Rank Company Location Year end % annual profit growth Latest profits £000 Latest sales £000 Staff Comment
1 PartnershipLife assurance specialist Central London Dec 10 210.53% 37,701 587,877 273 Provides financial products for people whose illness has cut their life expectancy
2 Auden Mckenzie GroupPharmaceuticals maker Northwest London Sep 10 168.18% 15,815 32,047 58 Constructing a new R&D building to accommodate its expansion
3 NewDayCredit card operator Kent Dec 10 148.80% 30,949 93,763 51 Bought by Varde Partners in September 2011 for £472m
4 WorldmarkElectronic component manufacturer Lanarkshire Dec 10 141.69% 13,228 93,436 1,705 Employs 1,700 people at facilities in Hungary, Mexico, China, America and Britain
5 Quercus PublishingPublisher Central London Dec 10 128.25% 8,538 31,784 41 Biggest seller is Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy
6 DiGiCoAudio equipment maker Southwest London Dec 10 112.92% 6,251 18,757 64 Its equipment has been used on Madonna and U2 tours
7 Red Bee MediaMedia services provider West London Jun 11 111.68% 19,882 145,652 1,395 Claims to manage online on-demand TV content for the majority of UK broadcasters
8 Dr MartensShoe manufacturer and retailer Northamptonshire Mar 11 107.17% 18,781 110,229 299 Its shoes were worn by Rihanna and her backing dancers at The Grammys
9 Airline ServicesAirline services provider Manchester Oct 10 106.15% 4,984 40,872 609 Last month LDC bought a stake in a deal that valued the company at about £40m
10 Joseph JosephHousehold goods manufacturer Central London May 11 105.70% 6,860 22,414 37 Its distinctive-colour kitchenware was showcased in the Big Brother house
11 Direct WinesWine merchant Reading Jul 11 99.12% 14,724 343,904 921 Has recently started selling wine to India
12 PCMSIT services provider Coventry Sep 10 96.07% 9,004 40,281 377 Claims that even competitors use its IT services to host their products
13 Regent GasCommercial gas supplier West London Mar 11 95.52% 9,016 48,169 9 Founded with an investment of £30,000, now makes profits of almost £9m
14 Forward Internet GroupMedia developer and investor Central London Dec 10 94.79% 16,435 118,650 149 Recently acquired one of Europe's largest publishers for biking enthusiasts
15 JacTravelTravel services provider West London Oct 11 93.48% 6,465 103,511 158 Supplies tour operators with 7,000 hotels in 550 cities worldwide
16 Baird & CoBullion merchant East London Dec 10 93.40% 4,662 417,167 53 Makes 50,000 wedding rings a year
17 KilfrostDe-icing fluid manufacturer Newcastle Sep 11 92.85% 3,880 54,930 87 Produced 44,000 tonnes of environmentally friendly de-icing fluid in 2011
18 GO OutdoorsOutdoor equipment retailer Sheffield Jan 11 92.42% 7,035 115,238 651 Online sales are being helped by an improved website design
19 Britax ChildcareChild car seat maker Surrey Dec 10 92.25% 30,076 231,748 1,067 Works with more than 40 car companies in R&D to develop innovative products
20 Balmoral GroupPolymer engineer and manufacturer Aberdeen Mar 11 88.19% 15,263 73,392 369 Claims to be one of four firms worldwide making deep-water buoyancy products
21 Cellar TrendsAlcoholic drinks wholesaler Derbyshire May 11 85.37% 7,682 86,086 105 Promotes Jägermeister by sending events team on tour around the country
22 Plexus CottonCotton merchant Liverpool Dec 10 83.58% 8,263 259,211 1,389 Successfully managed the cotton industry's price volatility between 2008 and 2011
23 Beggars GroupMusic producer Southwest London Dec 10 83.03% 5,383 25,118 101 Its biggest success is 21, by Adele, named best album at February’s Brit Awards
24 Europa Support ServicesFacilities maintenance provider Salford Quays, Manchester Dec 10 82.65% 5,619 103,303 2,126 Clients include the Welsh assembly government and Coca-Cola
25 Sun MarkConsumer products wholesaler West London Aug 11 81.20% 7,483 109,052 47 Received Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2009, 2010 and 2011
