The Sunday Times Fast Track 100

2001 - Fast Track 100 League Table

What is the Fast Track 100 – 2001?
The Fast Track 100 league table ranked Britain’s 100 private companies with the fastest-growing sales in 2001 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 2001 Results

RankCompanyActivityLocationYear endAnnual sales rise over 3 yearsLatest sales £000sStaffComment
1DataworkforceTelecoms recruitment agencySE London2000291.01%39,30454Former army engineers build telecoms networks all over the world
2SkyNet SystemsIT systems integratorOxfordshire2000220.24%10,42110Former scampi factory worker builds £10m IT sales business
3United Foods InternationalFruit juice makerSurrey2000185.69%17,96293Serial entrepreneur sells bakery business to start up in organic fruit juice
4Victoria RealInteractive media producerBrighton2000183.22%6,66280Designed Big Brother's website, which reported 745m hits in 10 weeks
5PRORecruitment agencyCentral London2000182.96%8,33669Head of New York office promoted from trainee to director in four years
6ICRManagement consultancyWest Yorkshire2000180.91%12,73516College dropout now solves IT problems for NTL and Thomson Holidays
7Cramer SystemsTelecoms software developerBath2000168.65%6,219131Spends 25% of sales on R&D; to simplify telecoms technology
8UCCL InternationalBranded sportswear wholesalerManchester2000165.31%10,91241Former Liverpool market-stall trader makes sportswear for Asda
9Healthcare at HomeHome healthcare providerBurton upon Trent2000161.45%30,543115Specialist nurses care for 3,000 patients in their own homes
10WestcoAir conditioning contractorEast London2000156.85%6,998100Manufacturer funds start-up by co-operating with cash-rich competitor
11Tidalwave TechnologyMarketing agencySW London2000155.51%5,25745Provides marketing services to giants such as Microsoft and Cisco
12The Manor Cabinet CompanyKitchen makerSwindon2000148.53%3,84863Combines computers and carpentry to make kitchens for new homes
13ION ITSoftware developerHigh Wycombe2000146.65%5,37580Founders met investors in Heathrow departure lounge
14LMRRecruitment agencyNorthamptonshire2000141.94%6,87233Supplies forklift-truck drivers and warehouse workers across northeast
15Rocky Mountain TradersCD label makerEssex2000139.78%5,38523Maths professor builds £5m business designing CD-label applicator
16GoJobsiteInternet recruitment publisherHampshire2000138.41%†6926140Claims to receive 50,000 visitors a day to its website
17Oyster PartnersDigital media agencyCentral London2000135.94%10,482137Company had to cut staff from 220 to 140 this year
18Corpack IndustriesPackaging manufacturerCheshire2000135.91%34,609486Packaging company built up through 10 acquisitions
19Gainsborough GroupServiced office providerCentral London2000134.67%3,77019Central London serviced offices offer on-site IT support
20ECI Human CapitalRecruitment agencyCentral London2000132.10%13,94980Headhunts executives in £70,000-£200,000 salary bracket
21Premiere ConsultantsSports marketing consultancyCentral London2000130.47%6,03114Sells sponsorship rights for Manchester United and Real Madrid [† Latest sales]
22BluewaveWebsite designerCentral London2000130.20%3,59161Sold 51% stake to Danish giant Maersk in November 2001
23Sun ManagementTelecoms services managerGloucestershire2000129.43%6,94317Idea for company came out of London Business School MBA
24Near BackMusic managerGlasgow2000123.96%5,66310Lead singer runs pop band Texas and is Scotland's best-paid director
25Exchange DirectForeign exchange providerCentral London2000120.08%5,209350The company ceased trading in December 2001 following allegations of financial irregularities
26International Movements GroupInternational freight forwarderMiddlesex2000118.39%4,27412Transports food and medical aid to Mozambique and Uganda
27Roadside GroupPetrol station operatorBuckinghamshire2000115.41%9,03324African road builder and oil executive run petrol stations that sell alcohol
28Environmental Waste ControlsCompact waste disposerCheshire2000115.22%3,07746Company founded by ex-merchant seaman halves corporate-waste bill
29Just DeliContract catererBerkshire2000113.34%3,24185Provides bistro-style catering for ITN, Fujitsu and Marconi
301st SoftwareIFA software developerWarwick2000111.61%3,34038Provides software to 20% of independent financial advisers
31Stanton Interior SolutionsOffice refurbishment contractorNW London2000110.24%7,68425Founded by Asian who uses Gujarati contacts to employ top carpenters
