Rank | Company | Location | Year end | Annual sales rise over 3 years | Latest sales £000s | Staff | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Travel RepublicTravel agency | SW London | 2007 | 284.23% | 14,640 | 74 | Claims to book holidays for more than one million passengers a year |
2 | Oceanteam 2000Offshore services provider | Great Yarmouth | 2006 | 206.45% | 20,147 | 78 | Inspects offshore gas installations for the oil and gas industries |
3 | Police RecruitPolice recruitment agency | SE London | 2006 | 183.39% | 13,034 | 31 | Acquired by the security firm G4S in October |
4 | AJ PowerDiesel generator manufacturer | Northern Ireland | 2007 | 180.83% | 10,750 | 46 | Irish Embassy in Tanzania relies on its generators during power cuts |
5 | Inside Ideas GroupMarketing services provider | Central London | 2007 | 178.49% | 6,085 | 30 | Counts Britvic and Axa Insurance among its clients |
6 | Simply BizSupport services provider | Huddersfield | 2006 | 175.34% | 7,483 | 57 | Founded by the chairman of Huddersfield’s football and rugby clubs |
7 | Flat TV CompanyElectrical goods retailer | Oxford | 2007 | 162.59% | 5,731 | 10 | Is looking to grow sales on the back of the switch-over to digital television |
8 | 4L’s PackingPacker and distributor | Doncaster | 2006 | 160.52% | 21,413 | 100 | Has won new contracts with independent builders’ merchants |
9 | Head ResourcingRecruitment agency | Edinburgh | 2006 | 159.84% | 7,812 | 29 | Founders sold two previous recruitment companies for £12.5m |
10 | InvestigoRecruitment consultancy | Central London | 2007 | 159.80% | 11,505 | 31 | Investigo is Latin for ‘to search for’ or ‘to track down’ |
11 | Probuild BirminghamShopfitting contractor | Birmingham | 2007 | 150.71% | 5,159 | 65 | Fits out up to 100 supermarkets each year, including Co-op and Tesco stores |
12 | Silver CrossPram maker | Skipton | 2007 | 148.28% | 10,646 | 26 | Sells £900 baby carriages handmade to the same design as the 1877 original |
13 | Custom TVDigital TV installer | Croydon | 2006 | 147.63% | 10,428 | 150 | Is targeting Spain, France and the Far East for expansion |
14 | Contractor UmbrellaPayroll services provider | Colchester | 2006 | 147.00% | 32,213 | 10 | Is planning expansion into the contracting market for teachers and oil-rig workers |
15 | Melrob GroupChemicals distributor | West Sussex | 2006 | 144.46% | 8,698 | 13 | Recently expanded into Japan and the Benelux countries |
16 | Harkand GroupOffshore services provider | Aberdeen | 2006 | 141.37% | 34,754 | 42 | Reportedly signed a contract in July worth £240m over six years |
17 | Ice Energy Heat PumpsRenewable energy supplier | Oxfordshire | 2007 | 140.80% | *5,025 | 40 | Sells green heat pumps to the Duchy of Cornwall and the National Trust |
18 | Paladin GroupProperty services provider | Bath | 2007 | 131.44% | 11,469 | 182 | Acquired three businesses for £8.5m last year |
19 | ECU GroupCurrency manager | Central London | 2006 | 130.16% | 7,127 | 32 | Manages multi-currency mortgages in yen, euro, Canadian and American dollars |
20 | AlpharoomsHotel booking agency | Sheffield | 2006 | 121.23% | 5,522 | 57 | Claims to process more than 150,000 hotel room bookings a year |
21 | Henry Howard FinanceBusiness finance provider | Newport | 2006 | 120.66% | 18,761 | 13 | Says it processes 300 business loans a month |
22 | Mint Financial ServicesFinancial advisers' network | Chesterfield | 2006 | 119.05% | 13,088 | 28 | Aims to run a paperless office, one that is entirely IT based |
23 | Frazer & TabbererSteel pipes manufacturer | Birmingham | 2007 | 118.18% | 11,258 | 10 | Claims its products save the water industry £1.7m a year |
24 | Health ManagementOccupational health adviser | East Sussex | 2006 | 117.29% | 5,726 | 108 | Says it looks after 300,000 employees, offering advice on health and fitness |
25 | CSGBusiness finance provider | SE London | 2007 | 112.33% | 20,669 | 19 | Founder started the firm with proceeds from the sale of a previous loan business |
