Lucky 13 for Midlands companies ranked in UK’s 100 fastest-growing exporters

Stiltz Lifts at The Pensnett Estate, Kingswinford

13 Midlands companies have been ranked in the top 100 SMEs in the country for fastest-growing international sales.

The best-performing companies in the region – Nottingham-based student services business UNiDAYS and Birmingham software developer Mercato – are both ranked in the top three.

Their final placings in the Sunday Times Lloyds SME Export Track 100 will be revealed this weekend when the full list is published.

The table ranks Britain’s small and medium-sized private companies with the fastest-growing international sales.

The Midlands has increased the number of companies it has in the top 100 by four, with seven based in the West Midlands and six in the East Midlands.

Their international sales have grown by an average of 96% a year over two years to a total of £104m, and together they employ 1,400 people.

The businesses range from grocery exporter Y International (UK), which exports all of its £23.6m annual sales, to craft products reseller Wool Warehouse, which generates £1.9m of its £7.5m turnover from international markets.

Gareth Oakley, managing director SME banking at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “For businesses that take the leap to trade overseas, the rewards can be significant – the strong growth achieved by this year’s SME Export Track 100 is proof of that.”

2018 Sunday Times Lloyds SME Export Track 100

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