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Ward Hadaway Greater Manchester Fastest 50 for 2017

TODAY is the day when we reveal the businesses who have made it into the Ward Hadaway Greater Manchester Fastest 50 2017 – the comprehensive list of the region’s fastest-growing companies.

Devised and organised by leading law firm Ward Hadaway and backed by the Manchester Evening News/Greater Manchester Business Week, the list highlights and celebrates companies in the region who have shown the largest growth over recent years with the aim of recognising high achieving companies and encouraging others to follow in their footsteps.

The companies are all from the Greater Manchester Business Week’s circulation area and have all seen their turnovers grow over the last three years whilst remaining profitable in each of those years.

Following today’s publication of the Fastest 50, an awards ceremony will take place at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester on Friday 19 May when the winners of the Ward Hadaway Greater Manchester Fastest 50 2017 will be revealed.

Awards will be given to the fastest growing small, medium and large business, as well as an overall award for the fastest growing business of the year.

Here is the Ward Hadaway Greater Manchester Fastest 50 for 2017 in alphabetical order:

APAM, Manchester
This is a UK real estate asset and investment manager with offices in Manchester and in London. It has invested over £730m into UK investment opportunities on behalf of its joint venture partners and has over £2bn worth of assets under management and/or sold.

Aptus Utilities, Bolton
Aptus Utilities is an Independent Connections Provider (ICP) which offers utility connections services throughout the UK. Based in Bolton, the company provides connections to gas, water, electricity and street lighting and came second in the fastest growing large business in the 2016 Ward Hadaway Greater Manchester Fastest 50 Awards.

Avecto, Manchester
This IT company appeared in last year’s Fastest 50 and specialises in security software to protect businesses and organisations from a wide range of cyber-attacks. Its customers include PwC, Dundee and Derby Universities and global technology company Semtech.

Car Benefit Holdings Limited, Bury
This is a holding company for a number of businesses including Car Benefit Car Schemes Limited, Car Benefit Finance Limited and Car Benefit Solutions Limited, which specialises in employee car ownership schemes.

CareerMakers Recruitment, Manchester
Recruitment company CareerMakers Recruitment provides contract and permanent staff to businesses in the industrial, commercial, construction and engineering sectors. It has plans to expand to cover Yorkshire and the Midlands.

Castlefield, Manchester
This company was set up in 2002 and specialises in ethical investment advice and investment management to charities, businesses and individuals. It also operates its own grant-making charitable foundation.

Centriq Group, Blackpool
Centriq Group provides IT solutions to the logistics, supply chain and retail sectors via its subsidiary companies: Voiteq specialises in voice-directed warehouse solutions while Cirrus Logistics provides warehouse and supply chain modelling, simulation and optimisation. It appeared in the 2016 Fastest 50 list.

Converge Technology Specialists, Manchester
Converge specialises in providing cloud services to law firms across the UK, including compliance audits, advice and a customer support centre. It has 10 years’ experience in the sector.

CPUK, Skelmersdale
CPUK Group is a building and civil engineering company which undertakes contracts between £500,000 and £15 million. Founded in 2000, it has operating divisions covering new build and refurbishment contracts, special projects, social housing schemes and demolition and site remediation.

Eccleston Homes, Warrington
This housebuilder was founded by former Elite Homes Group Ltd chief executive Kevin Marren and specialises in building small-scale developments of traditional-looking homes in locations across the North West.

Edam Group, Manchester
Edam is a group of companies focused on delivering a range of accident and claims-related services including outsourced claims management, replacement vehicles and repair management.

Edina UK Limited, Stockport
Energy specialist Edina employs over 200 people and delivers a range of natural gas, combined heat & power and biogas solutions at locations across the UK. It won a Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2014.

Eldapoint Ltd, Manchester
Formed in 1968, Eldapoint Ltd has Shipping Container Depot facilities in most major UK ports and manufactures a wide range of structures including storage and shipping containers, modular equipment buildings and fire certified and blast-resistant units.

Energy Gain UK, Ashton-under-Lyne
Energy Gain UK is an accredited designer, supplier and installer of renewable energy systems. The company supplies commercial and domestic clients with a range of systems such as Solar PV, solar thermal, battery storage and air conditioning.

Exchequer Solutions, Chester
Established in 2003, Exchequer Solutions is a commercial contracting company which provides business services to recruitment agencies and contractors across the UK in sectors including construction, technical, engineering and IT. It was in the 2016 and 2015 Greater Manchester Fastest 50 lists.

