1 |
AFI-UpliftConstruction equipment supplier |
Wakefield |
2006 |
114.24% |
5,402 |
20,427 |
178 |
Its lifts carried lighting equipment for Liverpool’s Capital of Culture ceremony |
2 |
Special Steel GroupSteel processor |
Sheffield |
2007 |
107.99% |
9,921 |
36,132 |
173 |
One of Sheffield’s oldest family-owned steel businesses |
3 |
Gardline ShippingMarine science services provider |
Great Yarmouth |
2007 |
101.82% |
18,125 |
100,311 |
1,029 |
Owns a specialist vessel that patrols the Australian seas for illegal fishing |
4 |
RobertsonConstruction services provider |
Stirling |
2006 |
99.06% |
15,666 |
193,770 |
826 |
Makes timber frame house kits costing from as little as £12,000 |
5 |
Affinity HealthcareHealthcare provider |
Cheshire |
2006 |
97.34% |
5,465 |
30,536 |
726 |
Duke Street Capital paid £75m for the company in a 2004 buyout |
6 |
HydrasunOilfield services provider |
Aberdeen |
2007 |
94.84% |
5,540 |
43,473 |
317 |
Claims to have 3,000 clients across 51 countries |
7 |
DoncastersEngineering components maker |
Burton upon Trent |
2006 |
91.41% |
58,364 |
510,175 |
4,720 |
Makes parts for the championship-winning Ferrari Formula One car |
8 |
ModusProperty developer and investor |
Manchester |
2007 |
91.21% |
8,136 |
44,047 |
168 |
Is branching into Europe with a contract to build a retail centre in Bucharest |
9 |
Merlin EntertainmentsVisitor attraction operator |
Poole |
2006 |
89.39% |
35,921 |
190,344 |
3,617 |
Acquired Tussauds Group from Dubai International Capital for £1billion in 2007 |
10 |
Reservoir GroupOilfield services provider |
Aberdeen |
2006 |
87.12% |
4,993 |
16,327 |
87 |
Its equipment has cored a distance of more than 11 times Mt Everest’s height |
11 |
International PlywoodTimber merchant |
Gloucester |
2007 |
85.66% |
4,399 |
55,409 |
40 |
Delivers over 20,000 tonnes of products to timber merchants every month |
12 |
Simons GroupBuilding contractor |
Lincoln |
2007 |
85.28% |
8,249 |
260,580 |
589 |
Aims to ensure that women will make up half its workforce by 2011 |
13 |
Independent Forgings & AlloysMetal products manufacturer |
Sheffield |
2007 |
84.40% |
3,714 |
20,092 |
117 |
Its forgings can range in weight from 1kg to 9 tonnes |
14 |
Springfield PropertiesHousebuilder |
Moray |
2007 |
83.42% |
3,919 |
27,846 |
211 |
Sponsors a young entrepreneur competition in Scotland |
15 |
WDSGlobalWireless services support provider |
Poole |
2006 |
82.74% |
3,440 |
35,067 |
703 |
Claims to help set up a mobile phone every three seconds in the Middle East |
16 |
Langley HoldingsEngineering equipment maker |
Nottinghamshire |
2007 |
82.55% |
40,674 |
337,700 |
2,399 |
Its systems keep airports and hospitals running when mains power fails |
17 |
Longleat EnterprisesTourist sites operator |
Wiltshire |
2006 |
80.93% |
3,311 |
17,074 |
413 |
Claims that Longleat was the first safari park outside Africa |
18 |
Wall EngineeringConstruction engineer |
Norfolk |
2007 |
79.98% |
3,933 |
15,296 |
62 |
Supplied steel frames for the barracks at Colchester garrison |
19 |
Bowes Of NorfolkPig producer |
Norfolk |
2007 |
79.37% |
4,669 |
72,393 |
638 |
Takes part in the RSPCA’s Freedom Food animal welfare scheme |
20 |
Wedge Group GalvanizingGalvanizer |
West Midlands |
2007 |
78.69% |
13,254 |