26 | Eterniti SteelsSteel products provider | West Yorkshire | 2007 | 106.94% | 19,973 | 15 | Founder started business aged 28 with only £8,000 |
27 | SPI (Materials)Exhaust component supplier | Staffordshire | 2006 | 105.14% | 8,848 | 14 | Tighter car emission controls have boosted demand for its exhaust components |
28 | Cornwallis EltRecruitment consultancy | Central London | 2007 | 101.74% | 9,750 | 14 | Has benefited from the boom in the City, providing IT specialists |
29 | Richmond GroupFinancial services provider | Bournemouth | 2006 | 101.68% | 7,139 | 121 | Unable to afford advertising, founder walked 300km delivering 30,000 leaflets |
30 | DanbroPayroll services provider | Blackpool | 2007 | 101.35% | *15,169 | 30 | Husband-and-wife team started the business with redundancy pay |
31 | Enterprise Broker ServicesMortgage and loan distributor | North London | 2006 | 101.04% | 7,487 | 72 | Promethean Investment bought a 30% stake for £8.5m in April |
32 | PIPCManagement consultancy | Central London | 2007 | 100.88% | 19,036 | 266 | Recently set up operations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai |
33 | Lucy Wernick & AssociatesClothing wholesaler | Central London | 2007 | 99.30% | 9,556 | 10 | Ships American fashion brands to the likes of Harrods and Harvey Nichols |
34 | Premium Appliance BrandsKitchen appliance supplier | Cheshire | 2006 | 98.47% | 20,600 | 25 | Newly-acquired celebrity-endorsed brands include Oz Clarke |
35 | StaffgroupRecruitment consultancy | Central London | 2007 | 97.47% | 8,593 | 31 | Co-founder worked at 1998’s No 1 Fast Track 100 company, Progressive Computer |
36 | WidgetElectronic goods distributor | Stevenage | 2007 | 95.23% | 27,024 | 16 | Hopes its new pocket web surfer will be a Christmas ‘must-have’ |
37 | Dolphin MusicMusical equipment retailer | Liverpool | 2007 | 93.38% | 9,295 | 54 | Plans to open shops all over Britain and on the Continent |
38 | Elliott ThomasSpecialist construction contractor | Surrey | 2006 | 93.28% | 17,694 | 183 | Helped refurbishment operations after the Buncefield fuel depot explosion |
39 | MaximusRecruitment agency | Central London | 2006 | 92.48% | 5,146 | 10 | Founder’s charity Giving Back ploughs profits into projects in his homeland India |
40 | innocentFruit drinks maker | West London | 2006 | 92.25% | 75,639 | 121 | Celebrating its fourth year in a row on the Fast Track 100 league table |
41 | Astbury MarsdenRecruitment agency | Central London | 2006 | 92.18% | 18,251 | 47 | Underwent a £17.5m management buyout backed by NVM Private Equity in July |
42 | Feel Good DrinksFruit drinks maker | Central London | 2006 | 91.41% | *5,923 | 16 | Sells 2m bottles of Feel Good Drinks every month |
43 | HQUKBeauty products retailer | Central London | 2006 | 91.00% | 8,798 | 46 | Hair and beauty store helped contestants on television’s How to Look Good Naked |
44 | Just LampsProjector lamp supplier | Berkshire | 2007 | 89.01% | 10,913 | 25 | Says it sells lamps for all types of data projectors |
45 | Drivers DirectRecruitment agency | Warwickshire | 2006 | 88.23% | 5,897 | 28 | Four colleagues formerly at a recruitment agency set up their own business |
46 | Oriel SecuritiesStockbroker | Central London | 2006 | 87.97% | 18,808 | 76 | Offers stock-market brokerage services to the likes of Standard Life |
47 | RIF WorldwideLogistics services provider | West London | 2006 | 87.72% | 6,719 | 28 | Company raised £200,000 start-up funds from Hong Kong investor |
48 | Compello Staffing GroupRecruitment consultancy | Glasgow | 2006 | 87.26% | 35,305 | 96 | Acquired an oil and gas consultancy for £4m to expand in the sector |
49 | Gü Chocolate PudsPremium pudding maker | West London | 2007 | 87.20% | *11,335 | 20 | Gü chocolate puddings are sold in 3,000 British and 500 French supermarkets |
50 | Morgan HuntRecruitment agency | Central London | 2007 | 85.49% | *54,963 | 112 | Is beefing up its regional presence with new offices in Leeds and Newcastle |
