Research report 2016
SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
1
Britain's small and medium-sized (SME) private companies
with the fastest-growing international sales
In association with
@ST_SMEexport
#SMEexport100
i
SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
CONTENTS
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
INTRODUCTION
Top 10 SME Export Track 100 companies
1
1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2
KEY STATISTICS
International sales
Overseas markets
Sector breakdown
Industry breakdown
Regional breakdown
Job creation
Main ownership
Foundation dates
3
3
4
5
6
6
7
7
7
KEY THEMES & SELECTED COMPANY PROFILES
Routes to market
External capital
Acquisitions & joint ventures
Media & advertising
Brand Britain
8
8
9
10
11
12
2016 SME EXPORT TRACK 100 LEAGUE TABLE
13
METHODOLOGY
Qualification criteria
Research approach
17
17
17
SPONSOR & MEDIA PARTNER
18
ABOUT FAST TRACK
Compiler & publisher
The authors
Fast Track
20
20
20
21
CONTACT DETAILS
21
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SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
1
INTRODUCTION
This is the second year of The Sunday Times SME Export Track 100,
which ranks Britain’s small and medium-sized (SME) private companies
with the fastest-growing international sales. Heathrow Airport is
the headline sponsor of the league table, and it is supported by the
government's 'Exporting is GREAT' campaign.
The No 1 company is Black Swan Data, which helps
multinationals, such as Disney, Panasonic and GSK,
understand and act on their customer data
The SME Export Track 100 ranks companies based on their average
growth in international sales over the last two years. SMEs are defined
as companies with total sales of £5m to £25m in their latest year, and
international sales were required to be a minimum of 20% of total sales.
This year’s findings show that companies operating in a broad range
of sectors and industries can grow successfully overseas. Average
international sales growth for the 100 companies was 84% a year to a
total of £685m, on combined total sales of £1.3bn, compared with an
average growth rate of 73% on last year’s table.
Featured companies include manufacturers such as mouldings specialist
Sovrin Plastics (No 9) and toy maker Casdon (No 86), and emerging
consumer brands such as Red Paddle Co (No 55) and Wool Overs (No 71).
The No 1 company is Black Swan Data, an analytical software developer
that correlates data from sources such as weather forecasts, social
media and consumer feedback to help brands better target their
marketing campaigns. It grew international sales over the last two years
an average of 357% a year to £3.6m in 2015.
The companies export to all corners of the globe and employ more than
9,000 people. They are outlined in more detail in the following pages.
Top 10 SME Export Track 100 companies
Rank Company
[2015] Activity
1
Black Swan Data
Analytical software developer
2 Shiner
[8] Sports goods distributor
2-year av
int'l sales
FYE growth pa
Int'l
sales
£000
Total
sales
£000
Central London
May 15 357.19%
*3,620
*8,419
205
Bristol
Apr 15
346.00%
10,455
22,369
59
Exports sports equipment such as skateboards
to over 35 countries
HQ location
Staff Comment
In March it secured £3m from international
investors, including Japanese conglomerate Mitsui
3
LoveCrafts
Online crafts communities
Central London
Mar 15 311.44%
*2,827
*5,340
75
With £18m of venture capital it has created a
global craft community covering 140 countries
4
PrivateFly
Online private jet hire
St Albans
May 15 238.78%
*4,545 *10,236
21
Launched in 2008 with £2m from 10 business angels, it
has more than 7,000 private jets on its booking system
5
Denis Ferranti Group
Bangor
Aerospace technology & manufacturing
Mar 15 209.72%
2,120
10,603
105
Traces its roots to inventor Dr Sebastian Ziani de
Ferranti, a pioneer of power transmission systems
6
BrandFuel
Creative design agency
Central London
May 15 207.44%
12,675
17,415
37
Produced Google's Zeitgeist event for the last
nine years
7
CQC
Military clothing manufacturer
Barnstaple
Sep 14
165.29%
7,175
8,069
57
Recently secured a contract to supply protective
clothing to the armed forces in Oman
8
Ebury
Business finance provider
Central London
Apr 15
162.06%
3,513
9,233
185
Has raised more than £70m from venture capital
investors
Slough
Dec 14
161.17%
4,207
10,759
112
Last year it invested £4.5m in larger headquarters
following increased demand from the US and Europe