98,072 |
961 |
Galvanised metal for the PepsiMax ride at Blackpool and the Eden Project |
21 |
Suttons GroupLogistics & supply chain services |
Cheshire |
2007 |
77.60% |
3,391 |
84,245 |
590 |
Founded as a horse-and-cart coal delivery service in the 1920s |
22 |
Designers GuildFabric designer |
Central London |
2007 |
76.74% |
3,572 |
37,376 |
230 |
Brother and sister team claim to process more than 400,000 orders a year |
23 |
M & M (MK)Wholesalers and property developer |
Milton Keynes |
2007 |
74.56% |
4,778 |
16,085 |
22 |
Founder started in business with £1,000 and a market stall |
24 |
Move with UsResidential property broker |
Cambridgeshire |
2007 |
74.41% |
3,068 |
17,421 |
156 |
Despite housing down-turn, expects a 30% increase in profits in 2008 |
25 |
Morgan HuntRecruitment agency |
Central London |
2007 |
74.28% |
4,674 |
54,963 |
112 |
Recruits for up to 1,000 public sector vacancies at any one time |
26 |
McLaren ConstructionBuilder |
Essex |
2006 |
74.19% |
4,161 |
71,008 |
88 |
Built the theme park Dickens World in Kent |
27 |
Craig GroupShipping and energy services group |
Aberdeen |
2007 |
73.07% |
18,710 |
137,148 |
1,415 |
Its emergency rescue ships have saved more than 70 lives in the North Sea |
28 |
Tangent TradingScrap metal trader |
Finchley |
2007 |
72.95% |
7,765 |
214,573 |
9 |
Claims to trade about 100,000 tonnes of scrap metal a year |
29 |
RBGEnergy services provider |
Aberdeen |
2006 |
72.60% |
14,006 |
226,570 |
2,707 |
Helped BP repair its 250-mile gas pipeline in the North Sea |
30 |
epyxE-trading platform developer |
Coventry |
2006 |
71.79% |
3,759 |
9,098 |
71 |
Says it processes about £100m worth of invoice transactions a month |
31 |
EdenbrookSystems integrator |
Central London |
2006 |
71.10% |
3,824 |
22,682 |
138 |
Is expanding in India to provide outsourced IT services |
32 |
Axell WirelessWireless communications provider |
Buckinghamshire |
2006 |
69.29% |
4,972 |
18,614 |
188 |
Its products boost telecoms signals in tunnels, airports and train stations |
33 |
Titan AirwaysAirline |
Stansted Airport |
2007 |
69.03% |
8,652 |
48,060 |
200 |
Its round-the-world trips visit Easter Island, the Falklands, China and Tahiti |
34 |
Richmond GroupFinancial services provider |
Bournemouth |
2007 |
68.36% |
6,003 |
12,286 |
181 |
Says it deals with more than 8,000 loan applications a week |
35 |
Fat FaceClothing retailer |
Hampshire |
2007 |
68.26% |
†22,180 |
109,001 |
1,604 |
Grown in value from £10m to £360m in just six years, but highly leveraged |
36 |
INEOSChemicals manufacturer |
UK/Switzerland |
2006 |
67.93% |
726,829 |
18,124,631 |
11,987 |
Founder is one of the wealthiest men in Britain, according to Rich List |
37 |
StemcorSteel trader |
Central London |
2006 |
67.85% |
87,832 |
3,308,286 |
881 |
Employs almost 1,000 people across six continents |
38 |
The Money CentreBuy-to-let mortgage brokers |
Norwich |
2007 |
67.73% |
4,672 |
21,452 |
100 |
Claims to have processed over £2billion worth of mortgages in 2007 |
39 |
ActeonSubsea services provider |
Norwich |
2006 |
67.54% |
20,759 |
121,507 |
566 |
Services range from mooring oil platforms to decommissioning them |
40 |
Seymour PierceInvestment bank, stockbroker |
Central London |
2006 |
65.85% |
8,115 |
