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

Rank	Company	Activity	Location	Year end	Annual sales rise over 3 years	Latest sales £000s	Staff	Comment
1	Dataworkforce	Telecoms recruitment agency	SE London	2000	291.01%	39,304	54	Former army engineers build telecoms networks all over the world
2	SkyNet Systems	IT systems integrator	Oxfordshire	2000	220.24%	10,421	10	Former scampi factory worker builds £10m IT sales business
3	United Foods International	Fruit juice maker	Surrey	2000	185.69%	17,962	93	Serial entrepreneur sells bakery business to start up in organic fruit juice
4	Victoria Real	Interactive media producer	Brighton	2000	183.22%	6,662	80	Designed Big Brother's website, which reported 745m hits in 10 weeks
5	PRO	Recruitment agency	Central London	2000	182.96%	8,336	69	Head of New York office promoted from trainee to director in four years
6	ICR	Management consultancy	West Yorkshire	2000	180.91%	12,735	16	College dropout now solves IT problems for NTL and Thomson Holidays
7	Cramer Systems	Telecoms software developer	Bath	2000	168.65%	6,219	131	Spends 25% of sales on R&D; to simplify telecoms technology
8	UCCL International	Branded sportswear wholesaler	Manchester	2000	165.31%	10,912	41	Former Liverpool market-stall trader makes sportswear for Asda
9	Healthcare at Home	Home healthcare provider	Burton upon Trent	2000	161.45%	30,543	115	Specialist nurses care for 3,000 patients in their own homes
10	Westco	Air conditioning contractor	East London	2000	156.85%	6,998	100	Manufacturer funds start-up by co-operating with cash-rich competitor
11	Tidalwave Technology	Marketing agency	SW London	2000	155.51%	5,257	45	Provides marketing services to giants such as Microsoft and Cisco
12	The Manor Cabinet Company	Kitchen maker	Swindon	2000	148.53%	3,848	63	Combines computers and carpentry to make kitchens for new homes
13	ION IT	Software developer	High Wycombe	2000	146.65%	5,375	80	Founders met investors in Heathrow departure lounge
14	LMR	Recruitment agency	Northamptonshire	2000	141.94%	6,872	33	Supplies forklift-truck drivers and warehouse workers across northeast
15	Rocky Mountain Traders	CD label maker	Essex	2000	139.78%	5,385	23	Maths professor builds £5m business designing CD-label applicator
16	GoJobsite	Internet recruitment publisher	Hampshire	2000	138.41%	†6926	140	Claims to receive 50,000 visitors a day to its website
17	Oyster Partners	Digital media agency	Central London	2000	135.94%	10,482	137	Company had to cut staff from 220 to 140 this year
18	Corpack Industries	Packaging manufacturer	Cheshire	2000	135.91%	34,609	486	Packaging company built up through 10 acquisitions
19	Gainsborough Group	Serviced office provider	Central London	2000	134.67%	3,770	19	Central London serviced offices offer on-site IT support
20	ECI Human Capital	Recruitment agency	Central London	2000	132.10%	13,949	80	Headhunts executives in £70,000-£200,000 salary bracket
21	Premiere Consultants	Sports marketing consultancy	Central London	2000	130.47%	6,031	14	Sells sponsorship rights for Manchester United and Real Madrid [† Latest sales]
22	Bluewave	Website designer	Central London	2000	130.20%	3,591	61	Sold 51% stake to Danish giant Maersk in November 2001
23	Sun Management	Telecoms services manager	Gloucestershire	2000	129.43%	6,943	17	Idea for company came out of London Business School MBA
24	Near Back	Music manager	Glasgow	2000	123.96%	5,663	10	Lead singer runs pop band Texas and is Scotland's best-paid director
25	Exchange Direct	Foreign exchange provider	Central London	2000	120.08%	5,209	350	The company ceased trading in December 2001 following allegations of financial irregularities
26	International Movements Group	International freight forwarder	Middlesex	2000	118.39%	4,274	12	Transports food and medical aid to Mozambique and Uganda
27	Roadside Group	Petrol station operator	Buckinghamshire	2000	115.41%	9,033	24	African road builder and oil executive run petrol stations that sell alcohol
28	Environmental Waste Controls	Compact waste disposer	Cheshire	2000	115.22%	3,077	46	Company founded by ex-merchant seaman halves corporate-waste bill
29	Just Deli	Contract caterer	Berkshire	2000	113.34%	3,241	85	Provides bistro-style catering for ITN, Fujitsu and Marconi
30	1st SoftwareI	FA software developer	Warwick	2000	111.61%	3,340	38	Provides software to 20% of independent financial advisers
31	Stanton Interior Solutions	Office refurbishment contractor	NW London	2000	110.24%	7,684	25	Founded by Asian who uses Gujarati contacts to employ top carpenters
32	Syscap	Computer-equipment lessor	SW London	2000	110.06%	48,714	138	Started in attic and is now preferred rental partner for IBM and HP
