Fast-growth Lancashire forecourt retailer joins Top Track elite

EG Group

EG Group, the Blackburn-based forecourt retailer, has broken into the top three of UK private companies showing the biggest sales.

The business improved its ranking from fifth last year, in the 18th annual Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 100 league table published this weekend.

EG is one of 11 North West companies featured in this year’s Top 100, the same number as last year.

Together they achieved sales of £26.1bn and profits of £1.4bn in their last financial year, and collectively employ more than 75,000 people.

EG Group has grown from a single petrol station in 2001, operated by Blackburn-born brothers Zuber and Mohsin Issa, into one of the world’s largest fuel and forecourt operators with 5,500 sites and 33,000 staff.

Its 2018 sales more than doubled (135%) to £10.6bn, following acquisitions in Europe, the US and Australia.

Achieving a place on the league table for the first time is Crewe-based car dealership Swansway Group (No 99), which owns 23 dealerships, selling 14 marques across North West England, Wales and the Midlands.

It recorded sales of £748m in 2018.

Other companies featured include The Hut Group (No 72), the online retailer which is building its new global headquarters at Manchester Airport and is continuing its acquisition trail, which this year included luxury Parisian haircare brand Christophe Robin, whose clients include Kylie Minogue.

Its sales reached £916m in 2018.

The companies in the North West of England appear alongside well-known British names, including Bet365, Clarks, Iceland, JCB, John Lewis Partnership, Nando’s and Specsavers.

This year, the 100 companies reached a record £220bn in total sales, up 14% on the prior year, with total profits of £24.6bn, up by 15%.

Almost four in five companies (78) increased sales in their latest financial year.

The league table programme is sponsored by HSBC, Linklaters and PwC, and compiled by Fast Track, the Oxford-based research and networking events firm.

Amanda Murphy, head of commercial banking, HSBC UK, said: “Once again, Britain’s most ambitious private enterprises have shown their mettle by shrugging off uncertainty, growing their combined sales 14% to a record £220bn.

“It’s reassuring that UK businesses are navigating change so confidently and the companies in the Top Track 100 are an inspiration to all.

“The 11 companies in the North West are the kinds of firms that provide the backbone of our economy, and we at HSBC UK are thrilled to see them thrive.”

The 11 North West firms featured in the Top Track 100 are:

  • EG Group (Blackburn) Top 3 (5 previously). Fuel forecourt operator
  • EMR (Warrington) 10 (12). Metal recycler
  • Radius Payment Solutions (Crewe) 19 (23). Fleet services provider
  • Home Bargains (Liverpool) 25 (29). Value retailer
  • Shop Direct (Liverpool) 28 (26). Online retailer
  • Matalan (Knowsley) 55 (53). Value retailer
  • Bibby Line Group (Liverpool) 62 (48). Conglomerate
  • The Hut Group (Manchester) 72 (92). Online retailer
  • Morson (Manchester) 80 (77). Engineering recruitment consultancy
  • NES Global Talent (Altrincham) 84 (-). Engineering recruitment consultancy
  • Swansway Group (Crewe) 99 (-). Car dealer

The full league table is published in The Sunday Time on July 7.

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