27,781 |
104 |
Advised bidders on the sale of Aston Villa, West Ham and Derby County |
41 |
Prestige FinanceSecured loans provider |
Hertfordshire |
2006 |
65.74% |
4,427 |
6,502 |
47 |
Completed more than 2,500 secured loan applications last year |
42 |
LighterLifeVery low calorie food provider |
Essex |
2006 |
65.72% |
4,503 |
17,971 |
66 |
Claims to have helped more than 60,000 obese people lose weight |
43 |
RPVValve distributor |
Bury St Edmunds |
2007 |
65.61% |
10,140 |
21,622 |
27 |
Products range from small valves to those 17ft tall and weighing 9 tonnes |
44 |
Addison LeeMinicab and courier services provider |
Central London |
2007 |
65.24% |
15,204 |
72,077 |
446 |
Says you are always within 250m of one of its cars in central London |
45 |
Firth RixsonAerospace manufacturer |
Sheffield |
2007 |
65.11% |
75,000 |
492,800 |
1,760 |
Changed hands last year in a £945m deal backed by Oak Hill Capital |
46 |
Sir Robert McAlpineConstruction contractor |
Hertfordshire |
2006 |
64.44% |
39,245 |
1,230,348 |
2,543 |
Forms part of a joint venture helping to build the 2012 Olympic stadium |
47 |
Special Piping MaterialsPipes and fittings supplier |
Manchester |
2006 |
64.09% |
3,899 |
24,846 |
21 |
Plans to expand into China this year |
48 |
William Hare GroupStructural steel engineer |
Bury |
2006 |
63.87% |
11,178 |
159,085 |
1,170 |
Fabricates more than 100,000 tonnes of steel structures a year |
49 |
SpreadexSpread betting operator |
St Albans |
2007 |
63.31% |
11,556 |
23,518 |
66 |
Rewards new customers with a bottle of champagne |
50 |
Tom Martin & CompanyScrap metal merchant |
Preston |
2006 |
63.07% |
3,417 |
43,273 |
56 |
Founder started the company in a rented air raid shelter after the war |
51 |
Modus GroupProperty services provider |
Central London |
2006 |
62.42% |
3,347 |
63,682 |
136 |
Blue-chip clients include Imperial College, the Belgian Embassy and Fujitsu |
52 |
Virgin MoneyBank |
Edinburgh |
2007 |
62.01% |
20,608 |
77,794 |
220 |
Claims that someone applies for a Virgin credit card every 24 seconds |
53 |
WSHCatering & restaurant business |
Reading |
2006 |
61.53% |
7,460 |
144,952 |
3,964 |
Employs Michelin-starred John Campbell as consultant chef |
54 |
Aston MartinSports car maker |
Warwickshire |
2006 |
61.21% |
58,827 |
515,370 |
1,426 |
Voted Britain’s coolest brand in both 2006 and 2007 |
55 |
Wood MackenzieEnergy research consultancy |
Edinburgh |
2006 |
60.87% |
18,534 |
61,537 |
401 |
Former stockbroker has reinvented itself as energy researcher and consultant |
56 |
Apex Stainless FastenersFastener maker, distributor |
Rugby |
2006 |
60.85% |
3,840 |
17,350 |
98 |
Says it sells 60m stainless nuts, bolts and screws a month |
57 |
Frontline BathroomsBathroom products importer |
West Yorkshire |
2006 |
60.67% |
3,374 |
17,500 |
74 |
Sells a £3,795 double bath with built-in television |
58 |
Gladman DevelopmentsCommercial property developer |
Cheshire |
2007 |
60.30% |
37,520 |
151,930 |
33 |
Has built a warehouse that could hold a shoebox for every person in Britain |
59 |
EAT.Sandwich shop operator |
Wembley |
2007 |
59.65% |
†3,837 |
48,428 |
971 |
Moroccan root vegetable soup with charmoula is one of its bestsellers |
60 |
Euro GaragesFuel forecourt operator |
Blackburn |