33	Netwise Systems	Computer network integrator	Surrey	2000	107.53%	7,400	12	Football injury inspires salesman to start computer networking business
34	ICM	Cleaning contractor	Hampshire	2000	107.37%	4,783	1,023	Buses in cleaners at 4am to ensure cinema is cleaned out of hours
35	Paradise Computers	Computer hardware reseller	Hertfordshire	2000	107.15%	22,954	43	Founder started business in garden shed and still works in warehouse
36	Encore Direct	Envelope maker	North Yorkshire	2000	106.28%	11,423	105	Produces 10m printed envelopes a week for clients such as Tesco
37	Pin Mill Textiles	Textile importer	Manchester	2000	104.84%	8,109	14	Claims to be selling textiles 30% cheaper than 20 years ago
38	PSA Spares	Printer spares distributor	SW London	2000	104.09%	3,057	17	Father and son copied French business to set up own company
39	Hazell Carr	Actuarial services provider	Oxfordshire	2000	104.05%	45,231	99	Business boomed after sorting out pension mis-selling scandal in 1990s
40	HotelConnect	Hotel reservation agency	NW London	2000	103.34%	6,199	30	Birth of low-cost airlines helps hotel booker get off the ground
41	Connect Support Services	IT services provider	East London	2000	101.70%	3,100	64	Helps run Barclays' IT help desk
42	Hopkins Homes	Housebuilder	Suffolk	2000	101.14%	22,307	38	Helps regenerate brownfield sites of city centres in East Anglia
43	Music Box	Music retailer	Essex	2000	98.25%	8,683	70	Company went into liquidation in April 2002
44	IT Partnerships	Computer reseller	Reading	2000	98.24%	14,026	36	Staff rewarded with all-expenses-paid trip to Marbella
45	Alchemetrics	Marketing database developer	Berkshire	2000	98.08%	3,378	55	Runs large databases with up to 60m names
46	Claim Control Consultants	Insurance claim processor	Walsall	2000	96.05%	12,518	35	Replaces stolen and damaged computers for insurance companies
47	Mitek Group	Computer component distributor	Staffordshire	2000	95.93%	7,204	19	Financed expansion with £2m credit facility from IBM
48	Eaton Securities	Car park operator	SE London	2000	94.52%	5,011	48	London car parks offer overnight dry cleaning, umbrellas and scooters
49	Eisenegger	Clothes retailer	Blackpool	2000	93.49%	24,137	364	Husband and wife have shops at opposite ends of Oxford Street
50	Monex	Road haulier	Gwent	2000	92.82%	4,445	21	Son follows father to set up his own road-haulage business
51	Alternative Networks	Telecoms systems integrator	SW London	2000	92.02%	11,737	81	Regional office is based in grounds of Lancashire County Cricket Club
52	Talbot Design	Car dealership builder	Aldershot	2000	91.62%	10,163	35	Building firm expanded into car showrooms during housing recession
53	Artigiano	Mail order retailer	Isle of Wight	2000	90.93%	6,811	31	Oxford graduate and international rower now sell Italian clothes
54	Darlingtons	Haulage contractor	Merseyside	2000	90.73%	4,706	50	Pre-war family haulage business diversifies into paper distribution
55	Partners for Change	IT consultancy	Middlesex	2000	90.68%	9,393	43	Runs joint venture advising companies on eco-friendly strategies
56	Catering Alliance	Contract caterer	Warwickshire	2000	88.48%	16,574	1,224	Recently won £3m contract to run staff restaurants for Argos
57	Caspian Publishing	Publisher, conference organiser	Central London	2000	88.43%	4,111	33	Founders left Institute of Directors to set up rival publisher
58	Engineering Staff Solutions	Recruitment agency	SW London	2000	88.35%	11,518	30	Founder sold his Ferrari to start engineering recruitment company
59	Redfern International Logistics	Freight forwarder	Leeds	2000	88.23%	6,038	16	Former P&O; employee remortgages home to start logistics company
60	Square One Resources	IT recruitment agency	Central London	2000	87.12%	16,270	30	Training includes motivation sessions with same speakers used by many top football clubs
61	Eskandar	Fashion designer	Central London	2000	86.84%	6,073	16	Adapted ancient tribal dress design for Lauren Bacall and Diana Ross
62	WA Developments	Rail engineering contractor	Cumbria	2000	85.92%	4,078	50	Railway engineers were on site of coal train derailment within two hours
63	Telecom Service Centres	Call-centre operator	Isle of Bute	2000	85.84%	15,171	904	Biggest firm on Isle of Bute helps cut unemployment from 17% to 7%
64	PAV Data Systems	Wireless technology developer	Cumbria	2000	84.27%	4,156	46	Fixed New York phone transmitters within two weeks of terrorist attack
65	RDF Media	TV programme maker	West London	2000	84.19%	10,051	77	Created TV hits Scrapheap Challenge, Banzai and Faking It
66	Vanguard	Mobile-phone supplier	Rhyl	2000	83.86%	50,323	144	Systems track vehicles via SIM cards in drivers' mobile phones
67	Apex Contractors	Building contractor	Kent	2000	83.52%	5,441	143	Founder rises from near banktruptcy to set up construction business
