Rank | Company | Location | Year end | Sales £m | % annual growth | Profit £m | Staff | Main shareholders |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | INEOSChemicals manufacturer | UK/Switzerland | Dec 14 | *17,981 | 4.6 | *1,679 | 14,319 | Jim Ratcliffe (60%), John Reece (20%), Andrew Currie (20%) |
2 | GreenergyFuel supplier | Central London | Apr 15 | *14,109 | -10.1 | *30 | 604 | Tesco Pension Trustees Ltd (35%), Owens family (32%), Seerave (24%) |
3 | John Lewis PartnershipFood and general retailer | Central London | Jan 15 | *9,536 | 5.6 | *797 | 92,100 | Employees (100%) |
4 | SwireConglomerate | Central London | Dec 14 | *6,927 | 10.8 | *1,471 | 88,179 | Swire family (67%), others (33%) |
5 | Palmer and HarveyWholesale distributor | East Sussex | Apr 14 | 4,197 | -0.6 | 30 | 3,706 | Management and employees (54%), former employees (46%) |
6 | StemcorSteel trader | Central London | Dec 13 | 3,807 | -25.5 | -40 | 1,733 | Oppenheimer family (71%), management and staff (29%) |
7 | WorldpayPayment processor | Central London | Dec 13 | 3,394 | 9.9 | 346 | 4,142 | Advent International (43%), Bain Capital (43%), management and staff (10%), other (4%) |
8 | 2 Sisters Food GroupFood producer | Birmingham | Jul 14 | †3,355 | 16.3 | †176 | 23,767 | Baljinder and Ranjit Boparan (100%) |
9 | Laing O’RourkeEngineering and construction group | Dartford | Mar 14 | 3,327 | -0.3 | 115 | 15,312 | Ray O’Rourke and Des O’Rourke through Suffolk Partners Corporation |
10 | Arnold Clark AutomobilesCar dealer | Glasgow | Dec 14 | *3,265 | 11.9 | *261 | 9,184 | Clark family and trusts (100%) |
11 | Brakes GroupFood distributor | Kent | Dec 14 | *3,094 | 2.5 | *150 | 10,359 | Bain Capital, management |
12 | Virgin AtlanticAirline and tour operator | Crawley | Dec 14 | 2,928 | -1.6 | 68 | 9,231 | Virgin Group (51%), Delta Air Lines (49%) |
13 | European Metal RecyclingMetal recycler | Warrington | Dec 13 | 2,810 | -11.8 | 158 | 2,927 | Sheppard family (100%) |
14 | IcelandFrozen food retailer | North Wales | Mar 14 | 2,711 | 2.7 | 206 | 14,404 | Landmark Group and others (57%), Malcolm Walker and management (43%) |
15 | ArcadiaFashion retailer | Central London | Aug 14 | *2,706 | -1.1 | *296 | 40,730 | Lady Tina Green and family, Lloyds Banking Group |
16 | HeathrowAirport | Heathrow | Dec 14 | 2,691 | 8.8 | 1,613 | 8,001 | Ferrovial (25%), Qatar Holdings (20%) Québec Pension Fund (13%), Singapore Investment Corp (11%), other (31%) |
17 | Bestway GroupConglomerate | West London | Jun 14 | *2,548 | 1.2 | *305 | 10,347 | Sir Anwar Pervez and family (70%), management (30%) |
18 | JCBConstruction equipment manufacturer | Staffordshire | Dec 14 | *2,510 | -6.5 | *303 | 8,610 | Bamford family (100%) |
19 | Pentland GroupBrand manager and retailer | Central London | Dec 14 | *2,186 | 14.4 | *202 | 19,823 | Rubin family (100%) |
20 | TI AutomotiveCar parts maker | Oxford/US | Dec 14 | *2,173 | 1.8 | *268 | 21,450 | More than 20 shareholders, each holding less than 15%, including Oaktree and Pointstate Capital |
21 | SpecsaversOptical and hearing aid retailer | Guernsey | Feb 14 | *2,060 | 7.5 | N/a | 30,000 | Perkins family |
22 | Thames WaterWater services provider | Reading | Mar 14 | 1,952 | 8.2 | 1,166 | 4,690 | Consortium led by Macquarie European Infrastructure Funds |
23 | MRH (GB)Fuel retailer and distributor | Essex | Sep 14 | *1,789 | 13.3 | *51 | 340 | Management (62%), Equistone Partners Europe (38%) |
24 | Rigby GroupIT infrastructure integrator | Stratford upon Avon | Mar 14 | 1,783 | -19.0 | 31 | 5,573 | Sir Peter Rigby and family (100%) |
