25 Yorkshire firms ranked in top mid-market list
THE Sunday Times Grant Thornton top track 250 has put Yorkshire companies in the spotlight, ranking them in a table of the UK’s best private, mid-market firms
The 25 Yorkshire companies ranked in the table increased combined sales 13% to £7bn in the past year, and employ a total of 38,000 people, and are “supporting Government plans for a Northern Powerhouse.”
10 entrants from Yorkshire are new to the table, including packaging manufacturer Linpac, and Leeds’ Callcredit Information Group, a consumer data analyst that has operations in Japan, China, Dubai and Lithuania, growing sales to £150m in 2014.
Poundworld achieved the highest profit growth, up 130% to £15m, with plans in the works to double their 290-store portfolio.
Andrew Marr International, founded in 1902, and based in Hessle, a seafood manufacturer was also listed, though the company’s sales dropped 3% to £504m last year, operating profits grew 15% to reach £16m.
Harrogate-based firms CNG, an energy supplier and Principal Hotels made the list as well as Quorn, Leeds construction firm Turner and Townsend, The Car People, car dealership Hatfields, and Wetherby insulation distributor Encon.
Hull- based companies MKM Building Supplies, Allam Marine, oil distributor Rix were also ranked, along with Endless-owned Adare, and Barratt Steel.
Also included were furniture supplier Symphony, Maplin Electronics, EVO Business Supplies, the Stoneacre Motor Group, Zenith Leasedrive, and Leeds-based vehicle parts firm Andrew Page.
Yorkshire firms rank alongside UK businesses including Chelsea Football Club, Nando’s, Caffè Nero, Foster + Partners, Graff and Travelodge in the awards which are sponsored by Grant Thornton and Barclays.
Andy Wood, partner at Grant Thornton UK LLP, the title sponsor of the league table, praised the companies for their performance:
“It’s inspiring to see such a diverse range of businesses creating growth opportunities both at home and abroad and positively contributing to the UK economy.
“The fact that over half of the Top Track 250 businesses are headquartered outside of London and the southeast speaks to the growing influence of the UK’s regional business hubs and the opportunity these present in the creation of a more vibrant UK economy, where business and people can thrive.”