68	Churchill Retirement Living	Housebuilder	Hampshire	2000	82.49%	5,788	22	Brothers build hamlets in West Country for stressed London executives
69	Evolution Consulting	IT strategy consultancy	Central London	2000	81.57%	4,558	75	Founders claim their company has never advertised for business
70	Premier Moves	Relocation service provider	North London	2000	81.48%	5,706	80	Moved 13,000 bits of kit and 1,700 staff to Pfizer's new laboratory
71	Clean Charm	Cleaning contractor	Essex	2000	80.09%	3,559	370	Removes graffiti for London Underground and Ealing council
72	the house	Marketing agency	Cheshire	2000	79.99%	5,874	35	Launched street theatre across Britain for Malibu marketing campaign
73	Start Creative	Graphic design agency	Central London	2000	79.31%	4,828	25	Former art-college mates helped brand Virgin Cola and Virgin Atlantic
74	Bravissimo	Lingerie retailer	Leamington Spa	2000	76.83%	4,221	25	Set up when pregnant founder could not find D to J bra cup sizes
75	Concept Telecom	Telecoms services provider	Nottingham	2000	76.56%	6,537	18	Telecoms recruitment agency beats downturn with product-testing arm
76	Blitz Games	Computer games developer	Warwickshire	2000	76.45%	3,758	86	Twins who started in bedroom write games for Microsoft and Disney
77	Drive Assist	Car lessor	Tamworth	2000	76.01%	68,204	180	Former top company provides accident victims with free rental cars [† Latest sales]
78	Chem-Dry UK	Insurance claim manager	East Yorkshire	2000	75.23%	18,327	98	Received 3,000 calls in the wake of last year's floods
79	The Trading Force	Defence equipment supplier	SW London	2000	74.89%	8,182	21	Company went into receivership in April 2002
80	GCS Recruitment Specialists	IT recruitment consultancy	Reading	2000	73.71%	11,639	32	Teenage gambler joins former colleague to start recruitment agency
81	Sidcup Auto Centre	Car dealer	Kent	2000	73.40%	3,964	14	Brothers-in-law sell 500 Skodas a year in Sidcup
82	EXi	Telecoms services provider	Cheshire	2000	72.80%	38,721	715	Employs 1,500 engineers from Manchester to Kuala Lumpur
83	The Enterprise Department	Mail order retailer	Hertfordshire	2000	72.61%	5,926	42	Runs reader offers for the Glasgow Herald and OK! magazine
84	Taylor Construction Plant	Plant hirer	Essex	2000	72.31%	3,877	27	Plant-hire company diversifies into making its own mini skips
85	Jobserve	Internet recruitment publisher	Essex	2000	72.25%	13,069	47	Publishes 8,500 job vacancies a day across 8 sectors on its websites
86	NetKonect Communications	Internet service provider	Hampshire	2000	71.59%	3,696	27	Founded with £150,000 loan from a business angel
87	Direct Group	Insurance outsourcer	Doncaster	2000	71.59%	11,221	47	Designs insurance packages for banks and other financial institutions
88	Cougar Automation	Automation system installer	Hampshire	2000	70.64%	3,160	45	DTI Benchmarking scheme helped triple sales growth
89	Upgrade Options	Computer hardware reseller	Aldershot	2000	70.57%	3,985	22	Founder of £4m business left Ireland at 19 with no qualifications
90	The Officers Club	Discount clothing retailer	Northumberland	2000	70.04%	52,016	1,004	Offers men's clothes at 70% discount to other high-street retailers
91	Responsive Designs	Flooring importer	Surrey	2000	69.82%	42,464	42	Claims to import half of the laminated flooring sold in Britain each year
92	Antal International	Recruitment agency	Central London	2000	69.60%	19,130	289	Closed World Trade Center office just six months before terrorist attacks
93	Mediacom North	Media buyer	Manchester	2000	68.52%	16,895	15	Brokered deal between ITV's Heartbeat and Taylor's Yorkshire Tea
94	Geneva Technology	Billing software developer	Cambridge	2000	67.87%	13,423	167	Twelve employees became paper millionaires after company's merger
95	Lexon	Pharmaceuticals distributor	Redditch	2000	67.80%	21,663	65	Delivers drugs to chemists in West Midlands in 24 hours
96	Pets At Home	Pet products retailer	Cheshire	2000	67.65%	96,795	1,154	Sells 3,000 hamsters a month through 143 stores nationwide [† Latest sales]
97	Travel Counsellors	Travel agency	Bolton	2000	67.48%	39,131	160	Network of home-workers sells 92-day world cruises
98	Alpha Micro Components	Electronic component distributor	Basingstoke	2000	67.00%	4,913	14	Won contract to supply electronic components for national lottery
99	Lightbody of Hamilton	Celebration cake maker	Lanarkshire	2000	66.81%	15,289	356	Fourth-generation bakers now make Pokemon and Harry Potter cakes
100	Bellwater	Telecoms contractor	Surrey	2000	65.49%	93,009	190	Builds 'internet hotels' for telecoms equipment in the Far East

* Supplied by Company † Annualised figure

Data Source: www.fasttrack.co.uk

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