25 | Shop DirectInternet retailer | Liverpool | Jun 14 | 1,738 | 2.3 | 116 | 3,794 | Sir David Barclay and Sir Frederick Barclay (100%) |
26 | Bibby Line GroupConglomerate | Liverpool | Dec 14 | *1,715 | 7.7 | *105 | 6,684 | Sir Michael Bibby and family (88%), management and others (12%) |
27 | BakkavorFresh prepared foods producer | Central London | Dec 14 | 1,693 | 2.6 | 120 | 18,022 | Gudmundsson brothers (39%), Arion Bank (26%), other institutions and investors (35%) |
28 | bet365Online bookmaker | Stoke-on-Trent | Mar 15 | *1,575 | 14.9 | *478 | 3,101 | Coates family (93%), Will Roseff (7%) |
29 | Radius Payment SolutionsFuel card manager | Crewe | Mar 15 | *1,501 | 10.0 | *41 | 623 | Bill Holmes (55%), Roy Sciortino (11%), others (34%) |
30 | ClarksShoe retailer and wholesaler | Somerset | Jan 15 | *1,492 | -3.2 | *167 | 15,380 | Clark family (84%), employees and institutions (16%) |
31 | MaceConstruction project manager | Central London | Dec 14 | *1,486 | 25.8 | *40 | 4,160 | Management (100%) |
32 | WestcoastElectronic products distributor | Reading | Dec 14 | 1,467 | 22.3 | 18 | 1,126 | Joe Hemani (100%) |
33 | WilkoValue retailer | Nottinghamshire | Feb 14 | 1,463 | -2.5 | 63 | 21,648 | Wilkinson family (100%) |
34 | Marshall GroupConglomerate | Cambridge | Dec 14 | *1,426 | 10.3 | *55 | 4,467 | Sir Michael Marshall, Robert Marshall & family trusts (71%), others (29%) |
35 | New LookFashion retailer | Central London | Mar 15 | *1,415 | N/a | *212 | 17,880 | Apax Partners (28%), Permira (28%), Tom Singh (23%), management and others (21%) |
36 | KCA DEUTAG GroupDrilling contractor | Aberdeen | Dec 14 | 1,284 | -7.0 | 191 | 7,988 | Pamplona Capital, other investment funds, management |
37 | TJ MorrisDiscount retailer | Liverpool | Jun 14 | 1,277 | 20.7 | 147 | 11,098 | Tom Morris and family (100%) |
38 | DysonAppliance manufacturer | Wiltshire | Dec 13 | 1,276 | 3.0 | 392 | 4,442 | Sir James Dyson and family (100%) |
39 | Anglian Water GroupWater services provider | Cambridgeshire | Mar 14 | 1,266 | -8.9 | 754 | 4,300 | CPPIB (33%), CFSGAM (32%), IFM Investors (20%), 3i (15%) |
40 | Willmott Dixon GroupConstruction contractor | Hertfordshire | Dec 14 | *1,259 | 23.0 | *27 | 3,203 | Willmott family (60%), Dixon family (20%), management (20%) |
41 | Gala CoralBetting and gaming operator | Central London | Sep 14 | 1,243 | 5.0 | 264 | 15,203 | Anchorage (21%), Apollo (21%), cerberus (21%), Park Square (6%), others (31%) |
42 | Mott MacDonaldManagement and engineering group | Croydon | Dec 14 | 1,231 | 1.4 | 82 | 14,664 | Employees (79%), trust (21%) |
43 | AF Blakemore & SonFood distributor | West Midlands | Apr 14 | 1,192 | 5.0 | 20 | 7,823 | Blakemore family (100%) |
44 | Healthcare at HomeHome healthcare provider | Burton upon Trent | Oct 13 | 1,183 | 6.7 | 20 | 1,458 | Vitruvian Partners (majority), Hutton Collins, Management |
45 | William Grant & SonsSpirits distiller | Banffshire | Dec 13 | 1,120 | 5.2 | 166 | 1,819 | Grant and Gordon families |
46 | Findus GroupFood producer | Central London | Sep 14 | 1,110 | -2.2 | 88 | 4,450 | Lion Capital (33%), Highbridge (33%), Sankaty (30%), others (4%) |
47 | MatalanValue retailer | Liverpool | Mar 14 | †1,102 | -2.1 | †94 | 15,995 | Hargreaves family (100%) |
48 | LycamobilePrepaid mobile telecoms provider | Central London | Feb 15 | *1,090 | 20.6 | N/a | 6,132 | Subaskaran Allirajah (98%), others (2%) |
49 | Kelda GroupWater services provider | Bradford | Mar 14 | 1,063 | 3.8 | 609 | 3,347 | Consortium comprising Citigroup, GIC, RREEF Infrastructure and Infracapital |
