Today sees us reveal the second part of the LeicestershireLive Top 200 Companies list for 2022.
This year’s list has been carefully compiled by a team from De Montfort University in Leicester.
It shows the scale of, and changes, to the biggest employers across the city and county, based on annual turnover.
The list has taken months to pull together and BusinessLive is counting down to a Top 200 breakfast event at Winstanley House hotel in Leicester on Tuesday.
There the Top 20 biggest companies will be revealed prior to the last part of the list going live on our website. The list this year is sponsored by Pattersons Commercial Law.
De Montfort University has used data from the 2019/20 financial year – up to the spring of 2020.
That information covers companies that are registered in the city or county – so does not include some businesses registered at their accountants’ addresses outside the county.
Loughborough’s Morningside pharmaceuticals is among those which are based here but – for now at least – registered elsewhere, so missed the cut.
It had a most recent turnover of £77 million, supplying medicines within the UK and overseas, which would have put it within the top 70.
We invited its founder and chairman Nik Kotecha – who is also chairman of the LLEP’s Innovation Board and chairman of the East Midlands CBI – to talk about doing business in such a vibrant local economy:
“The past two years have been a difficult time for businesses in Leicestershire, as well as throughout the UK and the world.
“Our county’s economy is mainly made up of SMEs, numbering 42,000, with over 98% of businesses in Leicester and Leicestershire employing fewer than 50 people.
“The national Covid lockdowns, global supply chain bottlenecks and stop-start of demand has disproportionately impacted SMEs.
“But yet, with Government assistance and a tenacity to innovate to survive, the county and region is emerging from the crisis more resilient and determined than ever.
“Back in 2019 I had the honour of speaking at the Top 200 Leicestershire Businesses event and during that speech I reflected on what ingredients make Leicestershire the largest economy in the East Midlands.
“Three years later and one could argue that so much has changed, while actually so little has in terms of what makes the county such a great place for businesses to operate and thrive.
“So what were the key ingredients, and are they still relevant as we emerge from the pandemic?
“Firstly, the county is home to a diverse range of sectors, each of which add great value to the local economy and our communities.
“For instance, our leading manufacturing and engineering businesses invest in advanced facilities, which lead to the creation of new technologies, as well as growing their supply chains.
“Our leading businesses are also establishing links with local colleges to help develop the skills they need, which is essential, if we are going to plug the county’s skills gap.
“Other sectors, such as retail, choose Leicestershire because we have the capabilities, people, heritage and entrepreneurial spirit to succeed.
“While construction businesses cater for our growing population as demand for new affordable homes is ever present.
“The county’s businesses also thrive because of Leicestershire’s central location and international export access via East Midlands Airport, the UK’s busiest pure cargo airport and post Brexit Freeport.
“So many sectors including logistics and distribution and food and drink manufacturing rely on this.
“As the founder and chairman of UK and global medicines manufacturer and supplier Morningside Pharmaceuticals I have also seen first-hand how businesses in the life sciences sectors have benefitted from being based in Loughborough, which is also home to Charnwood Campus, the UK’s first Life Sciences Opportunities Zone.
“So it’s clear that we have the right ingredients in place for our successful businesses to thrive, but what needs to happen to ensure this continues into the future?
“Collaborations between the public and private sectors, as well as academia, are one very important element.
“This gives the county, as well as the entire Midlands region a much stronger voice to engage with central government.
“The Government has recently launched its Levelling Up White Paper, which details 12 bold national levelling up missions, given status in law, that will shift government focus and resources to Britain’s forgotten communities throughout the 2020s.
“Innovation is another vital ingredient that enables the region’s businesses to gain a competitive advantage, so they can grow and compete nationally and globally.
“One great example of this is Leicestershire’s thriving space sector, which is flourishing at Space Park Leicester.
“We must not stand still. And it will be our ability to innovate, focus on continuous improvement, and invest in research and development, which will ensure our companies continue to adapt to economic changes, and our local economy and community continue to prosper.”
Here is the second part of our Top 200 list – with previous year’s figures in brackets:
100 (189) GL INDUSTRIAL SERVICES UK
Technical and engineering solutions to UK gas transportation companies
Turnover: £50,307,000
Employees: 302
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Holywell Park Ashby Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3GR
99 (230) NJDR GROUP
Design, manufacture and installation of high quality joinery products
Turnover: £50,354,000
Employees: 300
Year End: 31/03/2020
Address: 25 Morris Road, Clarendon Industrial Estate, Leicester, LE2 6AL
98 (151) BOAL U.K.
The extrusion, fabrication and finishing of aluminium products for the UK European markets
Turnover: £52,561,000
Employees: 143
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Ashby Road East, Shepshed, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 9BS
97 (166) PUKKA PIES
Pie manufacturing
Turnover: £53,098,000
Employees: 380
Year End: 25/05/2020
Address: The Half Croft, Syston, Leicestershire, LE7 1LD
96 (170) GIANT U.K.
