Expert View
LANCASTRIAN BUSINESS LEADERS WILL ALWAYS FIND A WAY
By Michael Gregory Director, Limitless
Lancashire has always been a hotbed of successful businesses run by people using their imagination and determination to ensure their organisations overcome the hurdles often put in front of them.
The saying goes that the one thing we can be certain of is change. Over the past year, we’ve seen an incredible amount of change, which could be labelled chaos in some cases.
Never has there been more for businesses to deal with – uncertain supply chains due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the cost of
materials, the hangover of Brexit and the pandemic, disastrous political decisions, and interest rate rises.
And yet, while we live in a world of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA), Lancastrian business leaders will always find a way to build sustainable, successful companies.
Let’s applaud these organisations, particularly those doing business for good.
From everyone at Limitless, we congratulate your achievements. 46 2022: 83 48 New entry Parker & Parker, Carnforth 50 2022: 31 Dewlay Cheesemakers, Garstang
Dewlay is a third-generation family producer of cheeses including Lancashire, cheddar, blue and flavoured ranges. Using locally sourced milk, the company’s on-site facilities are capable of slicing, grating and packaging its cheeses, while customers are also able to indulge in luxury hampers or celebration cakes of up to five tiers.
49 2022: 41
Perch Group, Blackpool The Perch group of companies specialises in various aspects of debt. Perch Capital acquires typically non-performing loans from UK companies, ACI is an FCA-regulated debt collector while TM Legal Services litigates on behalf of clients to enforce debt collection. FieldConnect provides 150 field agents who can carry out tasks such as document signing and property reports. Perch invested £14m in expanding and diversifying its loan portfolio across the year.
47 2022: 53 Mears Flooring, Preston
Mears sells carpets, vinyls, laminates, wooden floors and rugs to residential customers and commercial organisations including housebuilders, factories, offices, universities, hotels, hospitals and government departments. The company is now under sixth-generation family control, having first launched as a brush manufacturer and hardware merchant in 1802.
James Alpe, Clitheroe
James Alpe offers accident repair, body workshop, MOT and servicing for vehicles across the North West. It also offers specialist vehicle conversions, including dog vans, ambulances and promotional vehicles. The group includes a commercial property developer which has built and almost fully sold 21 units at a site in Clitheroe.
LANCASHIREBUSINES SV
IEW.CO.UK 45 New entry
Parker & Parker has operated Porsche Centre South Lakes since 1957, although the family business can trace its roots back to a blacksmith specialising in agricultural machinery in the 1800s. The business later developed motorbikes for use in the Isle of Man TT races, before concentrating on vans, Volkswagens and eventually Porsches. After many years of planning the business moved to its current site - home to up 18 vehicles and six service bays - in 2021.
Hillcroft, Carnforth Hillcroft operates six nursing and care homes in the Lancaster and Morecambe area. While lockdown significantly reduced occupancy levels, with restrictions hindering new admissions, the resulting savings on operating and staffing costs, paired with government support, served to increase the company’s profitability across the year. Occupancy began to increase again as restrictions eased towards the end of the trading year.
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