50 | ArupDesign, engineering consultancy | Central London | Mar 14 | 1,048 | 1.7 | 90 | 11,355 | Employees, through three trusts |
51 | JCT600Car dealer | Bradford | Dec 14 | 1,025 | 12.7 | 33 | 1,920 | Tordoff family (100%) |
52 | WatesConstruction contractor | Surrey | Dec 14 | 994 | 16.7 | 17 | 2,106 | Wates family (100%) |
53 | Monarch HoldingsAirline and tour operator | Luton Airport | Oct 14 | *985 | 2.9 | N/a | 3,470 | Greybull Capital (90%), Pension Protection Fund (10%) |
54 | ListersCar dealer | Stratford-upon-Avon | Mar 15 | *963 | 12.0 | *21 | 1,972 | Bradshaw family (50%), Lister family (50%) |
55 | Virgin Rail GroupTrain operator | Central London | Mar 14 | 953 | 6.1 | 6 | 2,973 | Virgin Group Holdings (51%), Stagecoach (49%) |
56 | Rontec / Snax24Fuel forecourt operator | Watford | Sep 14 | *946 | 11.4 | *14 | 803 | Ronson Family Trusts / Charitable Foundation (100%) |
57 | FircroftTechnical HR services provider | Warrington | Aug 14 | *933 | 3.9 | *28 | 582 | Johnson family and management (66%), Equistone Partners (34%) |
58 | KeepmoatHousing regeneration specialist | South Yorkshire | Mar 14 | 931 | 5.0 | 58 | 2,921 | Sun Capital and TDR Capital (85%), management (15%) |
59 | River IslandFashion retailer | West London | Dec 13 | 918 | -13.9 | 118 | 12,053 | Bernard Lewis and family (100%) |
60 | Bloor InvestmentsBuilder and motorcycle maker | Derbyshire | Jun 14 | 900 | 18.4 | 95 | 3,013 | John Bloor (100%) |
61 | Reed Specialist RecruitmentRecruiter | Central London | Jun 14 | 897 | 7.6 | 12 | 1,999 | Reed family (100%) |
62 | Bourne LeisureCaravan park operator | Hertfordshire | Dec 14 | *896 | 3.9 | *202 | 12,562 | Peter Harris, family of the late John Cook, David Allen, management |
63 | BiffaIntegrated waste manager | High Wycombe | Mar 15 | *876 | 1.9 | *102 | 6,056 | Angelo Gordon, Avenue Capital Group, Sankaty Advisors |
64 | Expro InternationalOilfield services provider | Reading | Mar 14 | 875 | 15.4 | 234 | 5,325 | Goldman Sachs (34%), Arle Capital Partners (32%), Alpinvest (12%), others (22%) |
65 | OCS GroupFacilities services provider | Gatwick | Mar 14 | 871 | 5.3 | 34 | 73,294 | Goodliffe family (100%) |
66 | Sir Robert McAlpineConstruction contractor | Hertfordshire | Oct 14 | 863 | 0.1 | -84 | 2,219 | McAlpine family (100%) |
67 | Harrods GroupDepartment store operator | Central London | Feb 14 | 843 | 12.3 | 190 | 4,140 | Qatar Holding (100%) |
68 | Formula OneMotor racing administrator | Central London | Dec 13 | 828 | -7.8 | 184 | N/a | CVC Capital Partners, Waddell & Reed, Ecclestone family trusts, others |
69 | ArqivaCommunications services provider | Central London | Jun 14 | 826 | 0.6 | 407 | 2,002 | Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (48%), Macquarie (25%), other investors (27%) |
70 | Southern WaterWater services provider | West Sussex | Mar 14 | 806 | 3.5 | 563 | 2,026 | UBS Global (39%) and JP Morgan (28%), others (33%) |
71 | Lamex Food GroupFood importer and exporter | Hertfordshire | Mar 14 | 806 | 9.5 | 17 | 235 | Steve Anderson (23%), Phillip Wallace (14%), Colin Dicker (13%), others (50%) |
72 | MotoMotorway services operator | Bedfordshire | Dec 14 | *803 | -4.4 | *91 | 5,030 | Macquarie, Equity Partners Infrastructure, Australian funds, management |
73 | FarmfoodsFrozen food retailer | Birmingham | Jan 15 | †796 | 15.6 | †26 | 4,779 | Eric Herd and family (94%), William McCreadie (6%) |
74 | Samworth BrothersFood producer | Leicestershire | Dec 13 | 791 | 3.1 | 57 | 7,487 | Samworth family trusts (100%) |
75 | Greenhous GroupCar dealer | Shrewsbury | Dec 14 | 775 | 15.2 | 6 | 784 | Derek Passant (52%), Kerry Finnon (47%), Mike Pawson (1%) |