Marketing and distribution of bicycles and gear to the retail sector
Turnover: £53,809,000
Employees: 27
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Charnwood Edge, Syston Road, Cossington, Leicestershire, LE7 4UZ
95 (110) HAMMONDS FITTED FURNITURE GROUP
Sale and fitting of bedroom and kitchen furniture
Turnover: £54,637,000
Employees: 800
Year End: 25/09/2019
Address: Nutts Lane, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 3QQ
94 (n/a) BTE HOLDINGS
New and used plant sales and spares
Turnover: £54,923,000
Employees: 53
Year End: 29/02/2020
Address: 85 Ashby Road, Markfield, Leicestershire, LE67 9UA
93 (153) C3 CONSTRUCTION HOLDINGS
Groundwork general building and site engineering
Turnover: £55,163,000
Employees: 83
Year End: 30/09/2019
Address: 11 Merus Court, Meridian Business Park, Leicester, LE19 1RJ
92 (159) BARKER ROSS GROUP
Employment agency covering food, logistics, construction, warehousing and healthcare
Turnover: £55,188,000
Employees: 1917
Year End: 30/11/2019
Address: Mercury Place, 11 St. George Street, Leicester, LE1 1QG
91 (154) CAMBRIDGE & COUNTIES BANK
Business banking
Turnover: £57,095,000
Employees: 149
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Charnwood Court, 5B New Walk, Leicester, LE1 6TE
90 (337) B M FASHIONS (HOLDINGS)
Design and manufacture of licensed clothes
Turnover: £59,620,000
Employees: 125
Year End: 31/07/2019
Address: 11 St Georges Way, Leicester, LE1 1SH
89 (113) COBA INTERNATIONAL
Manufacture and sale of products from extruded and moulded thermoplastic materials
Turnover: £60,501,000
Employees: 889
Year End: 30/06/2020
Address: Marlborough Drive, Fleckney, Leicestershire, LE8 8UR
88 (127) HARLOW BROS HOLDINGS
Manufacturing and erection of prefabricated building, the sale of timber and allied products
Turnover: £61,295,000
Employees: 538
Year End: 30/06/2020
Address: Hathern Road, Long Whatton, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5DE
87 (138) HORIBA MIRA
Vehicle research, product engineering and test services
Turnover: £61,958,000
Employees: 658
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Watling Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV10 0TU
86 (124) ASHFIELD HEALTHCARE
Contract sales outsourcing for the global pharmaceutical industry
Turnover: £64,529,000
Employees: 441
Year End: 30/09/2019
Address: Ashfield House Resolution Road, Ashby-De-La-Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 1HW
85 (142) ROCA
Wholesale of bathroom fixtures and accessories
Turnover: £64,938,000
Employees: 114
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Interlink 145, Interlink Way West, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 1LD
84 (129) G TOURING
Worldwide travel tours
Turnover: £65,134,000
Employees: 159
Year End: 31/07/2019
Address: Harborough Grow On Centre, 34 Compass Point, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 9HW
83 (149) HORMANN (U.K.)
Doors and integrated loading bay systems
Turnover: £66,843,000
Employees: 144
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Gee Road, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 4JW
82 (136) LANDS' END EUROPE
The direct merchandising of traditionally styled casual clothing for men and women
Turnover: £67,670,000
Employees: 344
Year End: 31/01/2020
Address: Lands End Way, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6US
81 (178) PROJECT C TOPCO
Specialist services for UK insurance markets
Turnover: £67,793,000
Employees: 545
Year End: 31/03/2020
Address: 3 Boundary Court, Willow Farm Business Park, Castle Donington, Derbyshire, DE74 2UD
80 (115) BEUMER GROUP UK
The provision of material handling solutions and associated maintenance services
Turnover: £68,345,000
Employees: 136
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Unit 9, Cartwright Court, Cartwright Way, Bardon Hill, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 1UE
79 (150) TMS
Volvo and Kia car dealer
Turnover: £68,564,000
Employees: 140
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Trinity Marina Coventry Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 0NF
78 (156) TAYLOR HOBSON
After sales service of ultra precision measurement instruments and diamond turning lathes
Turnover: £69,063,000
Employees: 218
Year End:31/12/2019
Address: 2 New Star Road, Leicester, LE4 9JD
77 (134) H.W. COATES (HOLDINGS)
Warehousing, distribution, document archiving and property rentals
Turnover: £69,700,000
Employees: 417
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Unit A, Ladywood Works, Leicester Road, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 4HD
76 (108) MARK JARVIS
The operation of betting shops
Turnover: £70,213,000
Employees: 239
Year End: 06/01/2020
Address: Ascot House, 104 High Street, Leicester, LE1 5YP
75 (155) FREUDENBERG SEALING TECHNOLOGIES
Distribution of fluid sealing products and shock absorber components
Turnover: £70,295,000
Employees: 337
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: c/o Knights Plc, 34 Pocklingtons Walk, Leicester, LE1 6BU
74 (148) ADVENT TOPCO
Fostering and residential care
Turnover: £70,330,000
Employees: 600
Year End: 31/03/2020