32SyscapComputer-equipment lessorSW London2000110.06%48,714138Started in attic and is now preferred rental partner for IBM and HP
33Netwise SystemsComputer network integratorSurrey2000107.53%7,40012Football injury inspires salesman to start computer networking business
34ICMCleaning contractorHampshire2000107.37%4,7831,023Buses in cleaners at 4am to ensure cinema is cleaned out of hours
35Paradise ComputersComputer hardware resellerHertfordshire2000107.15%22,95443Founder started business in garden shed and still works in warehouse
36Encore DirectEnvelope makerNorth Yorkshire2000106.28%11,423105Produces 10m printed envelopes a week for clients such as Tesco
37Pin Mill TextilesTextile importerManchester2000104.84%8,10914Claims to be selling textiles 30% cheaper than 20 years ago
38PSA SparesPrinter spares distributorSW London2000104.09%3,05717Father and son copied French business to set up own company
39Hazell CarrActuarial services providerOxfordshire2000104.05%45,23199Business boomed after sorting out pension mis-selling scandal in 1990s
40HotelConnectHotel reservation agencyNW London2000103.34%6,19930Birth of low-cost airlines helps hotel booker get off the ground
41Connect Support ServicesIT services providerEast London2000101.70%3,10064Helps run Barclays' IT help desk
42Hopkins HomesHousebuilderSuffolk2000101.14%22,30738Helps regenerate brownfield sites of city centres in East Anglia
43Music BoxMusic retailerEssex200098.25%8,68370Company went into liquidation in April 2002
44IT PartnershipsComputer resellerReading200098.24%14,02636Staff rewarded with all-expenses-paid trip to Marbella
45AlchemetricsMarketing database developerBerkshire200098.08%3,37855Runs large databases with up to 60m names
46Claim Control ConsultantsInsurance claim processorWalsall200096.05%12,51835Replaces stolen and damaged computers for insurance companies
47Mitek GroupComputer component distributorStaffordshire200095.93%7,20419Financed expansion with £2m credit facility from IBM
48Eaton SecuritiesCar park operatorSE London200094.52%5,01148London car parks offer overnight dry cleaning, umbrellas and scooters
49EiseneggerClothes retailerBlackpool200093.49%24,137364Husband and wife have shops at opposite ends of Oxford Street
50MonexRoad haulierGwent200092.82%4,44521Son follows father to set up his own road-haulage business
51Alternative NetworksTelecoms systems integratorSW London200092.02%11,73781Regional office is based in grounds of Lancashire County Cricket Club
52Talbot DesignCar dealership builderAldershot200091.62%10,16335Building firm expanded into car showrooms during housing recession
53ArtigianoMail order retailerIsle of Wight200090.93%6,81131Oxford graduate and international rower now sell Italian clothes
54DarlingtonsHaulage contractorMerseyside200090.73%4,70650Pre-war family haulage business diversifies into paper distribution
55Partners for ChangeIT consultancyMiddlesex200090.68%9,39343Runs joint venture advising companies on eco-friendly strategies
56Catering AllianceContract catererWarwickshire200088.48%16,5741,224Recently won £3m contract to run staff restaurants for Argos
57Caspian PublishingPublisher, conference organiserCentral London200088.43%4,11133Founders left Institute of Directors to set up rival publisher
58Engineering Staff SolutionsRecruitment agencySW London200088.35%11,51830Founder sold his Ferrari to start engineering recruitment company
59Redfern International LogisticsFreight forwarderLeeds200088.23%6,03816Former P&O; employee remortgages home to start logistics company
60Square One ResourcesIT recruitment agencyCentral London200087.12%16,27030Training includes motivation sessions with same speakers used by many top football clubs
61EskandarFashion designerCentral London200086.84%6,07316Adapted ancient tribal dress design for Lauren Bacall and Diana Ross
62WA DevelopmentsRail engineering contractorCumbria200085.92%4,07850Railway engineers were on site of coal train derailment within two hours
63Telecom Service CentresCall-centre operatorIsle of Bute200085.84%15,171904Biggest firm on Isle of Bute helps cut unemployment from 17% to 7%
64PAV Data SystemsWireless technology developerCumbria200084.27%4,15646Fixed New York phone transmitters within two weeks of terrorist attack
65RDF MediaTV programme makerWest London200084.19%10,05177Created TV hits Scrapheap Challenge, Banzai and Faking It
66VanguardMobile-phone supplierRhyl200083.86%50,323144Systems track vehicles via SIM cards in drivers' mobile phones
