1999 - Fast Track 100 League Table

What is the Fast Track 100 – 1999?
The Fast Track 100 league table ranked Britain’s 100 private companies with the fastest-growing sales in 1999 over their latest three years. To find out more about the research and to view all the league tables from 1997 to 2023 click here.

Sunday Times Fast Track 100 - Full 1999 Results

Rank	Company	Activity	Location	Year end	Annual sales rise over 3 years	Latest sales £000s	Staff	Comment
1	Drive Assist	Car lessor	Tamworth	1998	209.94%	35,843	100	Provides cars for accident victims and recovers costs from insurers
2	Phoenix Relocation Services	Relocation services	Hampshire	1998	200.56%	21,314	47	Takes the stress out of moving house for company staff
3	The Iron Bed Company	Bed manufacturer	Chichester	1998	174.24%	5,378	95	Sells its beds using risqué advertisements in Sunday supplements
4	Ram Computers	Computer assembler	Manchester	1998	170.48%	6,347	30	Manchester maths whizz kid builds computer business from bedroom
5	Progressive Computer Recruitment	Recruitment agency	South-west London	1998	158.44%	58,840	150	£50m venture capital deal values enlarged group at more than £300m
6	Axon Group	IT consultancy	Surrey	1998	146.20%	20,024	175	Listed on London Stock Exchange in March 1999 with £100m valuation
7	Questus	Telecoms consultancy	Surrey	1998	141.12%	3,938	24	Virtual network of consultants cover European market
8	Olympian Consultancy	Recruitment agency	West Sussex	1998	128.71%	18,490	108	Founder's Olympic gold medal in hockey forms basis of brand
9	Connectology	IT consultancy	Oxfordshire	1998	128.03%	4,240	21	One company's receivership is another's big break
10	Sports Division	Sports retailer	Ayrshire	1998	127.71%	231,422	4,358	Filed 1998 accounts before £290m sale to JJB Sports in July 1998
11	Omega	Kitchen manufacturer	Doncaster	1998	125.90%	9,032	126	Entrepreneurial chairman of Sunderland FC brings new lease of life to former coalfield area
12	The Royce Consultancy	Recruitment agency	Edinburgh	1998	125.60%	6,338	144	Recently bought by pharmaceuticals group Quintiles Transnational Corp
13	Antal International	Recruitment agency	Central London	1998	123.73%	9,427	257	Shifted focus from emerging markets to Western Europe
14	Zoffany Hotels	Hotel operator	Berkshire	1998	123.06%	8,186	288	Crack management team turns around ailing hotels
15	Beresford Blake Thomas	Recruitment agency	London	1998	122.59%	14,655	105	Acquired in £5.4m trade sale as a result of appearing on last year's league table
16	Cross Group	Commercial vehicle hire	Staffordshire	1998	121.99%	5,782	50	Uses computers to teach army recruits advanced driving skills
17	ED White & Co	IT consultancy	Buckinghamshire	1998	116.21%	4,252	12	Redundant consultant out-competes his old blue-chip firm
18	Gemstone Travel	Travel agency	Berkshire	1998	113.03%	25,299	129	Adds package holidays to cheap airline tickets
19	Plexus Personnel	Recruitment agency	London	1998	112.88%	11,316	44	Recruiter assists with staff health and mortgages
20	Dublcheck	Contract cleaning franchisor	Wales	1998	111.49%	3,416	50	Husband-and-wife team adds up to 5 new franchises a month
21	Brown Rock	Leisure operator	Oxfordshire	1998	110.42%	4,876	111	Sports lovers build Alpine chain, including Dicks Tea Bar nightclubs
22	Eaton Securities	Car park operator	SE London	1998	108.38%	4,315	23	Valet-style upmarket car parks sell dry cleaning and Perrier water
23	Ecoflow	Magnetic device retailer	Cornwall	1998	107.42%	3,967	34	Franchising network helps cure arthritis in both people and pets
24	FDM Group	IT services provider	Brighton	1998	106.13%	34,131	201	Company crosses the Atlantic to train US contractors
25	Walsh Trott Chick Smith	Advertising agency	London	1998	105.82%	3,306	15	Serial entrepreneurs start up second ad agency
26	Value Direct	Electrical goods retailer	Oxfordshire	1998	105.15%	3,389	28	Dutch-British internet partnership offers dicounts to staff of blue-chip clients
27	Profile Pursuit	Contract publishers	London	1998	104.51%	7,022	67	Stock market listing planned in next two years
28	The White Company	Home accessories retailer	West London	1998	104.44%	3,136	18	Former Harpers & Queen beauty editor starts up niche mail order business
29	Natures Way Foods	Salad and vegetable packer	West Sussex	1998	104.15%	10,176	92	Brothers process 2 billion salad leaves a year
30	Software Warehouse	Mail-order and reseller of software and hardware assembled	Birmingham	1998	102.79%	64,355	284	Retailer cashes in on e-commerce by going online with Jungle.com
