The Solent 250 is now a £13 billion grouping


The Solent 250 is now a £13 billion listing of private companies headquartered in the region. The combined turnover is up from just under £12b last year


Together the companies employ more than 90,000 people, with a significant number having grown their workforce in the past year.


Turnovers have risen at many of the Solent 250 companies – and for the 2014 list we have included the two previous years’ sales, so that growth is more easily tracked.


Not all businesses have seen sales rise, however. At the top of the list, Arqiva, Fitness First, Simply Health, Micheldever and Hendy Group have all seen small turnover dips.


At the top of the list again is Arqiva, the Winchester- headquartered leader in communications infrastructure. With sales of more than £800 million, Arqiva is a major WiFi provider for businesses, providing services for key clients such as Heathrow Airport.


Fitness First is second in the list with a turnover of more than £500m. The largest privately- owned health and fitness group in the world, Fitness First is celebrating growth in its UK membership numbers, after three years of stagnation in the recession, and is currently involved in a £225m gyms makeover programme.


Third in the list is the University of Southampton, posting £447m turnover. The university has a global reputation and is a regular top 20 university in the Good University Guide published by The Times.


At number four, the health insurer Simplyhealth Group handles up to 16,000 claims a day.


In previous


years, the group has traded under names such as HSA, BCWA and Healthsure, and this year was awarded British Superbrand status as one of the UK’s strongest brands.


Rules of engagement


• Solent 250 companies must be private, independent businesses


• Listed companies (either LSE or foreign markets) are excluded


• Companies must be trading in the Solent region, with their main headquarters located in the region


• Companies that list their registered office in the region, but don’t trade from that address, are excluded


• Companies that are foreign-owned are excluded


• Universities are included, although it is accepted that some of their income is derived from the public purse


• Businesses in last year’s 250 were asked to submit their latest results; some of these are included as they are more current than our other sources


• Otherwise, Companies House records are used, provided by FAME and Experian


• In some cases, last year’s turnover has been subsequently updated


• The Solent region is defined as most of Hampshire (south of Basingstoke) and parts of Dorset, Wiltshire and West Sussex.


Sponsored by HSBC, law firm Blake Morgan, and business adviser Grant Thornton, the Solent 250 is a campaign run by The Business Magazine.


The Solent 250 excludes some companies featured last year as further research has revealed foreign ownership, public placement of shares, or that the company is a subsidiary of a group headquartered elsewhere.


New names on the list this year include Southern Co-Operative, Ocean Automotive, Parable Trust, NWM Solutions, and DB Foods.


Please note: Serocor’s latest turnover is for an 18-month period. Independent Port Handling’s figure is for a nine-month accounting period.


Solent 250 sponsors


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – NOVEMBER 2014


www.businessmag.co.uk


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