Tinopolis

About Tinopolis

In 1990, in the Welsh town of Llanelli, once a global center for tinplate production, Ron Jones founded Tinopolis. The company began its journey securing programming commissions with the Welsh-language channel S4C. This initial focus on its local market laid the groundwork for future ambition. The company's first major strategic move was a hostile takeover of the larger, publicly listed Television Corporation in 2005, which owned notable production houses like Mentorn and Sunset+Vine. A pivotal chapter began in 2008 when Tinopolis went private in a £44.7 million deal, partnering with the private equity firm Vitruvian Partners. This partnership fueled a significant growth phase, enabling Tinopolis to expand aggressively, particularly into the US market through acquisitions of production companies like A. Smith & Co. By 2017, the company's growth was substantial, with turnover having tripled and the US becoming its largest market. In a significant move demonstrating confidence in its future, the management team, led by Jones, bought back Vitruvian's stake, taking full ownership of the international media group they had built.