The Hut makes Tech Track top 3
ONLINE retailer The Hut Group has made the top three of this year’s Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100.
The list, published in full on Sunday, ranks the fastest-growing private technology companies in Britain by sales growth over a three-year period.
Six companies in the North West made the list this year compared with nine last time. Together they employ 673 people and have combined sales of more than £82m, according to latest accounts.
Northwich-based The Hut is joined in the top 10 by Wilmslow’s Mobica, a phone application designer with a turnover of £5.6m.
The other North West companies are: Bolton-based software firm Ascribe; Manchester internet service provider UK Fast; Merseyside IT business Intrinsic Technology; and Liverpool-based Vitaflo.
The companies feature on the league table alongside well-known names including online DVD rental company Lovefilm.com, price comparison website Cheapflights, and fundraising website JustGiving.
In the 12 months to July only three companies, compared to six in the preceding year, secured venture capital. Despite tough economic conditions the 100 companies generated combined sales of £2.7bn and 81 were in profit. Together they employed 18,186 staff, and each have on average increased their staff by 113 over the last three years.
Most of the companies – 68 – are based in London and the South East. There are 15 across the North, seven in the Midlands, six in the East and four in the South West. No companies based in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland feature on this year’s league table.
Now in its ninth year, The Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 annual league table is compiled by Oxford-based research and networking events company Fast Track.
