Which firms have made this year’s Top Track?
DENTAL care provider Mydentist is the only North West company to make the top 10 of the Sunday Times’ annual ranking of the top 250 mid-market growth firms in the country.
Coming in at number eight, up from being placed 15th last year, the Learsley, Greater Manchester company reported impressive profits of £30m on a turnover of £566m (up 6%) for the year to the end of March 2016.
The company, which says it is Europe’s largest dental care provider, and the biggest provider of NHS dentistry in the UK, employs more than 7,100 staff anmd is majority owned by Carlyle and Palamon Capital Partners, with management retaining a 15% stake.
Published this weekend, the 12th annual Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 league table ranks Britain’s private mid-market growth companies with the biggest sales.
The 24 companies headquartered in the North West, down on 30 last year, increased combined sales 12% to £5bn and operating profits 22% to £499m, and employ more than 25,000 people.
There are 13 entrants from the region that were not in last year’s league table last year, including Lakeland, the Windermere-based kitchen accessory retailer; bed manufacturer Silentnight, based in Barnoldswick in Lancashire; and Lytham St Anne’s Beaverbrooks the Jewellers, which has 67 shops nationwide and grew sales 5% to £119m in 2016.
Travel Counsellors is a new entrant at 162 with a turnover of £166m and profits of £11m.
Steve Byrne, chief executive at Travel Counsellors (pictured), said: “It’s a fantastic achievement for the business and it is testament to the team’s ongoing focus on creating a culture of care. This enables us to provide the best possible customer experience, and our Travel Counsellors work hard to develop strong and lasting relationships while also offering an extremely personalised service. As a result, we have seen a 22% rise in revenues over the last financial year, and with continued focus on global growth we look forward to climbing the Top Track ladder over the coming years.”
Cheadle-based Together, another new entrant, achieved the biggest profits in the North West with £122m, up 26% on last year. The specialist lender, previously known as Jerrold Holdings, provides finance products such as mortgages, secured loans and auction finance to property investors and private homebuyers.
The companies from the region appear with businesses from around the UK, including Arsenal, Barbour, Dr Martens, Nando’s, Skyscanner and Wagamama.The 250 companies grew combined sales by 14% to £58.1bn, operating profits by 26% to £4.9bn, and staff by 11% to 354,000.
Previous Top Track 250 success stories include B&M which first featured in 2009 with sales of £256m. The value retailer floated in June 2014 with a market capitalisation of £2.7bn, and is currently valued at £2.6bn.
Carl Williams, partner at Grant Thornton, said: “In the wake of the EU referendum it is more important than ever that businesses, and the public and the third sectors work together to help the UK to build on its strengths and ensure that the economy continues to grow. I am heartened to see how these businesses are embracing a collaborative approach to drive prosperity throughout the UK and wider society.”