26 Wireless LogicWireless data services provider Buckinghamshire Apr 11 80.49% 3,236 11,623 18 Was part of Dragons’ Den’s Peter Jones’s Phones International until 2009
27 Harvard EngineeringLighting controls manufacturer Wakefield Oct 10 77.95% 3,414 14,350 116 Supplies the components that illuminate Piccadilly Circus and Blackpool Promenade
28 InterportPharmaceuticals wholesaler South London Mar 11 77.01% 5,494 70,564 58 Is now venturing outside Europe to explore markets in Africa and South America
29 Cope Allman JaycareHealthcare products supplier Portsmouth Dec 10 76.66% 3,487 25,150 276 Bought by Swedish firm Nolato in April 2012 for an initial price of £16.6m
30 Total Security ServicesSecurity services provider East London Oct 10 76.52% 5,128 42,668 2,439 Helps retailers who are facing more shoplifting in the recession
31 HampdenInsurance consultancy Central London Dec 10 76.27% 31,603 40,271 167 Grew profits despite one of the worst years on record for natural catastrophes
32 MarkitFinancial information services City of London Dec 10 76.22% 88,528 432,524 1,736 Recently launched an iPad app to help clients monitor financial data on the move
33 Accrol PapersTissue products manufacturer Blackburn Apr 11 75.63% 5,351 50,045 103 Produces more than 1.25m toilet rolls and 500,000 kitchen rolls a day
34 EssenceDigital marketing agency Central London Mar 11 75.11% 3,988 74,185 69 Overseeing the global marketing for Harry Potter website Pottermore.com
35 KelwayIT services provider Central London Mar 11 75.05% 9,615 260,875 697 Microsoft, Bank of America and Oxford University Press are among its 2,000 clients
36 Holyhead GroupWorkboat builder and operator North Wales Sep 10 74.43% 13,577 32,683 249 Supplies Royal Marines with patrol boats
37 Global Reach PartnersForeign exchange broker Central London Dec 10 74.35% 3,205 9,997 51 Says that moving offices to the City has boosted staff morale and productivity
38 History & HeraldryGift maker Rotherham Dec 10 73.67% 7,416 23,550 77 Brings out five new ranges each year to retain appeal with impulse purchasers
39 99p StoresDiscount retailer Northampton Jan 11 72.40% 7,166 231,007 2,970 Is expanding internationally with its first shop in Dublin
40 MDSSoftware developer Warrington Dec 10 71.63% 4,095 32,076 336 Created software so American firm Gogo Inflight can provide internet access on planes
41 Halewood Wines and SpiritsAlcoholic drinks maker Liverpool Jun 11 70.76% 17,636 264,355 1,020 About to launch its Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer in America
42 Nexus Vehicle RentalVehicle rental broker Leeds Sep 11 69.63% 4,555 38,289 90 Profits boosted by providing its vehicle-rental technology to blue-chip companies
43 Rebound ElectronicsElectronic components distributor Newbury Dec 10 68.51% 7,610 80,283 177 The owners are looking to exit within 12 months
44 Brookfield RoseTemporary workforce manager Cheshire Dec 10 68.45% 3,796 298,673 60 Provides temporary contract labour worth more than £500m each year
45 M-SportRacing car developer Cumbria Dec 10 68.16% 6,797 48,278 207 Designs and sells rally cars, which cost from £45,000 to £400,000
46 ID Business SolutionsSoftware developer Guildford Dec 10 66.69% 6,367 30,175 240 Won the 2011 Queen's Award for International Trade
47 Cath KidstonLifestyle retailer West London Apr 11 66.50% †15,621 †67,264 518 Now has 21 shops in Japan, 8 in South Korea, 2 in Thailand and one in Taiwan
48 Noble FoodsEgg products manufacturer Hertfordshire Sep 10 66.11% 26,973 558,845 1,921 Its egg brands include Eggs for Soldiers, which supports Help for Heroes
49 XLN Business ServicesBusiness services provider Central London Mar 11 63.00% 11,714 57,466 255 Now also offers small businesses credit- and debit-card processing services
50 Chain Reaction CyclesOnline bike retailer County Antrim Dec 10 63.00% 13,490 109,420 365 Offers 90,000 bike accessories and processes 6,000 orders a day from Belfast
