Yorkshire trio ranked in top 100 of national business league table
Three firms in Yorkshire have won places on a league table of Britain’s biggest private companies.
The 18th annual Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 100 league table, ranks Britain’s 100 private companies with the biggest sales.
The three businesses headquartered in Yorkshire appearing in the table are Bradford-base JCT600, Doncaster-based Stoneacre Motor Group and Yorkshire Water (Kelda), in Bradford.
Together these firms have achieved sales of £3.3bn and profits of £635m in their latest financial year, and employ a combined total of more than 8,700 people.
The region’s top-ranked company, JCT600, is at at number 43 on the table, with sales of £1.3bn in 2018, up 2%.
The car dealer operates 52 showrooms across northern England, selling 20 marques including the recently added Mitsubshi as well as Audi, VW, and Mercedes-Benz, and prestige brands including Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin.
Yorkshire Water (Kelda) is ranked 61. In its latest financial year the company achieved sales of more than £1bn and profits of £584m.
Stoneacre Motor Group, which is ranked 64, has over 50 dealerships. It is led by managing director Shaun Foweather, who has overseen a series of acquisitions, which helped sales rise 25% to £980m.
The companies in Yorkshire appear alongside well-known British names, including bet365, Clarks, Iceland, JCB, John Lewis Partnership, Nando’s and Specsavers.
This year, the 100 companies reached a record £220bn in total sales, up 14% on the prior year, with total profits of £24.6bn, up by 15%. Almost four in five companies (78) increased sales in their latest financial year.
The league table programme is sponsored by HSBC, Linklaters and PwC, and compiled by Fast Track, the Oxford-based research and networking events firm.
Amanda Murphy, Head of Commercial Banking at HSBC UK, said: “Once again, Britain’s most ambitious private enterprises have shown their mettle by shrugging off uncertainty, growing their combined sales 14% to a record £220bn.
“It’s reassuring that UK businesses are navigating change so confidently. The companies in the Top Track 100 are an inspiration to all, and we at HSBC UK are thrilled to see them thrive.”
