Rank | Company | Location | Year end | Annual sales rise over 3 years | Latest sales £000s | Staff | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Buymobilephones.netOnline phone retailer | Derbyshire | Mar 09 | 340.15% | 24,538 | 28 | Presented a Mini Cooper to its millionth customer |
2 | Subocean GroupSubsea construction provider | Aberdeen | Nov 09 | 237.14% | †65,142 | 211 | Lays sub-sea power-transmission cables for off-shore wind farms |
3 | VADitionHardware/software distributor | Hampshire | May 10 | 195.77% | 23,446 | 35 | Founders previously set up and sold two IT businesses |
4 | Actegy HealthHome healthcare devices | Ascot | Jun 10 | 193.81% | *17,024 | 12 | Founders replicated the family’s business in Australia and later acquired it |
5 | Planet CruiseCruise and tour holidays operator | Hampshire | Aug 09 | 181.97% | 13,519 | 26 | Launched a holiday TV show on the Ideal World Home Shopping network |
6 | Your Golf Travel.comGolf travel retailer | Central London | Dec 09 | 158.06% | 16,420 | 41 | Co-founders started golf tournament to support Help for Heroes |
7 | Pathology GroupRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Sep 10 | 151.89% | *27,986 | 27 | Claims to have provided doctors to more than 100 NHS hospitals |
8 | Staysure.co.ukOver-fifties insurance provider | Northampton | Dec 09 | 151.17% | 9,757 | 70 | Aims to recruit another 150 people over the next year |
9 | State OilFuel wholesaler | Weybridge | Feb 10 | 144.08% | 261,613 | 76 | Says it is the fourth-largest independent fuel importer in Britain |
10 | powerPerfectorEnergy-saving device distributor | Central London | Dec 09 | 140.01% | 29,788 | 67 | Claims it has saved clients £57m in energy bills over six years |
11 | ADEY Heating SolutionsHeating filter manufacturer | Cheltenham | Mar 10 | 138.66% | 20,524 | 20 | Founders developed heating-filter prototype in their garden shed |
12 | Badger Office SuppliesOffice products supplier | Lancashire | May 10 | 133.34% | 7,423 | 65 | Supplies re-manufactured printer cartridges to hundreds of retailers |
13 | Global PersonalsOnline dating service provider | Windsor | Aug 09 | 133.18% | 11,800 | 76 | Co-founder met his wife through one of the company’s online dating sites |
14 | Ella’s KitchenBaby food producer | Henley | Jun 10 | 129.22% | *16,465 | 15 | Company is named after its founder’s daughter |
15 | Team24Medical recruitment consultancy | Surrey | Apr 10 | 125.54% | 30,291 | 55 | Recently launched a service to check staff compliance before and after employment |
16 | SDK JewellersOnline watch retailer | Reading | Feb 10 | 122.93% | †6,359 | 20 | Operates WatchShop.com, which, it says, stocks 6,000 different watches |
17 | Moonpig.comOnline greeting card retailer | Central London | Apr 10 | 115.51% | 31,285 | 73 | Sent out 8m greeting cards and thousands of flower bouquets in the past year |
18 | Directline HolidaysOnline travel operator | Croydon | Oct 09 | 113.50% | 23,574 | 65 | Sales continued to rise despite the economic downturn and volcanic-ash disruption |
19 | Green Park Interim and ExecutiveRecruitment consultancy | London | Jul 10 | 112.62% | 21,634 | 36 | Plants one tree in collaboration with the Woodland Trust for every placement made |
20 | Liz Hobbs GroupEvents producer | Nottingham | Dec 09 | 108.13% | 6,365 | 12 | Company’s owner, Liz Hobbs, is a former British and world champion water skier |
21 | BullionVault.comGold dealer | West London | Oct 09 | 105.87% | 277,068 | 13 | Won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2009 |
22 | SFC (Wholesale)Fried chicken wholesaler | Merseyside | Mar 10 | 104.86% | *20,848 | 13 | Recently expanded its range of chicken products to include party boxes |
23 | TorFXForeign exchange provider | Cornwall | Sep 09 | 103.01% | 361,849 | 51 | Exchanges sums from £5,000 to more than £5m |
24 | UK Flooring DirectOnline flooring retailer | Warwickshire | Mar 10 | 101.06% | 5,972 | 21 | Sells sustainably sourced wood floors and eco-friendly bamboo and cork flooring |
