16 Top companies honoured
Companies in our TV 250 are showing impressive growth and have increased their combined turnover to £26 billion – up from £18b just two years ago
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 TV 250 listing*.
In its fifth year, the TV 250 list of top private independent businesses with their headquarters in the Thames Valley, has itself become a
Fast Riser Award
Judges’ Shortlist Ridgeway Motor Group: Now one of the Top 20 largest motor retail groups in the UK, Ridgeway’s story has been one of continual growth and expansion, focused on major premium quality consumer and commercial motor marques. Named Motor Trader “Dealer Group of the Year” in 2012, Ridgeway has been nominated for five award categories this year.
ESP Global Services: Headquartered barely a goal-kick from Reading’s Madejski Stadium, ESP scores with multinational companies by delivering 24/7 tailored IT support and infrastructure solutions wherever its clients operate around the world.
Westcoast: Reading-based, 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. Westcoast’s income has seen a sharp increase over the past decade with yearly revenues above £1b.
Ability Matters Group: Abingdon-based, was formed in 1989 and supplies products such as prosthetics, mobility scooters, wheelchair lifts and orthopaedic footwear, plus services that enhance the lives of those with mobility and accessibility issues. It now has major NHS contracts, its own clinics, and retail outlets and employs about 400 staff across four countries.
Our Winner . . .
. . .was 10th in the 2012 listing of Europe’s 500 fastest growing private companies and has consistently been in the Sunday Times Top Track 100 of largest privately owned UK companies. That company is Westcoast.
key ranking of successful business progress, he added.
With this in mind, the TV 250 sponsors – HSBC, business advisers Grant Thornton and law firm Blandy & Blandy, and The Business Magazine – decided to honour six areas of business performance at the recent TV 250 Awards evening staged at Cliveden.
* The 2014 TV 250 is viewable at:
www.businessmag.co.uk
Pre-dinner drinks on the terrace Digital Engagement Award
Judges’ Shortlist Rebellion: Established in 1992 by brothers Jason and Chris Kingsley, and is now one of Europe’s leading developers of computer games. Rebellion’s ongoing Alien v Predator, Sniper Elite and Judge Dredd characterisation series have established the Oxford-based company’s gaming credentials. In 2013, Rebellion expanded with successful mobile and tablet games across iOS, Android and Windows Phone with over 10 million players.
Fourfront Group: Based at Egham, was founded in 2000 by Clive Lucking, Nigel Hudson and James Cornwell. Since then 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%.
Direct Wines: Based at Theale near Reading, has annual turnover topping £350m. Since its foundation by Tony Laithwaite in 1969 it has become a leading independent international wine merchant. Delivering direct to retailers, distributors and literally the consumers of wine, Direct Wines has developed logistics systems and e-commerce platforms across a range of trading identities, including The Sunday Times Wine Club and Laithwaites Wines.
Adelie Foods Group (Food Partners Group): Produces and distributes four million fresh sandwiches and 250,000 salad packs every single week, from its British Retail Consortium accredited UK production facilities. Headquartered at Heathrow, the company’s ongoing investment in market data and consumer insight ensures the right products are in the right place, at the right time and price to maximise sales throughout the day.
Our Winner . . .
. . . is a specialist company consisting of four complementary entities: Area Sq, Cube Interior Solutions, 360 Design Studios and Sketch Studios. Appropriately it is called the Fourfront Group.
Alex Tatham (right) of Westcoast receives the award from Duncan Lamb
www.businessmag.co.uk
Clive Lucking of Fourfront with the award presented by Wendy Hart
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – SEPTEMBER 2014
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