51 | WFCAMarketing agency | Kent | 2006 | 85.49% | 16,645 | 47 | Based in Tunbridge Wells, bills itself as “a London agency, not in London” |
52 | CreativeventsCatering services provider | Central London | 2006 | 84.97% | †7,626 | 140 | Provides catering at sporting events such as Royal Ascot |
53 | LNT GroupCare home developer | Leeds | 2006 | 83.91% | 13,068 | 47 | Founder is a motorsport enthusiast who won Le Mans 24-hour race in 2006 |
54 | Springfield PropertiesHousebuilder | Moray | 2006 | 82.84% | 28,817 | 195 | Working on a £12m commercial development project in Elgin in Scotland |
55 | Fuel RecruitmentRecruitment agency | Leamington Spa | 2007 | 82.52% | 5,529 | 17 | Expansion into the broadcast and construction sectors fuelled growth |
56 | 33six ConsultancyRecruitment agency | Central London | 2006 | 82.13% | 6,067 | 14 | Founder previously ran and sold two other businesses |
57 | Pagazzi LightingLighting reseller | Glasgow | 2006 | 81.32% | 5,629 | 71 | Claims to have increased its number of customers tenfold since 2003 |
58 | MaxximaRecruitment agency | Essex | 2006 | 80.90% | 10,513 | 185 | Provides health and social-care staff to public and private sectors |
59 | Towergate InsuranceInsurance underwriter and broker | Maidstone | 2006 | 79.99% | 237,587 | 2,545 | Has acquired more than 100 insurers since being founded 10 years ago |
60 | Dunne GroupCivil engineering contractor | West Lothian | 2006 | 77.27% | 36,216 | 430 | Specialises in building reinforced concrete structures |
61 | PlayforcePlayground equipment maker | Wiltshire | 2006 | 76.82% | 5,181 | 34 | Founder set up the company aged 24 with a £5,000 loan from the Prince’s Trust |
62 | 7city LearningTraining course provider | Central London | 2006 | 76.67% | 11,239 | 68 | Teaches financial courses for Barclays and Deutsche Bank |
63 | Barchester HealthcareCare home operator | Southwest London | 2006 | 76.48% | 327,900 | 12,562 | Provides nursing and care services at 170 retirement homes nationwide |
64 | Easy ComputersLaptop and TV reseller | Huddersfield | 2007 | 76.29% | *47,512 | 47 | Evolved from a failing business that the founder bought for £3,000 in 1999 |
65 | Maria Mallaband Care GroupCare home operator | Leeds | 2006 | 76.05% | 17,685 | 879 | Founder named company after his great-grandmother who was a nurse |
66 | Dawnus ConstructionCivil engineering contractor | Swansea | 2006 | 75.89% | 43,214 | 170 | Set up by six former directors of the construction company Taylor Woodrow |
67 | Global ResourcingIT recruitment consultancy | Bromley | 2006 | 75.88% | †8,052 | 26 | Founder started the business by remortgaging his house |
68 | Abel & ColeOrganic produce retailer | Wimbledon | 2006 | 74.83% | 19,818 | 219 | Sold a stake to Phoenix Equity Partners in October |
69 | Card FactoryGreeting card retailer | Wakefield | 2006 | 74.38% | 72,122 | 1,847 | Founders began by selling greetings cards from the back of a van |
70 | AO.comHousehold appliance supplier | Bolton | 2007 | 73.10% | 52,846 | 117 | Claims to sell 6,000 large domestic appliances online a week |
71 | Vision CallMobile eyecare provider | Glasgow | 2007 | 72.46% | *7,563 | 138 | Brings mobile eye and hearing tests to the elderly and housebound |
72 | Power On ConnectionsElectricity connection provider | Leicester | 2007 | 71.93% | 11,120 | 50 | Five co-founders used savings to set up electricity connections business |
73 | Henleys ClothingFashion retailer | Manchester | 2007 | 71.81% | *14,123 | 40 | Its first retail outlet reached sales of £1.6m in its first year |
74 | AdConnectionMedia agency | Wimbledon | 2007 | 71.66% | 7,004 | 14 | Offers media planning and buying advice to online retailer CD Wow |
75 | OvalInsurance broker | Wakefield | 2007 | 70.63% | 60,012 | 844 | Acquired more than 20 companies in less than four years |
76 | Really Useful ProductsStorage box supplier | West Yorkshire | 2007 | 69.72% | 12,713 | 39 | Sells patented archive storage boxes for DVDs, folders and files |