51 CatalystSecurity tag supplier High Wycombe Mar 11 62.62% 3,395 12,529 45 Claims that more than 200m of its tags were used by retailers last year
52 SMP GroupPrinter Southeast London Dec 10 60.77% 3,319 28,419 155 84-year-old printing company targeting growth in digital products
53 OneE TaxTax planning specialist Bolton Dec 10 60.35% †7,601 †17,536 35 Its latest tax solution cost £1m to create, most of which went on barristers' fees
54 Leisure Pass GroupTourism smartcard developer Central London Dec 10 60.31% †3,661 †18,402 9 Its top London attractions are the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey
55 Texthelp SystemsIT software developer County Antrim Sep 10 59.61% 4,359 12,339 93 Has recently diversified to target those for whom English is a second language
56 SMS ElectronicsElectronics manufacturer Nottingham Sep 11 59.48% 4,235 50,369 135 Its video-conferencing systems helped double international sales over four years
57 State OilFuel wholesaler Weybridge Feb 11 58.28% 3,086 419,681 92 Blends imported diesel with up to 50% biofuel in its facility on the Thames
58 Veetee RiceRice wholesaler and distributor Rochester Dec 10 56.91% 5,018 60,262 106 Imports rice from around the world, including India, Pakistan, Thailand and America
59 TolunaOnline market research provider West London Dec 10 56.86% 15,412 73,641 787 Claims its online consumer panels generate 1m votes and opinions a day
60 Tangerine ConfectioneryConfectionery manufacturer Blackpool Dec 10 56.85% 13,680 153,816 1,349 Is Britain’s largest privately owned confectionery manufacturer
61 Phase EightFashion retailer West London Jan 11 56.40% 15,661 92,881 1,329 Opened its first shop in Wandsworth in 1979 and now has 235 outlets
62 B&M RetailDiscount retailer Liverpool Dec 11 56.14% 49,422 712,572 8,864 Has recently acquired 11 outlets from the collapsed DIY chain Focus
63 Keystone LegalInsurance provider Hampshire Dec 10 56.07% 9,880 18,386 75 HQ was formerly the stable where Winston Churchill underwent cavalry training
64 MatconPowder machinery manufacturer Worcestershire Dec 10 55.71% 3,721 21,313 122 Founded in 1980 by a baronet and a Ukrainian refugee
65 Trad GroupScaffolding contractor East London Nov 10 54.99% 3,963 14,802 138 Scaffolding projects have included the BT Tower and Olympic energy plants
66 APC OvernightParcel courier Wolverhampton Mar 11 54.93% 3,848 57,939 290 Delivers more than 1.5m parcels a month nationwide
67 Charles Tyrwhitt ShirtsClothing retailer Central London Jul 11 53.48% 9,483 78,629 400 Company named after the two middle names of its founder Nick Wheeler
68 Poundworld RetailValue retailer West Yorkshire Mar 11 52.85% 5,495 132,944 2,009 Has recently opened the second of its smaller Express convenience stores
69 The APM GroupCertification scheme administrator High Wycombe Mar 11 52.70% 5,226 27,374 108 Plans further international expansion in 2012 in France, Japan and Brazil
70 OfficeShoe retailer Central London Jan 11 52.47% 21,028 165,062 2,009 Has launched concessions in Top Shop's New York, Las Vegas and Chicago stores
71 Fullers FoodsFrozen food supplier Leeds Jan 11 52.14% 7,798 141,466 30 2012 sales are likely to exceed £200m on the movement of 200,000 tonnes of food
72 Star PerfumesFragrance wholesaler Salford Apr 11 52.05% †9,918 †62,511 128 Stocks more than 4,000 fragrances, perfumes, aftershaves and colognes
73 Natural ProductsGift maker West London May 11 51.93% 4,305 15,710 39 Profits boosted through US expansion after deals with retailers such as Gap
74 The Lawrence GroupPrecious metals dealer Central London Feb 11 51.77% 6,795 245,745 24 Buys scrap metal in virtually any form, from jewellery to gold teeth
75 Willmott Dixon GroupConstruction contractor Hertfordshire Dec 10 51.43% 28,222 989,517 2,949 Celebrates its 160th anniversary in 2012