25 | MiromaMedia barter company | Central London | Jun 10 | 95.55% | *32,560 | 18 | Enables clients to trade inventory for advertising space |
26 | RamsdensPawnbroker and jeweller | Middlesbrough | Dec 09 | 94.42% | 27,030 | 190 | Has grown from 19 to 72 stores in only two years |
27 | International ApplicationsIndustrial & consumer goods distributor | Oxfordshire | Mar 10 | 91.15% | 9,372 | 12 | Founder started his working life as a car-panel beater |
28 | LNT GroupCare home developer | Leeds | Mar 09 | 90.93% | 54,295 | 228 | The company’s first care home was the house of the founder’s parents |
29 | FjordDigital design consultancy | Central London | Dec 09 | 89.50% | 11,860 | 80 | Has gained 20 new clients in the past year |
30 | ONEPOSTPostal management adviser | Bristol | Jun 10 | 89.22% | *47,418 | 51 | Recently invested £300,000 in a sorting machine to extend its services |
31 | Ship Shape ResourcesConstruction services provider | Central London | May 09 | 89.21% | 10,703 | 33 | Eight directors worked a year without pay, and five years on reduced pay to build firm |
32 | MPM productsPet food producer | Cheshire | Dec 09 | 87.47% | 5,283 | 17 | Makes high-end pet food exported to 29 countries |
33 | LifetimeTraining provider | Bristol | Mar 10 | 84.67% | *16,815 | 178 | More than 12,000 delegates were trained by this company in 2009 |
34 | Oak Furniture LandFurniture retailer | Swindon | Sep 09 | 84.61% | 17,081 | 79 | Sources its wood from eastern Europe, India and Indonesia |
35 | Natural ProductsGift maker | West London | May 10 | 83.51% | *12,662 | 33 | American subsidiary doubled turnover in 2009 to £4.1m |
36 | Alliance SurgicalSurgery group | Birmingham | Mar 10 | 82.75% | 8,088 | 40 | This organisation of consultant surgeons is owned and run by its members |
37 | Jack WillsFashion retailer | Northwest London | Jan 10 | 80.98% | 64,764 | 1,286 | Runs an apprenticeship scheme with a British mill to support British manufacturing |
38 | Mayday HealthcareRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Sep 09 | 80.69% | 56,178 | 87 | Consultants are available around the clock to meet the staffing needs of clients |
39 | IntamarqueFood and toiletries distributor | Cheltenham | May 10 | 80.47% | 23,594 | 10 | Doubled its client base to nearly 300 retailers and wholesalers in the past 12 months |
40 | LOC ConsultingManagement consultancy | Central London | Mar 10 | 77.05% | 10,016 | 12 | All of its consultants work on-site with clients such as Elsevier |
41 | Nexus Vehicle RentalVehicle rental broker | Leeds | Sep 09 | 76.96% | 19,385 | 31 | Arranges rental of more than 250,000 cars and vans for 300 businesses annually |
42 | Next VenturesRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Dec 09 | 76.72% | 8,312 | 37 | Rewards good employee performance with weekend trips away |
43 | HiggidyPie maker | West Sussex | Sep 10 | 76.60% | *8,107 | 125 | More than 100 kitchen staff handmake around 100,000 pies and quiches each week |
44 | Joseph JosephHousehold goods manufacturer | Central London | May 10 | 76.42% | *12,255 | 30 | A dress made entirely of its plastic chopping boards was modelled at a fashion show |
45 | B&M RetailDiscount retailer | Liverpool | Dec 09 | 76.20% | 426,657 | 4,831 | Some 1.5m shoppers bargain-hunt among up to 200 new lines introduced each week |
46 | MarkitFinancial information services | City of London | Dec 09 | 75.67% | 305,392 | 1,389 | General Atlantic paid a reported $250m for a 7.5% stake in the company in January |
47 | Black TomatoLuxury travel agency | Greater London | Dec 09 | 75.49% | 6,790 | 25 | Organises bespoke travel to more than 100 countries around the world |
48 | Box LimitedOnline IT reseller | Birmingham | Oct 09 | 74.63% | 17,947 | 32 | Recently moved into a new £1.1m warehouse facility in Sutton Coldfield |
49 | Knowledge To ActionTrader coaching programme provider | London | Dec 09 | 72.81% | 9,497 | 105 | Firm’s 35-year-old founder quit his job to set up an eight-screen trading floor at home |
50 | RaphaCycling apparel maker and retailer | North London | Oct 10 | 72.18% | *6,960 | 35 | Collaborated with designer Paul Smith for its new city bike riding range |