76 | DunbiaRed meat processor | County Tyrone | Mar 14 | 764 | 5.8 | 14 | 3,256 | Jack and James Dobson (100%) |
77 | Caparo GroupMetal engineer | Central London | Dec 13 | *749 | -11.9 | *60 | 6,393 | Lord Paul and family interests (100%) |
78 | Bowmer & KirklandConstruction contractor | Derbyshire | Aug 14 | *732 | 10.9 | *35 | 1,249 | Kirkland family and family trusts |
79 | Alexander Mann SolutionsRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Dec 14 | *728 | 17.9 | *27 | 2,271 | New Mountain Capital (73%), management (27%) |
80 | Care UKCare services provider | Colchester | Sep 14 | 726 | 10.4 | 46 | 22,105 | Bridgepoint (79%), management (20%), other (1%) |
81 | ASCOOil and gas services provider | Aberdeen | Dec 14 | *712 | -7.0 | *35 | 2,511 | Doughty Hanson (80%), management (20%) |
82 | MorsonEngineering recruitment consultancy | Manchester | Dec 14 | *706 | 8.1 | *19 | 1,291 | Gerry & Ged Mason (90%), Kevin Gorton (5%), Paul Gilmour (5%) |
83 | Benfield Motor GroupCar dealer | Newcastle upon Tyne | Dec 14 | *700 | 12.5 | *13 | 1,440 | John Squires and family (100%) |
84 | Shepherd GroupBuilder, manufacturer and engineer | York | Jun 14 | 686 | -8.3 | 32 | 3,235 | Shepherd family (100%) |
85 | DoncastersEngineering components maker | Burton upon Trent | Dec 14 | 679 | -8.3 | 136 | 4,162 | Dubai International Capital (98%), management (2%) |
86 | Telereal TrilliumProperty investor and manager | Central London | Mar 14 | 676 | -4.8 | 215 | 784 | Pears family and management (100%) |
87 | R&R Ice CreamIce cream manufacturer | North Yorkshire | Dec 14 | *676 | 16.1 | *113 | 2,787 | PAI Partners (93%), management (7%) |
88 | Welcome BreakMotorway services operator | Milton Keynes | Jan 15 | *671 | 3.8 | *50 | 4,436 | Appia Group |
89 | Northgate Information SolutionsSoftware and services provider | Hertfordshire | Apr 14 | 666 | -16.9 | 123 | 9,771 | KKR (80%), management (10%), other institutional investors (10%) |
90 | Murphy GroupCivil engineering contractor | Central London | Dec 13 | 666 | 17.1 | 17 | 3,951 | Murphy family (100%) |
91 | Unipart GroupManufacturing, logistics and consultancy | Oxford | Dec 14 | *659 | -28.7 | *24 | 6,053 | Management & staff (52%), pension schemes and others (48%) |
92 | Odeon & UCI Cinemas GroupCinema operator | Central London | Dec 14 | *657 | -7.0 | *52 | 8,627 | Terra Firma (more than 99%), Management (less than 1%) |
93 | Virgin ActiveHealth club operator | Central London | Dec 13 | 653 | 1.8 | 125 | 13,976 | CVC Capital Partners (45%), Virgin Group (43%), management (12%) |
94 | Henderson GroupFood wholesaler and retailer | County Antrim | Dec 14 | †*651 | 1.3 | †*30 | 2,585 | Geoffrey Agnew (12%), Martin Agnew (12%), Ardbarron Trust (76%) |
95 | Camelot UK LotteriesLottery operator | Watford | Mar 14 | 648 | -3.7 | 84 | 628 | Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (100%) |
96 | Euro GaragesFuel forecourt operator | Blackburn | Jul 14 | 646 | 47.4 | 27 | 1,980 | Issa family (100%) |
97 | TrailfindersTravel organiser | West London | Feb 14 | 636 | 6.0 | 25 | 1,019 | Mike Gooley (100%) |
98 | Domestic & GeneralWarranty provider | Wimbledon | Mar 14 | *633 | 10.1 | *82 | 2,785 | CVC Capital Partners (>50%), management (<50%) |
99 | Langley HoldingsEngineering equipment maker | Nottinghamshire | Dec 14 | *628 | -12.0 | *82 | 4,371 | Tony Langley (100%) |
100 | Dhamecha FoodsCash and carry wholesaler | Wembley | Mar 14 | 628 | 7.3 | 16 | 481 | Dhamecha family (100%) |
* supplied by company † annualised figure **estimated