TJ Morris leads way as NW shines in Top Track 250
THE North West is home to more fast-growing mid-market private companies than any other region outside London and the South East.
According to the Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 250, 34 companies from the region have made the grade after increasing sales and operating profits. The Top Track 250 ranks by sales, the next-biggest companies outside the UK’s top 100 private firms.
In total the 34 companies, which range from family-owned discount retailer TJ Morris to Manchester United FC and car care products maker Tetrosyl, employ 58,600 staff and have combined sales of £9.3bn.
The highest ranked North West company was TJ Morris, the Liverpool firm which trades as Home Bargains, which was in third-place with sales of £590.3m. It was one of the major risers too, moving up from 39th last year.
One of the region’s biggest food brands, Warburtons comes in 10th on the list with the Bolton making operating profits of £4.9m on sales of £510.5m in the year to September 2009.
Another value retailer, B&M, which this year moved its headquarters from Blackpool to Speke, Liverpool, is in 25th position, up from 116th a year ago, with sales in the year to the end of 2009 of £426.7m.
Pets at Home, which was bought by US buyout specialist KKR for £955m in January, moves up from 49th to 34th place with sales of £404.3m.
The first of the region’s new entries is Peel Ports Group, 35th. Assets include Mersey Docks and the Manchester Ship Canal.
Bargain Booze, another newcomer to the survey, goes in at 47th. Backed by private equity firm ECI Partners, it made operating profits of £8.4m on turnover of £356.7m in the yeqar to April 2009.
Innovia Films, which is also owned by a private equity house, Candover, enters the top 50. The Cumbrian chemical company rose from 124th to 49th in the rankings with sales of £351.4m.
The survey reveals that 106 of the 250 companies are based in the South East (55) and London (51), followed by the North West, 34, the Midlands, 31, the North East, 18, Scotland, 18, the East, 13, Northern Ireland, 13, South West 10 and Wales, 7.
In total their combined sales are £65bn – equivalent to around 5% of GDP.
Stuart Gray, UK head of corporate and structured banking at HSBC, sponsor of the league tabke said: “It is great to see a significant number of privately-owned companies in the North West – including many which HSBC has helped to support – making such a positive contribution to the economy despite tough trading conditions.”
A full list of all the companies featured will be published in thsi weekend’s Sunday Times.