31	Salmon	Software consultancy	Hertfordshire	1998	102.09%	15,838	17	Crack software designers bungee jump for charity
32	Interport	Pharmaceuticals wholesaler	South London	1998	102.08%	13,021	18	Liverpool pharmacist turns wholesale importer
33	ASi Computer	Computer distributor	Worcestershire	1998	102.00%	8,822	35	Computer company hunts for 'visionary graduates'
34	The French Thornton Partnership	Management consultancy	London	1998	101.84%	3,792	23	Claims to offer significant partner involvement in every project
35	Forest Environmental	Waste remover	London	1998	101.63%	5,304	225	Removed asbestos from London Underground tunnels
36	Computer Futures	Recruitment agency	Central London	1998	100.64%	130,830	386	IT recruiter raises £50m venture capital for expansion on Continent
37	Touchbase Communications	Systems integrator	London	1998	99.29%	8,507	132	Recruits for personality and then trains in-house
38	Partners for Change	IT consultancy	Middlesex	1998	98.34%	3,151	50	Only employs consultants who are 30+ years old
39	Concorde International Artistes	Music agent	London	1998	97.39%	5,068	20	Manages concerts for top bands such as Boyzone and B*witched
40	Rovtech	Underwater vehicle operator	Aberdeen	1998	96.86%	6,622	105	Competes with multinationals in battle for North Sea business
41	Complete Mobile Communications	Mobile phone wholesaler	North London	1998	96.35%	6,705	50	Bulk buying from networks guarantees discounts [† Latest sales]
42	DB Actif	Clothing retailer	London	1998	95.91%	9,664	31	Elle magazine gives birth to clothing brand
43	Exclusive Hotels	Hotel operator	Surrey	1998	94.99%	18,147	400	Italian family runs small upmarket country house hotel chain
44	Eisenegger	Clothes retailer	Blackpool	1998	94.88%	8,665	250	Multi-million pound business still run from founders' home
45	McGregor Boyall Associates	Recruitment agency	London	1998	93.35%	28,785	55	High flying MBA appointed for expansion in America
46	Computer Telecom Installations	Telecoms installer	Cambridgeshire	1998	92.44%	11,955	194	Former RAF avionics engineer has the edge in telecoms
47	Interlink Premier Network	Compliance consultancy	Wales	1998	92.19%	4,735	18	Stifling red tape offers growth opportunity for some
48	Mathmos	Lava-lamp manufacturer	London	1998	90.32%	12,793	156	1970s lava lamp repackaged for the 1990s
49	AGP Distribution	Computer components wholesaler	Hampshire	1998	88.58%	35,012	65	Subsidiaries recently launched in Tokyo and Silicon Valley
50	The Gadget Shop	Gift retailer	Humberside	1998	86.87%	21,089	217	Novelty gift company uses internet to chase customers [† Latest sales]
51	Career Legal	Recruitment agency	Central London	1998	86.42%	5,834	41	Consultant claims that it has never lost a client
52	Neverfail Group	Business software developer	Berkshire	1998	85.66%	6,220	55	Company launched in aftermath of IRA City bombing
53	Fat Face	Clothing retailer	Hampshire	1998	85.64%	4,861	85	‘Ski bums’ convert lifestyle into outdoor clothing brand
54	Noto Catering	Japanese caterer	London	1998	85.17%	4,474	92	Supplies sushi to Harrods' Food Hall and Pret A Manger
55	Travel Counsellors	Travel agency	Bolton	1998	83.79%	16,008	96	Operates telesales team of home-based agents
56	Direct Digital	Digital photocopier supplier	SW London	1998	83.61%	3,629	34	Digital technology cuts cost of photocopying by two-thirds
57	PMR Group	IT recruitment consultancy	Kent	1998	83.39%	13,186	32	Seasoned operators claim to outpace 'baby-faced' competitors
58	Gilmac Building Services	Commercial office refurbisher	North London	1998	83.29%	3,415	30	Builders survive Christmas party fire that gutted office
59	Team 121	Software installer	Birmingham	1998	82.48%	16,701	184	Sale to computer giant Logica nets founder about £50m
60	Ethnic Cuisine	Food producer	Swansea	1998	82.18%	9,893	201	Malaysian emigré supplies Chinese meals to Sainsbury's
61	Voyager Networks	Computer consultancy	Coventry	1998	81.97%	8,047	44	Installed IT system for the Scottish Parliament
62	CWB Systems	IT consultancy	Central London	1998	81.96%	9,083	250	IT consultancy shares project risk with clients
63	Tikit	Legal software supplier	London	1998	80.77%	4,687	29	Electronic document storage for the legal world
64	Shuttle Technology	PC products maker	Berkshire	1998	80.13%	15,745	46	Indian engineering and Silicon Valley marketing
65	Wilson James	Security provider	Essex	1998	79.72%	9,765	333	Security firm vets staff with psychometric tests
66	Gyro	Marketing agency	London	1998	79.61%	6,223	25	British marketing talents move into Silicon Valley
