Thames Valley: Top TV250 companies honoured in multi-billion-pound story of growth, says The Business Magazine
Companies in the TV250 listing of the top private companies in the region are showing impressive growth and have increased their combined turnover to £26 billion – up from £18b – in the past two years.
“Such growth not only highlights the region’s ongoing recovery from the recession, but also the important role that these individual companies are playing in the UK’s overall economic performance,” said David Murray, publisher of The Business Magazine, as he launched the 2014 TV250 listing* at a recent awards evening held at Cliveden.
“In its fifth year, the TV250 list of top private independent businesses with their headquarters in the Thames Valley, has itself become a key ranking of successful business progress,” he added.
This year TV250 sponsors – HSBC, business advisers Grant Thornton, law firm Blandy & Blandy and The Business Magazine – have honoured six areas of business performance.
GRANT THORNTON FAST-RISER AWARD
Winner
Westcoast
Reading-based Westcoast was founded in 1984 and has grown to become the number one UK distributor for many global vendors across the whole IT consumable, software and electrical spectrum. The company’s income has seen a sharp increase over the past decade with yearly revenues above £1b. Tenth in the 2012 listing of Europe’s 500 fastest-growing private companies, Westcoast has also consistently been in the Sunday Times Top Track 100 of largest privately-owned UK companies.
Judges’ Shortlist
Ridgeway Motor Group
ESP Global Services
Ability Matters Group
GRANT THORNTON DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT AWARD
Winner
Fourfront Group
Based at Egham, Fourfront Group is a specialist company consisting of four complementary entities: Area Sq, Cube Interior Solutions, 360 Design Studios and Sketch Studios. Founded in 2000 by Clive Lucking, Nigel Hudson and James Cornwell, it has built an enviable reputation as a leading commercial interior specialist and a client list including Citrix, Serco, Hewlett Packard, McAfee and easyJet. Turnover in 2011/12 was over £82 million - a second consecutive rise of more than 50%.
Judges’ Shortlist
Rebellion
Direct Wines
Adelie Foods Group (Food Partners Group)
BLANDY & BLANDY MD OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner
Paul Reilly: Managing partner at Peter Brett Associates
Reilly joined leading development and infrastructure consultancy PBA in Reading eight years ago, and is currently overseeing an ambitious five-year growth strategy that aims to practically double PBA’s turnover to around £65m and staff numbers to 800. In 2012/13 PBA achieved 25% year-on-year growth. Reilly has said his company will achieve sustainable growth in part by acquisition, but organic growth will remain key, supported by a ‘grow your own’ talent focus.
Judges’ Shortlist
Simon McMurtrie: group CEO of Direct Wines
Andrew Hammond: managing director Oxford Products
Michael O'Byrne: CEO Ability Matters Group
BLANDY & BLANDY OWNER-MANAGED BUSINESS AWARD
Winner
Vail Williams
Stretching back more than 25 years, UK property consultant Vail Williams has established a highly-successful track record for its client-focused approach to business and commercial property investment. Formed from the Thames Valley-based merger of Pearson Williams and LS Vail & Son, the firm has grown significantly since 1988 with more than 130 staff and 12 partners now advising clients throughout the UK from five regional centres. Vail Williams has a business credo of ‘Insight, Clarity, Integrity, and Energy’ and now a 2014 TV 250 Award.
Judges’ Shortlist
Owen Mumford
Mathematical Market Research
CH&CO
HSBC INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AWARD
Winner
Owen Mumford
In 2008 Owen Mumford won two Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, one for innovation and the second for international trade. Having obtained OEM contracts with world-leading pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies it has continued, as its corporate strapline says, to “make a world of difference, to a world of people”. The company has its head office at Woodstock near in Oxford.
Judges’ Shortlist
ESP Global Services
Intersurgical
W Lucy & Co
HSBC INNOVATION AWARD
Winner
Rebellion Developments
Oxford-based Rebellion Developments says it aims to produce “ innovative videogame products of the highest quality; to have solid links with comic, book and movie content; and ultimately ensure that the final experience is as awesome as possible.” With several innovative developments on the launchpad, the company has already claimed that 2014 could be its best year yet.
Judges’ Shortlist
Softcat
Magal Engineering
Fourfront Group