Footasylum, Rochdale
Fashion streetwear and sportswear retailer Footasylum was established in 2005 and now trades from over 40 high street stores across the UK. It sells items by brands including Nike, Adidas, Reebok and Puma.

Forresters Chicken, Frodsham
Forresters is one of the largest suppliers of cooked, raw and coated poultry in the UK, supplying both the retail and food service sectors with a variety of frozen and chilled products. The company also appeared in the 2016 Fastest 50.

Gladman Developments Limited, Congleton
Developing a range of both office and industrial schemes, Gladman Developments constructs projects totalling up to 3 million sq ft of space each year across the UK with developments in locations from Aberdeen to Bedford, Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Bristol.

Godel Technologies, Manchester
This software development company employs over 300 people at its offices in Manchester, London, Minsk and Brest. It works with companies including Jet2.com, Experian and AO.com

GPL Group (Manchester) Limited, Salford
GPL Group is made up of GPL Civil Engineering, GPL Utilities, GPL Special Projects, GPL Plant and Galvac Ltd, which together provide a wide range of services to clients in the rail, civil engineering, utilities and building industries.

Haydock Finance, Blackburn
Established in 1980, Haydock Finance Ltd is an independent finance company providing credit services including asset funding solutions to businesses across the UK, mainly in the SME sector.

Heyrod Construction, Oldham
Heyrod Construction was founded in 1978, originally with a view to providing a specialist formwork /steel fixing service in the field of structural reinforced concrete. Since then it has diversified in both civils and building construction and provides services from concept through to completion.

HFL Building Solutions, Manchester
This building services company offers mobile maintenance services, integrated facilities services and building environmental services across a wide range of sectors including education, commercial, industrial leisure and entertainment. It appeared in the 2016 Fastest 50.

IMS Euro, Stockport
IMS Euro has been supplying non-pharmaceutical medical products since 1992. It supplies doctors and veterinary surgeons in the UK and across the world and is the sole UK distributor for a number of major European manufacturers.

Irwell Valley Adamas Limited, Manchester
Based in the Old Trafford area of Manchester, Irwell Valley Adamas is a building maintenance contractor.

J.Mills Contractors Ltd, Manchester
This company builds, refurbishes and maintains properties, particularly in the commercial, retail and leisure sectors. Its clients include Capita Symonds, Land Securities and Robinsons Brewery.

Kingdom, Newton-le-Willows
Established in 1993, Kingdom delivers a wide range of services to customers across the UK, including security personnel and systems, reception and concierge services, commercial cleaning, site maintenance, environmental protection and cyber security. It appeared in the 2016 Fastest 50.

Laila’s Fine Foods, Blackpool
Started in a household kitchen, this company has grown into a manufacturer of ready meals. Based in a 43,000 sq ft purpose-built factory, the company now employs over 200 people working on more than 250 product ranges.

LPW Technology Limited, Runcorn
From its base in Runcorn, this company develops, manufactures and supplies cutting-edge metal powder solutions for additive manufacturing – also referred to as 3D metal printing. It has customers in the tooling, aerospace, industrial gas turbine, automotive, and medical implant manufacture industries.

LSE Retail Group Limited, Eccles
LSE Retail Group Limited sells lighting and light bulbs to lighting retailers, wholesalers and other customers in the UK and Ireland. The company was named fastest growing medium-sized business in the 2016 Ward Hadaway Greater Manchester Fastest 50 Awards.

Lundy Projects, Stockport
Established in 1976, Lundy initially provided turnkey design, fabrication and construction services to the process and chemical industry. The company, which appeared in last year’s Fastest 50, has now diversified into other areas including the rail industry where it carries out projects around the UK.

Mark Thompson Transport, Warrington
This family-run business specialises in nationwide road haulage, transport, logistics and supply chain services. Based in Warrington, it has additional bases in Glasgow, Preston, Bury, Bootle, Shrewsbury, Tamworth and Doncaster and has clients including DHL, UK Mail and Sainsburys.

MediaCo, Manchester
MediaCo is a large format graphics, display and events specialist offering services from artworking, large format printing, cutting and finishing to installation and logistics for all events, exhibitions, retail, theatres, museums and stadiums.

Mobica, Wilmslow
This software services company has over 800 people working across ten offices worldwide, including its Cheshire headquarters. It provides services including technology consulting and software engineering and was in the 2016 and 2015 Greater Manchester Fastest 50 lists.

Neuven Solutions, Manchester
Neuven Solutions works to help companies reduce the cost of getting temporary agency and locum staff, acting as a ‘neutral vendor’ between employment agencies and businesses looking to bring in staff. It also provides auditing and training services.