51 | Getting PersonalOnline gift retailer | Cheshire | May 10 | 71.97% | *9,470 | 47 | Personalises chocolate bars by printing the recipient’s name on the wrapper |
52 | Grand UnionVenue and bar operator | Central London | Mar 10 | 71.86% | *5,883 | 192 | Founder previously worked as a chef in a restaurant with three Michelin stars |
53 | Global Energy GroupEnergy services provider | Inverness | Mar 09 | 71.43% | 119,028 | 772 | The founder is chairman and benefactor of Ross County Football Club |
54 | AllSaintsFashion retailer | Central London | Jan 10 | 71.35% | 132,854 | 1,961 | Uses 10,000 sewing machines as displays in its shop windows |
55 | Marlin Financial GroupDebt purchaser | West Sussex | Dec 09 | 70.97% | 11,542 | 68 | This year bought £250m of debt from British banks to recover it |
56 | 4th Dimension InnovationMotorcycle claims handler | Egham | Mar 09 | 70.82% | 5,279 | 85 | Handled 30,000 motorcycle claims for insurers in 2009 |
57 | AV PromotionsIncentive scheme supplier | Aylesbury | Aug 10 | 68.15% | *18,392 | 13 | Supplied one iPod every five minutes in the year to August 2010 |
58 | Nicoll Curtin TechnologyIT recruitment agency | London | Jun 09 | 68.02% | 14,500 | 54 | Says it has 150,000 candidates on its database |
59 | Wilton GroupOffshore services provider | Middlesbrough | Jun 10 | 67.41% | *37,637 | 405 | Contracts range from £500 painting jobs to providing equipment worth £10.5m |
60 | Post-SwitchPostal services consultancy | Central London | Aug 10 | 65.38% | *7,602 | 11 | Responsible for the Conservative party’s campaign mail in the 2010 election |
61 | Timothy James ConsultingRecruitment consultancy | Bristol | Oct 09 | 64.23% | 9,992 | 32 | Had to find new London offices three months after opening due to rapid growth |
62 | Lois JewelleryJewellery wholesaler & bullion dealer | Birmingham | Mar 09 | 63.81% | 43,195 | 10 | Bought the 1904 car registration plate AU1, the chemical symbol for gold |
63 | Amber TavernsPub operator | Preston | Jan 10 | 63.06% | 13,926 | 17 | Aims to double its portfolio of pubs to 110 by 2014 |
64 | Empiric SolutionsRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Aug 10 | 62.77% | *11,494 | 19 | Counts as clients 50 investors and asset managers, including ING and Fortis |
65 | World FirstInternational payments provider | Central London | Jan 10 | 62.75% | 8,281 | 67 | Says it donates up to £50 to charity for every customer who completes its survey |
66 | QuidcoCash-back website operator | Central London | Jul 10 | 62.60% | *32,078 | 34 | Recently bought by former chief executive of FriendsReunited.com |
67 | McKinney RogersBusiness performance consultancy | Central London | Apr 10 | 62.04% | *12,613 | 60 | Is developing a college modelled on Sandhurst for business leaders |
68 | Sprue AegisSafety products manufacturer | Coventry | Dec 09 | 61.88% | 14,356 | 29 | Supplies smoke detectors to 50 fire brigades across the country |
69 | Cath KidstonLifestyle retailer | West London | Mar 10 | 59.62% | *50,369 | 383 | Says it uses enough fabric each year to wrap the M25 twenty times |
70 | DanbroPayroll services provider | Blackpool | Mar 10 | 58.69% | *60,655 | 1,488 | For its first two years the business was run from the founder’s spare room |
71 | TXO SystemsTelecoms infrastructure reseller | Windsor | Jun 10 | 56.59% | *6,760 | 22 | Claims that all the members of its sales team are multilingual |
72 | Richmond GroupFinancial services provider | Bournemouth | Mar 10 | 55.74% | *46,412 | 439 | Says that 10,000 people per week apply for small loans from the company |
73 | jjFOXRecruitment consultancy | Bristol | Dec 09 | 55.55% | 14,766 | 89 | The firm’s job titles are ranks of the Japanese samurai |
74 | Wow! StuffBranded toy maker | Wolverhampton | Jan 10 | 54.50% | 9,298 | 46 | Is launching an 8ft tall radio-controlled crab at New York Toy Fair in February 2011 |
75 | Goodman AssociatesMedia and advertising agency | Central London | Dec 09 | 54.34% | 9,324 | 10 | Specialises in selling travel advertising space, particularly for cruises |