77 | northerncareCare home operator | Blackpool | 2006 | 68.25% | 13,427 | 422 | Plans to open another 10 residential homes for children next year |
78 | McLaren ConstructionBuilder | Essex | 2006 | 67.66% | 71,008 | 88 | Is constructing a £28m development project in Nottingham for British Land |
79 | David Ormerod Hearing CentresHearing aid supplier | North Wales | 2006 | 67.65% | 20,338 | 203 | Swiss hearing-aid manufacturer Phonak recently acquired a 49% stake |
80 | MSI GroupRecruitment consultancy | Central London | 2006 | 67.58% | 7,653 | 26 | Counts blue-chips such as the NHS, Orange and T-Mobile among its clients |
81 | Red CommerceSAP recruitment agency | Central London | 2007 | 66.80% | 32,190 | 85 | Recruits SAP experts across Europe for Philips, Sony and IBM |
82 | Astus UKCorporate bartering specialist | Central London | 2007 | 65.67% | 22,284 | 10 | Daimler Chrysler and Vodafone use its corporate bartering services |
83 | Pharmalink ConsultingRegulatory affairs consultancy | Maidenhead | 2006 | 64.87% | 6,651 | 50 | Claims to provide consultancy to 9 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies |
84 | Tyrrells Potato CrispsCrisps and snacks producer | Herefordshire | 2007 | 64.74% | 8,523 | 59 | Is launching an upmarket vodka to use up spare potatoes |
85 | Meade-King Robinson & CoChemicals supplier | Liverpool | 2007 | 63.81% | 29,781 | 20 | Formed 140 years ago as an importer of whale oil, molasses and kerosene |
86 | Clipper Logistics GroupWarehousing and distribution | Leeds | 2006 | 63.34% | 86,184 | 1,829 | Delivers fashion brands to the high street, including New Look and Harvey Nichols |
87 | SEKO LogisticsLogistics services provider | Slough | 2007 | 63.31% | 17,281 | 57 | Transports M&S and TK Maxx products from Asian factories to the high street |
88 | ActeonSubsea services provider | Norwich | 2006 | 63.04% | 121,507 | 566 | Has acquired four companies in the past 12 months |
89 | Personal Touch Financial ServicesFinancial services provider | West Midlands | 2006 | 62.80% | 76,696 | 171 | LDC bought a minority stake in a £50m deal last September |
90 | Graig Shipping GroupShip manager and owner | Cardiff | 2006 | 62.32% | 23,098 | 90 | Claims to have commissioned the largest ship ever built in Vietnam |
91 | Knightsbridge GuardingSecurity services provider | Central London | 2006 | 62.01% | 24,602 | 785 | Provides security services to the London Stock Exchange |
92 | Riverford Organic VegetablesOrganic produce retailer | Devon | 2007 | 61.95% | 23,120 | 243 | Founder started the business with just a wheelbarrow and tractor |
93 | SEHCivil engineering contractor | Ipswich | 2006 | 61.20% | 129,454 | 602 | Joined forces with Atkins to bid for highway management contracts |
94 | Specialist Hire GroupIndustrial vehicle provider | Leicestershire | 2006 | 60.84% | 20,991 | 258 | Co-founder helped build Lex Harvey forklift trucks into a £220m business |
95 | Healthcare at HomeHome healthcare provider | Burton upon Trent | 2006 | 60.46% | †346,660 | 664 | Investor Apax sold to management and Hutton Collins in a reported £230m deal |
96 | No 1 CurrencyForeign exchange specialist | Edinburgh | 2006 | 59.65% | 183,457 | 16 | Has a network of 221 franchised bureaux de change outlets across Britain |
97 | Morgan Law RecruitmentRecruitment consultancy | Central London | 2006 | 59.59% | 11,364 | 23 | Provides recruitment services for the Church of England |
98 | Wind ProspectWind energy developer | Sussex | 2006 | 59.35% | 5,560 | 67 | Is responsible for developing and constructing more than 75 wind farms worldwide |
99 | Liv-exFine wine exchange | Southwest London | 2006 | 59.32% | 10,639 | 12 | Produces an index ranking the world’s top 100 wines for investment |
100 | GGR-UNICLifting solutions provider | Oldham | 2006 | 59.14% | 7,911 | 27 | Formula Ford champion set up the company with racing winnings |
* Supplied by Company † Annualised figure