2007 |
59.46% |
4,892 |
159,373 |
405 |
Sandwich firm Subway and supermarket Spar run franchises on site |
61 |
NP AerospaceProtective equipment maker |
Coventry |
2006 |
59.45% |
10,090 |
43,623 |
190 |
Sells armoured cars to security services and bulletproof vests to the army |
62 |
JCBConstruction equipment manufacturer |
Staffordshire |
2006 |
59.37% |
105,900 |
1,664,100 |
5,921 |
Gave a £1,000 Christmas bonus to 5,500 British staff to mark a record 2007 |
63 |
Hagan HomesHousebuilder |
Northern Ireland |
2006 |
59.19% |
6,096 |
24,355 |
39 |
Has built more than 2,000 starter homes, mostly on brownfield land |
64 |
TechnetixTelecoms equipment maker |
West Sussex |
2006 |
59.08% |
4,336 |
38,137 |
132 |
May consider a flotation to raise money for acquisitions |
65 |
Collins ConstructionFit-out contractor |
Croydon |
2007 |
58.43% |
3,517 |
25,239 |
39 |
2m sq ft of fitting out and refurbishment completed in the past two years |
66 |
The Nuttall GroupDisplay cabinet manufacturer |
Leicestershire |
2007 |
57.74% |
3,113 |
45,715 |
404 |
Oversaw a £4.5m refit of Fortnum & Mason for its 300th anniversary |
67 |
T-MetMetal recycler |
Northern Ireland |
2006 |
57.73% |
3,328 |
17,327 |
43 |
Handles 2,000 tonnes of scrap metal a week |
68 |
Nova LaboratoriesMedicinal product provider |
Leicester |
2007 |
57.73% |
3,694 |
10,617 |
121 |
Founded by a group of former NHS pharmacy staff |
69 |
HT DrinksDrinks wholesaler |
Northwest London |
2006 |
57.65% |
3,307 |
119,082 |
44 |
Says it sells £119m worth of alcohol and soft drinks a year |
70 |
Sunseeker InternationalYacht builder |
Poole |
2007 |
57.52% |
†15,250 |
27,851 |
1,874 |
Its £5m Predator motorcruiser takes a leading role in Casino Royale |
71 |
Henderson Insurance BrokersInsurance broker |
Leeds |
2007 |
57.30% |
3,498 |
11,335 |
168 |
Its biggest premium to date was £2m on a Scottish PFI project |
72 |
Think MoneyFinancial services provider |
Manchester |
2007 |
57.27% |
9,829 |
37,113 |
506 |
Claims to have helped 100,000 people struggling with debts |
73 |
Alfred H KnightCommodity assayer |
Merseyside |
2007 |
57.14% |
3,753 |
25,274 |
872 |
Hired by buyers and sellers worldwide to test the purity of precious metals |
74 |
MandaleProperty developer |
Stockton-on-Tees |
2007 |
56.80% |
3,228 |
40,422 |
55 |
Customers range from Yorkshire Bank to the NHS and regional police forces |
75 |
Towergate InsuranceInsurance underwriter and broker |
Maidstone |
2006 |
56.58% |
45,636 |
237,587 |
2,545 |
Had made 139 acquisitions by its tenth anniversary in 2007 |
76 |
Rydon GroupBuilding contractor |
East Sussex |
2007 |
56.56% |
18,787 |
168,756 |
563 |
Chief executive Bob Bond led a £100m management buyout in 2006 |
77 |
Caffè NeroCoffee house operator |
Central London |
2007 |
56.32% |
12,051 |
108,819 |
2,239 |
Caffè Nero coffee is an Italian blend made of seven different beans |
78 |
John Laing PartnershipHousebuilder and developer |
Elstree |
2006 |
55.65% |
3,765 |
76,018 |
168 |
Its regeneration work provides construction training for the unemployed |
79 |
GladedaleHousebuilder |
Dunfermline |
2006 |
55.16% |
120,451 |
644,025 |
1,325 |
Bought two publicly-traded competitors, Country & Metropolitan and Furlong |
80 |
MX TelecomWireless technology developer |