76 | Catering AcademyContract caterer | Staffordshire | Dec 09 | 53.92% | 15,829 | 668 | Sponsors a school in Mozambique, providing 140 free meals a day |
77 | Direct TravellerSpecialist tour operator | Surrey | Mar 10 | 52.80% | *5,376 | 10 | Claims its website can offer 110 different flight routes to Cyprus from Britain |
78 | Redfern TravelBusiness travel agent | Bradford | Dec 09 | 52.38% | 31,375 | 33 | Its booking system recommends energy-saving trips to boost clients’ green credentials |
79 | MenKindMen's gifts retailer | Surrey | Mar 10 | 52.18% | 13,742 | 108 | One-stop shop for men’s gifts offering watches and cuff links as well as gadgets |
80 | Henleys ClothingFashion retailer | Manchester | Mar 10 | 51.03% | *48,288 | 295 | Appears for the fourth consecutive year on the Fast Track 100 league table |
81 | M8 GroupConsumer website operator | West Lothian | Sep 10 | 49.83% | *10,596 | 63 | This group operates two websites selling pet and garden accessories |
82 | eXPD8Retail services provider | Bristol | Mar 09 | 49.60% | 7,388 | 723 | The founders’ first client also provided the start-up funding for the company |
83 | ShP SolutionsMobile phone recycler | Lancaster | Dec 09 | 47.94% | 8,045 | 62 | Claims to have raised £3m in partnership with charities such as Childline |
84 | JoulesClothing retailer | Leicestershire | May 09 | 47.90% | †35,122 | 315 | This year it introduced its Baby Joule and high-end Boutique collections |
85 | PPFDriver recruitment agency | Luton | Dec 09 | 47.51% | 40,898 | 54 | Bucked the credit crunch, winning 17 additional contracts during the recession |
86 | GO OutdoorsOutdoor equipment retailer | Sheffield | Jan 10 | 47.50% | †74,005 | 497 | Says that a climber preparing for Everest could buy all but two items from its stores |
87 | Morgan Law RecruitmentRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Sep 09 | 47.23% | 36,266 | 52 | Celebrated its 10th anniversary this year |
88 | Opti-cal Survey EquipmentSurvey equipment supplier | Reading | Aug 10 | 47.18% | *6,430 | 24 | Supplies some of the equipment being used to build the 2012 Olympic village |
89 | Trojan ElectronicsElectrical manufacturer & recycler | Swansea | Mar 10 | 47.12% | 5,449 | 96 | Says it recycles 1,200 tonnes of items a year for retail clients |
90 | Tangerine ConfectioneryConfectionery manufacturer | Blackpool | Dec 09 | 47.11% | 154,549 | 1,343 | Claims to be Britain’s largest privately owned confectionery manufacturer |
91 | WiggleOnline sports goods retailer | Portsmouth | Jan 10 | 46.91% | 55,597 | 92 | Sells sports gear to more than 70 countries |
92 | Balhousie Care GroupCare home operator | Forfar | Apr 10 | 46.61% | *15,897 | 636 | Makes its third consecutive appearance on the Fast Track 100 league table |
93 | Getabed.co.ukOnline hotel-room supplier | Hove | Sep 10 | 46.53% | *13,395 | 16 | Sells hotel rooms exclusively to travel agents |
94 | AJ BellPension administrator | Manchester | Sep 09 | 46.43% | 38,491 | 299 | Says it has £13.7 billion of client assets under its administration |
95 | The Book DepositoryOnline book retailer | Gloucester | Jun 10 | 45.54% | *74,272 | 58 | At peak periods sends out more than 50,000 hand-packed orders a day |
96 | BLU 3 (UK)Infrastructure services provider | Croydon | Mar 10 | 45.41% | *23,252 | 122 | Company is renewing the Victorian water pipes in southeast England at present |
97 | EnduraBike apparel manufacturer | West Lothian | Apr 10 | 45.29% | *10,555 | 71 | Supplied double-padded cycle shorts for the quidditch scenes in Harry Potter |
98 | Ten Lifestyle ManagementConcierge service provider | Central London | Aug 09 | 45.27% | 11,300 | 183 | Says it answered its millionth request in September 2010 |
99 | PieministerGourmet pie baker | Bristol | Mar 10 | 45.24% | *4,993 | 89 | Produces branded pies such as its steak and stilton “moo and blue” pie |
100 | Go ApeAdventure course operator | Suffolk | Dec 09 | 43.57% | 10,572 | 249 | Saw its high-ropes adventure courses make their debut in America this year |
* Supplied by Company † Annualised figure