67Apex ContractorsBuilding contractorKent200083.52%5,441143Founder rises from near banktruptcy to set up construction business
68Churchill Retirement LivingHousebuilderHampshire200082.49%5,78822Brothers build hamlets in West Country for stressed London executives
69Evolution ConsultingIT strategy consultancyCentral London200081.57%4,55875Founders claim their company has never advertised for business
70Premier MovesRelocation service providerNorth London200081.48%5,70680Moved 13,000 bits of kit and 1,700 staff to Pfizer's new laboratory
71Clean CharmCleaning contractorEssex200080.09%3,559370Removes graffiti for London Underground and Ealing council
72the houseMarketing agencyCheshire200079.99%5,87435Launched street theatre across Britain for Malibu marketing campaign
73Start CreativeGraphic design agencyCentral London200079.31%4,82825Former art-college mates helped brand Virgin Cola and Virgin Atlantic
74BravissimoLingerie retailerLeamington Spa200076.83%4,22125Set up when pregnant founder could not find D to J bra cup sizes
75Concept TelecomTelecoms services providerNottingham200076.56%6,53718Telecoms recruitment agency beats downturn with product-testing arm
76Blitz GamesComputer games developerWarwickshire200076.45%3,75886Twins who started in bedroom write games for Microsoft and Disney
77Drive AssistCar lessorTamworth200076.01%68,204180Former top company provides accident victims with free rental cars [† Latest sales]
78Chem-Dry UKInsurance claim managerEast Yorkshire200075.23%18,32798Received 3,000 calls in the wake of last year's floods
79The Trading ForceDefence equipment supplierSW London200074.89%8,18221Company went into receivership in April 2002
80GCS Recruitment SpecialistsIT recruitment consultancyReading200073.71%11,63932Teenage gambler joins former colleague to start recruitment agency
81Sidcup Auto CentreCar dealerKent200073.40%3,96414Brothers-in-law sell 500 Skodas a year in Sidcup
82EXiTelecoms services providerCheshire200072.80%38,721715Employs 1,500 engineers from Manchester to Kuala Lumpur
83The Enterprise DepartmentMail order retailerHertfordshire200072.61%5,92642Runs reader offers for the Glasgow Herald and OK! magazine
84Taylor Construction PlantPlant hirerEssex200072.31%3,87727Plant-hire company diversifies into making its own mini skips
85JobserveInternet recruitment publisherEssex200072.25%13,06947Publishes 8,500 job vacancies a day across 8 sectors on its websites
86NetKonect CommunicationsInternet service providerHampshire200071.59%3,69627Founded with £150,000 loan from a business angel
87Direct GroupInsurance outsourcerDoncaster200071.59%11,22147Designs insurance packages for banks and other financial institutions
88Cougar AutomationAutomation system installerHampshire200070.64%3,16045DTI Benchmarking scheme helped triple sales growth
89Upgrade OptionsComputer hardware resellerAldershot200070.57%3,98522Founder of £4m business left Ireland at 19 with no qualifications
90The Officers ClubDiscount clothing retailerNorthumberland200070.04%52,0161,004Offers men's clothes at 70% discount to other high-street retailers
91Responsive DesignsFlooring importerSurrey200069.82%42,46442Claims to import half of the laminated flooring sold in Britain each year
92Antal InternationalRecruitment agencyCentral London200069.60%19,130289Closed World Trade Center office just six months before terrorist attacks
93Mediacom NorthMedia buyerManchester200068.52%16,89515Brokered deal between ITV's Heartbeat and Taylor's Yorkshire Tea
94Geneva TechnologyBilling software developerCambridge200067.87%13,423167Twelve employees became paper millionaires after company's merger
95LexonPharmaceuticals distributorRedditch200067.80%21,66365Delivers drugs to chemists in West Midlands in 24 hours
96Pets At HomePet products retailerCheshire200067.65%96,7951,154Sells 3,000 hamsters a month through 143 stores nationwide [† Latest sales]
97Travel CounsellorsTravel agencyBolton200067.48%39,131160Network of home-workers sells 92-day world cruises
98Alpha Micro ComponentsElectronic component distributorBasingstoke200067.00%4,91314Won contract to supply electronic components for national lottery
99Lightbody of HamiltonCelebration cake makerLanarkshire200066.81%15,289356Fourth-generation bakers now make Pokemon and Harry Potter cakes
100BellwaterTelecoms contractorSurrey200065.49%93,009190Builds 'internet hotels' for telecoms equipment in the Far East

* Supplied by Company  † Annualised figure

Data Source: www.fasttrack.co.uk

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