Shropshire-based Greenhous among UK’s biggest firms
Shropshire car seller Greenhous has been named among Britain’s top privately-owned companies.
The business was among four from the West Midlands region to made it onto the 18th annual Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 100 league table.
Published this weekend, the table recognises the privately-owned companies with the biggest sales in the last financial year.
Greenhous clocked in at 54th on the list, with sales of £1.1 billion and profits of £8 million in the year ending December 2018.
The company’s biggest shareholder is Derek Passant, along with Kerry Finnon and Mike Pawson.
Frozen foods chain Iceland, which has its origins in Oswestry, was 13th on the list after clocking up sales of £2.9 billion.
The region’s top-ranked company was Staffordshire-based JCB, which was listed in 11th place.
The firm, owned by the Bamford family, reported sales of £3.4 billion in its last accounts – 28 per cent up on the previous year.
Between them the 100 companies on the list notched up sales of £220 billion, 14 per cent more than last year, and profits of £24.6 billion.
Amanda Murphy, head of commercial banking at HSBC UK, said: “Once again, Britain’s most ambitious private enterprises have shown their mettle by shrugging off uncertainty, growing their combined sales 14 per cent to a record £220 billion.
“It’s reassuring that UK businesses are navigating change so confidently and the companies in the Top Track 100 are an inspiration to all.
“The 13 companies in the Midlands are the kinds of firms that provide the backbone of our economy, and we at HSBC UK are thrilled to see them thrive.”
A total of 13 Midlands firms made the list.
Willenhall-based food service business AF Blakemore, which was ranked 44th with sales of £1.2 billion and profits of £18 million.
Meanwhile 2 Sisters Food Group, whose parent Boparan Holdings has its headquarters in Birmingham and chicken processing factories in West Bromwich and Wolverhampton, was ranked 12th with sales of £3.3 billion and profits of £115 million in the year ending July 2018.
Together the Midlands firms achieved sales of £23.4 billion and profits of £1.6 billion, and employ more than 83,000 people.
Well-known names on the nationwide list include shoe retailer Clarks, John Lewis Partnership, Nando’s and Specsavers.
Top of the list was £26 billion-turnover chemicals manufacturer Ineos.