Chiswick |
2006 |
54.91% |
6,405 |
45,199 |
36 |
Its technology allows the streaming of Big Brother live to mobile phones |
81 |
Search ConsultancyRecruitment consultancy |
Glasgow |
2006 |
54.87% |
4,183 |
102,494 |
506 |
Says it filled 55,000 job vacancies in 2006 |
82 |
GreencellFresh produce distributor |
Dartford |
2007 |
54.53% |
3,897 |
45,530 |
94 |
Says it supplies 120m pieces of fruit a year to primary school children |
83 |
Kinleigh Folkard & HaywardEstate agency |
Wimbledon |
2006 |
53.73% |
8,792 |
52,618 |
657 |
Its company logo is emblazoned across 150 black cabs in London |
84 |
TIS GroupEndowment policy reseller |
Edgware |
2007 |
53.36% |
15,910 |
290,665 |
105 |
Is looking to raise £50m through a share placing on AIM |
85 |
GRAHAMConstruction contractor |
County Down |
2007 |
53.25% |
5,388 |
143,402 |
607 |
Founded in 1878 and still owned by the Graham family |
86 |
LoganairAirline |
Paisley |
2007 |
53.18% |
3,648 |
48,891 |
312 |
Runs the world’s shortest scheduled flight — a 2 minute hop in the Orkneys |
87 |
Applecross PropertiesHouse builder |
Edinburgh |
2006 |
52.85% |
6,494 |
46,627 |
5 |
Its luxury three-bedroom apartments in Edinburgh sold for £1.9m each |
88 |
Fresh DirectFood wholesaler |
Bicester |
2006 |
52.01% |
3,087 |
74,213 |
397 |
Says it takes up to 30,000 orders per week |
89 |
FircroftTechnical Recruitment Specialist |
Warrington |
2006 |
51.00% |
6,707 |
162,770 |
157 |
Has offices in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Angola |
90 |
KeltruckTruck dealer |
West Bromwich |
2006 |
50.97% |
4,270 |
105,116 |
472 |
Advertised a part-exchanged Sea Harrier on eBay in 2006 |
91 |
CHAPBuilder and civil engineer |
Aberdeenshire |
2007 |
50.78% |
3,666 |
40,404 |
286 |
Is considering building an eco-village on its quarry site |
92 |
MaximuscleSports nutrition supplier |
Watford |
2007 |
50.61% |
5,387 |
20,957 |
47 |
Says its customers go to the gym at least three times a week |
93 |
ESRI (UK)Software developer |
Aylesbury |
2006 |
50.54% |
7,085 |
53,234 |
433 |
Developed a weather warning system for Wimbledon tennis with the Met Office |
94 |
ACISTransport software developer |
Buckinghamshire |
2007 |
50.50% |
5,444 |
26,186 |
155 |
Sends bus passengers 3m text messages a year with travel information |
95 |
TagDesign and production agency |
Central London |
2006 |
50.13% |
6,327 |
60,057 |
508 |
Adapted the European marketing campaign for a Harry Potter computer game |
96 |
Principal SearchExecutive search company |
Central London |
2006 |
49.92% |
4,047 |
9,740 |
31 |
Recruits investment bankers on packages from £150,000 to tens of millions |
97 |
QservOilfield services provider |
Aberdeen |
2006 |
49.75% |
4,197 |
23,865 |
183 |
Set up by a serial entrepreneur and his three Irish brothers |
98 |
Drive AssistCar lessor |
Tamworth |
2007 |
49.69% |
33,628 |
100,207 |
1,340 |
Bought by Charterhouse for a reported £250m last year |
99 |
Argus MediaEnergy information provider |
Central London |
2007 |
49.47% |
5,381 |
18,889 |
203 |
Clients range from the American government to Goldman Sachs and Reuters |
100 |
HillHousebuilder |
Waltham Abbey, Essex |
2006 |
49.44% |
4,348 |
62,535 |
108 |
Regenerated an estate for Tower Hamlets Community Housing |