New World Trading Co, Knutsford
This pub and restaurant group owns and operates a string of well-known venues across the UK under the Botanist, Oast House, Smugglers Cove, The Trading House and The Club House brands.

Oliver James Associates, Manchester
Oliver James Associates is a global specialist recruitment partner to the financial services, professional services and commerce & industry sectors. The company was established in 2002 and operates across 12 offices worldwide.

PHMG, Manchester
This company specialises in providing telephone answering and communication services. It has more than 28,000 clients in 39 countries across the world including Jaguar, Audi, Samsung and Adidas.

Premier Automotive, Dukinfield
New and used car dealership Premier Automotive operates five branches covering North and South Manchester and three new car franchises – Kia, Mitsubishi and SsangYong. It also offers car servicing, repairs, parts and accessories.

Raised Floor Solutions, Skelmersdale
This flooring contractor was established in 2003 and provides composite flooring solutions, incorporating steel floor decking, insitu concrete floor slabs on steel decking and raised access flooring. It appeared in the 2016 Fastest 50 and its work can be found in shopping centres, car parks, hotels and health and education developments.

Salford Professional Development, Salford
A subsidiary of the University of Salford, this company offer a range of conference, training and professional development services across sectors including education, health and social care, media and digital, business and law, the built environment and public services.

Sambro International, Bury
Sambro provides a range of licensed merchandise for retailers including toys, arts and crafts, stationery, bags and wheeled goods. It has showrooms in Holland and Hong Kong in addition to its Bury site.

Schmitz Cargobull (UK) Ltd, Warrington
This company provides a range of new and used trailers for use in the transportation and logistics industry. It also supplies vehicle servicing and tracking facilities.

Stackright Ltd, Skelmersdale
Stackright Ltd specialises in site storage and accommodation facilities from secure toilets, offices and canteens to telecommunications housing. Its clients include some of the major cabin hire companies across the UK.

Sustainable Group UK Ltd, Skelmersdale
Sustainable Group (UK) Limited is a building and property maintenance contractor with particular expertise in creating modern, energy-efficient buildings. Established in 1976, the company works with a range of developers, housing associations and local authorities.

The Hut Group, Northwich
This online health and beauty retailer sells a range of goods under brands including MyProtein, Mass and MyVitamins. It has over 1.6 million customers worldwide and 400 million visits to its websites each year.

Together, Cheadle
Together was founded in 1974 and is a specialist lender, offering short-term finance, auction finance, personal, commercial and buy-to-let mortgages and secured loans. It employs more than 460 people and has a loan book topping £1.8bn.

Trak (Global Solutions) Ltd, Crewe
Trak Global Group is one of the world’s largest providers of telematics solutions for the insurance, fleet, rental and automotive industries. Launched in 2009, the company operates in six countries, with over 200,000 assets deployed and over 230 staff.

Venturi Group, Wilmslow
Venturi is an IT staffing service which specialises in business intelligence and niche technological recruitment. Its clients range from SMEs to major companies in a range of sectors including banking and financial services, travel and retail, construction, manufacturing, education and healthcare. It appeared in the 2016 Fastest 50.

Workforce People Solutions, Bolton
Founded in 2006, Workforce People Solutions specialises in sourcing skilled workers for UK organisations in sectors including furniture, textiles and automotive. It has worked with clients such as McLaren and Aston Martin and was in the 2016 Fastest 50 list.

Find out more about the Fastest 50.

 

The companies in this list have been selected from a table of fastest growing profit-making, private, regional companies, based on turnover growth.
Information has been compiled by independent researchers using data which is publicly available at Companies House of UK listed companies.

The average turnover growth has been assessed on a percentage increase based on the difference between turnover figures filed for the last three years.

To qualify, companies must be trading entities and have turnover in excess of £1,000,000 in the last three years of filed accounts, which are up to date as at 28 February 2017. Companies must also have made profits in each of the past three years’ accounts and have filed new accounts since last year’s awards.

Private limited companies which are subsidiaries of listed companies do not qualify.

Subsidiaries of foreign-controlled companies have been accepted if they have headquarters or a decision-making function in the region.

Ward Hadaway and the Manchester Evening News do not accept any responsibility for any errors or omissions.

Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.

This page may contain links that direct you to third party websites. We have no control over and are not responsible for the content, use by you or availability of those third party websites, for any products or services you buy through those sites or for the treatment of any personal information you provide to the third party.

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