Hertford
Mar 15 154.08% *16,899 *16,915
10
Ships household waste to Amsterdam, which has
the world's largest waste incineration plant
9 Sovrin Plastics
[25] Plastic mouldings specialist
10
Andusia
Waste exporter
* supplied by company
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
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SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Growth in international sales*
Number of companies in each range
150%–200%
International sales
• The SME Export Track 100 companies increased their overseas
sales by an average of 84% a year over two years, from a total of
£247m to £685m
6
>200%
4
100%–150%
• The vast majority of companies (80) sell to mainland Europe,
making it the most popular market, followed by North America
(71) and Asia (45)
13
80%–100%
16
15
60%–80%
32
40%–60%
<40%
• Consumer goods is the largest industry (17 companies),
followed by media & advertising (12), business services (11) and
engineering (11)
Characteristics of a typical
SME Export Track 100 company
International sales
Average growth over two years
84% pa
International sales in 2014/15/16£6.9m
International sales in 2012/13/14£2.5m
Total sales
Sales in 2014/15/16£13.3m
Sales in 2012/13/14£7.9m
Staff
Typical number of staff 25 – 100
Typical increase in staff over two years 14% pa
Company characteristics
Sector
• The top countries for overseas sales are the US (66 companies),
Germany (27), Australia (25), France (21) and China (19)
• Services is the largest sector (54 companies), followed by
manufacturing (31) and retail (16)
14
* two-year CAGR (compound annual growth rate)
HQ region
2
Greater London (36)
Services (54)
Key themes
Routes to market: The companies have achieved organic
international sales growth in different ways. Almost half (43) have set
up a local office or subsidiary; 23 companies have used distributors
to reach overseas customers; 17 companies say that their
international websites have been key to their success [page 8]
External capital: 32 companies have boosted their overseas
ambitions by taking on investment from private equity, venture
capital or business angels. This compares to just 23 companies on
last year’s league table [page 9]
Acquisitions & joint ventures: More than 12 companies have
bought or partnered with businesses to expand internationally
[page 10]
Media & advertising: 12 companies operate in the media and
advertising industry, compared to five on last year’s table. They
include companies that provide high-tech products, as well as and
those that have leveraged Britain's reputation for creative film and
television content [page 11]
Brand Britain: Britain’s reputation for high-quality and innovative
products and services has boosted exports for many of the
companies on the league table [page 12]
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
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SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
3
KEY STATISTICS
International sales
• Companies on the league table are required to have total sales
between £5m and £25m in their latest year, with latest year
international sales at least 20% of total sales
Sports goods distributor Shiner (No 2) is one of the 23
companies with triple-digit growth in international sales
Latest total sales
15
24
£15m–£20m
23
£10m–£15m
38
£5m–£10m
Number of companies in each range
2
£15m–£20m
6
£10m–£15m
• Combined international sales for the 100 companies were £685m
and total sales were £1.3bn
13
30
£5m–£10m
49
£1m–£5m
FYE
Exports
£m
26
Turbine Efficiency
Turbine maintenance services
Mar 15
22.1
27
Miura Systems
Payment hardware provider
Dec 15
20.2
85
McGavigan
Dec 15
Decorative plastics manufacturer
18.8
33
Tangle Teezer
Hair products supplier
Mar 15
18.7
25
Alba Power
Turbine maintenance services
Dec 15
17.3
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
• Some companies made all, or the vast majority, of their sales
overseas. They include NMS International Group (No 51), which
manages infrastructure construction projects in Africa, and
specialist training firm SCM World (No 94), which generated 97%
of its sales overseas in its latest year
• Companies did not need to be profitable to qualify for the league
table. Of the 82 companies that were in profit, imaging technology
developer Apical (No 79) disclosed the highest operating profit
margin of 52%, with £8.7m profits on total sales of £16.6m
Top 5 companies with the largest
international sales
Company
Rank Activity
