Which North West SMEs have made this year’s Export Track?
Nine companies from the North West, including six new entrants, have made this year’s Sunday Times Lloyds SME Export Track 100 league table, which ranks SMEs with the fastest-growing international sales.
Their combined international sales have grown by an average of 52% a year over the last two years to £71m, and together these firms employ almost 900 people.
The region’s top-ranked company is LPW Technology, which is a new entrant at No 29.
The Runcorn firm makes metal powders to print 3D products, ranging from turbine blades to medical implants. It has customers as far afield as Israel and China, and exports hit £5.5m in 2015.
Warrington-based pipeline inspection equipment specialist Mini-Cam is listed at number 57 after achieving a 53% increase in international sales in the two years to January 2016.
The company, which is backed by private equity firm LDC, designs, manufactures and distributes high-tech pipeline inspection systems which are used in underground surveys in more than 40 countries.
Mini-Cam has seen strong growth in the United States, the Middle East and Europe, and recently entered new export markets in China and Central and South America.
Managing director Nigel Wilson said: “This recognition reflects the hard work of our excellent team in driving international sales growth for Mini-Cam and we look forward to expanding our overseas footprint further during 2017.”
Another new entrant in the region is Chorley-headquartered Merlin Cycles (No 98). It ships road and mountain bikes to cyclists in more than 50 countries, and demand in the US helped exports hit £8.2m in 2015.
The companies in the North West appear with businesses from around the UK, including satellite manufacturer Clyde Space, craft products retailer Crafter’s Companion and drinks manufacturer Fentimans.
This latest research illustrates how closely connected Britain’s export drive is with its trading partners across both the Atlantic and the English Channel. A total of 85 of the companies sell to the continent, making it the most popular market, followed by North America (77).
This year’s SME Export Track 100 achieved, on average, international sales growth of 72% a year over two years to a total of £677m. They employ more than 8,000 staff, having added almost 3,000 jobs over the period.
The league table is compiled by Fast Track, the Oxford-based research and networking events firm. The full league table will be published as a broadsheet supplement in the business section of The Sunday Times on 26 February.
