Fast Track 100

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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

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