76 BOCM PAULS (Agricola Group)Animal feed manufacturer Ipswich Dec 10 49.95% 15,131 428,315 961 Acquired by Dutch group ForFarmers for €85m, subject to EU approval
77 Vue Entertainment InternationalCinema operator West London Nov 10 49.91% 38,058 308,415 3,234 Opened a 17-screen all-digital cinema at Stratford in east London last September
78 ITRS GroupFinancial software developer Central London Mar 11 49.61% 7,298 16,419 75 Claims its software is used by eight of the world's 10 biggest investment banks
79 Patisserie ValeriePatisserie and cafe operator Birmingham Sep 11 48.37% 5,637 40,483 1,292 Claims to serve on average 300 customers in each store each day
80 Travel CounsellorsTravel agency Bolton Oct 10 47.93% 4,460 74,821 221 Employs 1,200 ‘travel counsellors’ in six countries to offer tailor-made holidays
81 Jack WillsFashion retailer Northwest London Jan 11 47.68% 12,989 92,230 1,870 Company was named after a grandfather of one of the co-founders
82 Otter ControlsThermostatic control manufacturer Derbyshire Dec 10 47.57% 7,611 51,016 996 Founder Eric Taylor designed electrically heated second-world-war flying suits
83 Lowell GroupDebt collector Leeds Aug 10 47.46% 42,924 62,412 385 States it typically recovers 10%-15% of the total amount of debt that it buys
84 Aston Manor BreweryBeer and cider brewery Birmingham Dec 10 47.35% 6,117 79,253 182 Claims to produce 1m pints of cider a day
85 ChessTelecoms services provider Cheshire Apr 11 47.04% 5,424 32,772 143 Says that 60% of employees have share options
86 The Staffing GroupRecruitment consultancy Walsall Nov 10 46.90% 3,902 87,081 163 Provides teams of flexi-workers to help clients cope with busy times of the year
87 BritpartCar parts supplier Shropshire Mar 11 46.69% 7,835 47,604 196 Sponsors the MSA British Cross-Country Championship rally-driving competition
88 HutchinsonsAgronomy adviser Cambridgeshire Dec 10 46.35% 9,118 148,268 327 Company says that one of its biggest challenges is Britain’s sustained lack of rain
89 WiggleOnline sports goods retailer Portsmouth Jan 11 45.82% 10,912 86,787 131 Sold a stake to Bridgepoint last December in a deal that valued the firm at £180m
90 Audley TravelTour operator Oxfordshire Dec 10 45.11% 8,840 62,868 158 New staff spend their first four to six weeks in the destination in which they specialise
91 World FirstInternational payments provider Central London Jan 11 44.82% 3,847 11,996 97 Claims to have completed a currency transfer to Germany in under seven minutes
92 Argus MediaEnergy information provider Central London Jun 11 44.34% 21,518 53,994 351 Operates from offices in 17 countries and plans to expand into South America
93 Oliver ValvetekSubsea valve manufacturer Cheshire Sep 10 44.22% 5,236 16,143 60 Its HQ houses a steam engine formerly owned by cult TV presenter Fred Dibnah
94 GrocontinentalFood and drink distributor Shropshire Oct 10 43.28% 3,800 25,670 283 Founded by a young widow in 1941 as a cattle-transport business
95 Intelligent EnvironmentsTechnology and outsourcing provider Central London Dec 10 42.64% 3,882 16,445 379 Processes 47m transactions a year for clients including British Gas and Barclaycard
96 FM ConwayInfrastructure services provider Dartford Mar 11 42.46% 12,883 128,015 732 Says it recycles up to 95% of construction waste from its road-building projects
97 Sprue AegisSafety products manufacturer Coventry Dec 10 42.45% 3,795 29,873 72 Has developed a carbon-monoxide sensor the size of a pound coin
98 Mono ConsultantsTelecoms network support Glasgow Aug 11 42.10% 3,663 37,963 207 Provides temporary mobile masts for Glastonbury and the London Olympics
99 EBC BrakesBrake components manufacturer Northampton Oct 10 41.98% 8,741 28,828 183 Claims to be a world leader in developing non-toxic brake pads, free from sulphides
100 Richmond GroupFinancial services provider Bournemouth Mar 11 41.93% 32,432 63,865 396 Its offices include sleep pods, chill-out areas and a Moroccan-themed meeting room