Address: Mountfields House, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3GE
73 (128) EAST MIDLANDS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Passenger and freight airport
Turnover: £71,086,000
Employees: 593
Year End: 31/03/2020
Address: Pathfinder House, Castle Donington, Derbyshire, DE74 2SA
72 (126) ADARE SEC
Colour printing, business form manufacture and design consultancy
Turnover: £71,417,000
Employees: 443
Year End: 31/10/2019
Address: 1 Meridian South, Meridian Business Park, Leicester, LE19 1WY
71 (125) GO INSPIRE GROUP
Marketing communications services
Turnover: £71,466,000
Employees: 476
Year End: 31/03/2020
Address: 141-147 Scudamore Road, Leicester, LE3 1UQ
70 (119) HANCOCK CASH & CARRY
Cash and carry confectionery wholesaling through a national network of depots
Turnover: £72,837,000
Employees: 278
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: 25-27 Jubilee Drive, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 5TX
69 (117) BPW
Importers and distributors of axles, suspensions and transport equipment
Turnover: £72,946,000
Employees: 86
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Unit 1, Legion Way, Braunstone, Leicester, LE19 1UZ
68 (133) MHR GLOBAL HOLDINGS
Development and marketing of computer software for government industry and commerce
Turnover: £73,869,000
Employees: 681
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: The Old Hall Ashwell, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 7LJ
67 (122) FRED SHERWOOD GROUP
Bulk haulage
Turnover: £74,403,000
Employees: 465
Year End: 31/03/2020
Address: 47 Ashby Road, Shepshed, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 9BS
66 (132) ASHFIELD HEALTH
Medical education and communication programmes for pharmaceutical industry
Turnover: £74,443,000
Employees: 610
Year End: 30/09/2019
Address: Ashfield House Resolution Road, Ashby-De-La-Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 1HW
65 (146) DMWSL 532
Accommodation, social and healthcare for elderly and younger adults
Turnover: £75,225,000
Employees: 2463
Year End: 31/03/2020
Address: Caernarvon House, 121 Knighton Church Road, Leicester, LE2 3JN
64 (120) ENCORE PERSONNEL SERVICES
Specialist supplier of blue collar staff
Turnover: £76,120,000
Employees: 196
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: First Floor, Encore House, 32 Millstone Lane, Leicester, LE1 5JN
63 (103) KONECRANES DEMAG UK
Cranes, hoists and related handling equipment
Turnover: £77,071,000
Employees: 511
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Unit 1, Charter Point, Coalfield Way, Ashby-De-La-Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 1NF
62 (116) C.J. UPTON HOLDINGS
A group engaged in steel sheet and coil distributor
Turnover: £78,584,000
Employees: 112
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: 21 Shaw Lane, Markfield, Leicestershire, LE67 9PU
61 (141) MY HOME MOVE
Home conveyancing services
Turnover: £81,328,000
Employees: 782
Year End: 30/03/2020
Address: 1 Frances Way, Grove Park, Enderby, Leicestershire, LE19 1SH
60 (100) PLASTRIBUTION
Plastic raw materials and semi-finished plastic products
Turnover: £85,246,000
Employees: 78
Year End: 31/03/2020
Address: 14 Charter Point, Charter Point Way, Ashby-De-La-Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 1NF
59 (137) PERFECT CIRCLE JV
Property, construction and infrastructure services
Turnover: £100,566,000
Employees: 8
Year End: 30/09/2019
Address: Halford House, Charles Street, Leicester, LE1 1HA
58 (92) V12 SPORTS & CLASSICS
Second hand vehicle sales
Turnover: £102,892,000
Employees: 195
Year End: 31/07/2019
Address: Unit 23 Harrowbrook Road, Harrowbrook Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 3DJ
57 (97) DEICHMANN-SHOES UK
Footwear
Turnover: £103,631,000
Employees: 1096
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: 16 Compass Point, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 9HW
56 (94) HBB RELOCATION SERVICES
Purchase and sale of residential property
Turnover: £105,438,000
Employees: 21
Year End: 31/03/2020
Address: 1 The Cornerstone, Market Place, Kegworth, Derbyshire, DE74 2EE
55 (82) JELSON HOLDINGS
Housebuilder
Turnover: £106,181,000
Employees: 743
Year End: 30/04/2020
Address: 370 Loughborough Road, Leicester, LE4 5PR
54 GAFOOR HOLDINGS
Investment company connected to poultry farming
Turnover: £106,560,000
Employees: 319
Year End: 30/11/2019
Address: 109 Coleman Road, Leicester, LE5 4LE
53 (95) MEXICHEM SPECIALITY COMPOUNDS
Sale of high quality thermoplastic compounds
Turnover: £107,089,000
Employees: 234
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: 8 Beler Way, Leicester Road Industrial Estate, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 0DG
52 (130) STRATFORD RETAIL PARTNERS LLP
Sale of fuel, convenience goods and food to go at forecourt locations
Turnover: £109,089,000
Employees: 248
Year End: 31/12/2019
Address: Mpk House 318 Melton Road, Leicester, LE4 7SL
51 (157) BASTIAN PLC
Home heating equipment and energy services
Turnover: £110,256,000
Employees: 134
Year End: 28/06/2020
Address: Granville Hall, Granville Road, Leicester, LE1 7RU
