional US electrical distributor serving commercial and industrial customers. Comparable mid-scale distribution model with overlapping product lines and customer base to Labora's CES operations.
• CED Greentech: US distributor of solar, energy storage, and electrical products serving commercial and residential installers. Directly comparable to Labora's 2021-acquired solar distribution businesses in product mix and customer base.
• Krannich Solar: European-based solar wholesaler operating across 25+ countries with a global distribution footprint. Closest international peer to Labora's solar distribution operations in terms of geographic scope, customer segments, and growth trajectory.

Broad incumbents

• Berkshire Hathaway: Family-controlled diversified holding company with permanent capital base and long-term investment philosophy. Comparable in structural approach (patient capital, decentralized operating company management, multi-generational stewardship) though vastly larger scale than Labora.
• Koch Industries: Private family-controlled conglomerate with diversified operating businesses across industrial, energy, and consumer markets. Shares Labora's family-ownership structure, long-term orientation, and diversification strategy across operating companies and investments.

Others

• Cascade Investment: Single-family office managing diversified investments across public equities, private equity, and operating businesses. Comparable to Labora Group's family office structure and long-term capital allocation mandate, though materially larger in scale.

Regional players

• EDENS (formerly Edison Electrical Distributors): US-based regional electrical distributor with comparable B2B industrial customer base to Labora's CES operations. Provides relevant regional peer benchmark for the legacy US distribution business.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments5 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Labora Group