• International sales for the 100th-ranked company, medical device
maufacturer Micro Systems, grew an average of 33% a year, from
£3.2m in 2012 to £5.8m in 2014
• Turbine Efficiency (No 26), which provides turbine maintenance
services in remote locations, such as the Burmese Jungle, had the
highest international sales on the league table at £22.1m
Latest international sales
£20–£25m
• The top-ranked company is analytical software developer Black
Swan Data. It has offices in the US, Canada, South Africa, Singapore
and Hong Kong, and grew international sales an average of 357% a
year to £3.6m in 2015
• 23 companies had triple-digit growth in international sales, which
compares favourably with last year when there were only 14
companies in this category. They include sports goods distributor
Shiner (No 2), which grew international sales an average of 346% a
year to £10.5m in 2015
Number of companies in each range
£20m–£25m
• The minimum average growth rate in international sales to qualify
was 33% a year over two years. Actual international sales growth
rates for the 100 companies range from 33% to 357%
• Of the 18 companies that made a loss, 11 were venture capital
or angel investor-backed technology companies. Online loan
provider Borro (No 20) disclosed the largest losses on the table,
with an operating loss of £6.4m
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Overseas markets
• The vast majority of companies (80) sell to mainland Europe,
making it the most popular market, followed by North America (71)
and Asia (45)
Miura Systems (No 27) payment hardware technology
is used in six continents
• Whilst many companies (42) focus their international activities on
one or two continents, more than one fifth of the companies have
their markets spread across four or more continents (22). For
example, payment hardware provider Miura Systems (No 27) has
customers in six continents thanks to distributor deals it has with
payment multinationals, including WorldPay and iZettle
• By country, the US is a major market for the most companies (66)
followed by Germany (27), Australia (25), France (21) and China (19)
• 44 companies have customers in one or more of the fast-growing
emerging markets†, such as dispute resolution consultancy
Blackrock PM (No 44), which has worked on construction disputes
in Poland, South Africa, China and the UAE
† Emerging markets as defined by the FTSE list of emerging countries, March 2016
Main overseas markets of the SME Export Track 100 companies*
80
71
Europe
North America
45
11
South America
14
Africa
21
Asia
Middle East
33
Australasia
* map shows the numbers of companies targeting each market
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SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
5
Sector breakdown
The SME Export Track 100 companies operate in a range of sectors.
Due to the breadth of their activities, 16 companies are considered
to operate in two sectors. These include Plextek (No 72), which
provides design consultancy services, and also manufactures
products such as radars and street light control units.
The largest sector is services, with 54 companies, followed by
manufacturing (31).
McGavigan (No 85), which is run by Steve Mathers and
David Taylor, makes plastic parts for cars and has a
factory in China
Sector breakdown
Construction 5
Wholesalers 10
• Services (54) encompasses a wide range of industries, from
architects such as Wilkinson Eyre (No 40), specialist consultancies,
such as car dealership consultancy ASE Global (No 78), and
marketing firms, such as Search Laboratory (No 54)
• Manufacturers (31) include McGavigan (No 85), which makes
plastic parts for cars and has a factory in China, and display case
manufacturer Click Netherfield (No 42)
• Retailers (16) include online pharmacy Chemist 4U (No 47),
which can dispense medicine to anyone registered with an EU
doctor, and knitwear firm Wool Overs (No 71), which has eight
international websites
Retailers 16
• Wholesalers (10) include sports good distributor Stateside
Skates (No 58), which has customers in Scandinavia, France, and
Germany, and Pet Brands (No 35), which has a licence to sell
branded pet products in Asia
Manufacturers 31
• Construction (5) include NMS International Group (No 51), which
manages £300m of infrastructure projects in sub-saharan Africa
and Desco (No 76), which has consulted on extending a sports
academy in Doha
Services 54
Note: companies can operate in more than one sector.