67	Menzies Hotels	Hotel operator	Derbyshire	1998	79.29%	18,650	798	Company cancelled its planned flotation last year
68	Conference Creations	Conference organiser	Oxfordshire	1998	79.28%	5,883	15	Claims to market itself only through word of mouth
69	Industrial Technology Systems	Industrial systems engineer	Middlesbrough	1998	78.99%	3,010	71	If a system doesn't exist, this firm says it will build it
70	Keltec	Systems integrator	Berkshire	1998	78.73%	22,435	49	Merged with Progress to create a £40m sales company
71	S&J (Chatteris)	Building contractors	Cambridgeshire	1998	78.70%	12,125	47	Cambridgeshire builder expands into east Europe
72	Software 2000	Printer software developer	Oxford	1998	77.92%	7,006	50	Oxfordshire enterprise wins two Queen's Awards for Export
73	Bon Bon Buddies	Confectionery maker	Gwent	1998	77.38%	6,114	32	Gwent firm exports chocolate Monopoly worldwide
74	Markham Engineering	Building services contractor	Hertfordshire	1998	77.32%	6,713	25	Builder allows clients to change their mind midstream
75	Quotient Communications	Telecommunications consultancy	Cambridgeshire	1998	76.55%	3,643	28	Advises British government on mobile phone licenses
76	Plan-Net Services	Computer services provider	London	1998	76.38%	5,007	60	Old school friends with IT and accounting skills team up
77	Pets At Home Superstores Group	Petshops	Cheshire	1998	76.19%	36,093	414	Gave petshops a bright fun image and moved to out-of-town sites
78	C-Side	Pub and club operator	Brighton	1998	75.91%	5,216	350	Employs graduates who 'aren’t ready to face real world yet'
79	Extra Personnel	Provision of temporary and permanent staff to industry	West Midlands	1998	75.10%	16,674	183	Recruiter opens its own advertising agency
80	The Internet Corporation	Recruitment agency	London	1998	74.60%	19,668	138	Recruiter reinvents itself with move into e-commerce
81	Boden	Clothing retailer	Northwest London	1998	74.56%	11,717	78	Mail order clothing company uses staff as models
82	Phoenix IT Group	IT service provider	Northampton	1998	74.22%	20,481	260	Company plans floatation in year 2000
83	Speed Frame	Double-glazing manufacturer	South Yorkshire	1998	73.95%	17,913	192	Seven day manufacturing process generates new jobs
84	Argus Group	Alarm installer	East Sussex	1998	73.95%	16,117	204	Acquisitive company bought out by market leader Tyco
85	Countryside Taverns	Pub operator	Bedfordshire	1998	73.31%	3,364	50	Founders returned to Britain after running bars in Australia and Spain
86	P&M Products	Toy manufacturer	Surrey	1998	73.27%	7,288	40	Children's Blopens prove hit with customers such as Tesco
87	Recruitment agency	Recruitment agency	Central London	1998	72.06%	67,635	169	Shares up by more than 200% since oversubscribed floatation
88	Office equipment supplier	Office equipment supplier	Hertfordshire	1998	71.56%	5,868	40	Company has gained 3,000 clients in five years
89	Gamble Jarvis Plant	Industrial equipment provider	West Sussex	1998	71.50%	15,643	55	Family firm rides Celtic Tiger’s construction boom
90	Everwhite Plastics	Plastics manufacturer	Mid Glamorgan	1998	71.32%	4,591	47	Disqualified director secured DTI exemption to run company
91	Hammersmith Medicines Research	Pharmaceutical tester	West London	1998	71.05%	4,260	84	Young medical researchers export to 14 countries
92	Software Catalogue	Software distributor	Buckinghamshire	1998	70.20%	9,037	40	Adopts management ideas from Black Watch regiment
93	Sontay	Sensor maker	Kent	1998	69.77%	3,059	36	New managing director revitalises established company
94	EMS Chiara	Marketing services	Wiltshire	1998	69.70%	3,159	469	Bought out by Canadian company Mosaic
95	Highfield Group	Nursing home operator	Edinburgh	1998	69.53%	43,336	4,426	Former soldiers provide care for the elderly
96	Computappoint	Recruitment agency	London	1998	69.04%	11,188	20	Multicultural company founded in living room
97	Cobra Beer	Beer distributor	London	1998	68.77%	4,232	30	Supplies Indian lager to 'curry-holic' British
98	Panacea Services	Provision of computer maintenance services and sale of computers	London	1998	68.11%	10,497	40	IT more profitable than jazz for computer seller
99	Xteam	Systems test consultancy	Twickenham	1998	67.89%	3,380	52	Makes large billing systems user-friendly
100	SERE	Car dealer	Northern Ireland	1998	67.88%	29,412	109	First and only Northern Ireland company in the league table

* Supplied by Company † Annualised figure

Data Source: www.fasttrack.co.uk

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