Stateside Skates (No 58) sells skateboards, scooters
and roller skates across Europe
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SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
6
Industry breakdown
Industry breakdown
• Consumer goods is the best represented industry, with 17
companies. This category includes Amara (No 30), which sells luxury
home furnishings as far afield as Australia and the UAE, and toy
maker Casdon (No 86)
Consumer goods 17
• Media & advertising also features strongly, with 12 companies,
ranging from social media monitoring firm Brandwatch (No 34) to
Simworx (No 49), which has made special effects for theme parks
in Germany and Colombia
Media & advertising 12
Business services 11
• Business services is represented by 11 companies, including
cloud software developer HighQ (No 32) and Mind Gym (No 77),
which makes bite-size training courses for staff at Starbucks,
Versace and Microsoft
Engineering 11
Food & drink 7
• A further 11 companies are in the engineering industry.
They include chemicals packaging manufacturer Sanglier (No 93)
and Laser Quantum (No 97), whose €500,000 lasers are sold to
research and commercial laboratories globally
Building-related 7
Computers & electronics 6
Finance 5
Transport 5
Leisure 4
Automotive 4
Healthcare 4
Oil & gas 3
Other 4
Regional breakdown
Regional breakdown of UK HQ
Scotland
5
Northwest
10
Northeast
6
N. Ireland
Midlands
2
12
Wales
East
1
2
Southwest
London
6
Southeast
20
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
36
More than one third of the companies (36) are headquartered in
London, and another 20 in the southeast.
Regions with export strength in particular areas include:
–– Scotland, where all five of the companies are manufacturers.
They include Argyll-based Springbank Whisky (No 41) and Fife
firm Sabre Safety (No 21), which designs, builds and installs
emergency breathing systems
–– The Southeast, home to six of the 17 companies in the
consumer goods industry. They include knitwear retailer Wool
Overs (No 71) and Kent-based Kit for Kids (No 96), which sells its
children's games in the Middle East
–– London, where four of the five companies in the finance sector
are based. These include online loan provider Borro (No 20)
and financial software developer Vermilion (No 75)
The region with the lowest representation on the table is Wales. The
one company located in this region is Bangor-based Denis Ferranti
Group (No 5), which makes aerospace and defence equipment, such
as motors for hybrid electric helicopters.
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SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
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Job creation
• The 100 companies employ more than 9,000 people, with typical
staff numbers ranging between 25 and 100 people
• The largest employer is decorative plastics manufacturer
McGavigan (No 85), which employs 324 people. The smallest
employer is Forest Boards (No 62), which exports plywood for
panelling in lorries and has just 4 staff
Ex-RAF pilot Adam Twidell, and his wife, Carol Cork, retain
a majority stake in PrivateFly (No 4), the online private
jet firm they founded in 2008
• The companies have collectively increased their total staff number
by almost 3,700 over the past two years. For example, the
headcount at web technology developer Qubit (No 14) topped 210
in 2015, compared to 66 in 2013
Number of employees
Main ownership
Number of companies in each staff range
• Entrepreneurs and founders majority-own more than half (56) of
the companies. For example, Adam Twidell and Carol Cork own
and run the online private jet firm PrivateFly (No 4), which they set
up in 2008
13
>175
5
150–175
8
125–150
100–125
9
75–100
13
50–75
25
25–50
15
10–25
<10
10
• 21 companies are majority-owned by private equity, venture
capital or business angels. They include sports nutrition developer
Grenade (No 50), which the founders sold to Grovepoint Capital in
2014, and advertising technology developer Lineup Systems (No
38), which delisted from AIM in 2012 with investment from NVM
Private Equity
• 14 are family-owned, including Sladmore Gallery (No 63), which
has sold work by French artists Rodin and Degas and is owned
and run by Edward Horswell, son of the company's founder
2
Foundation dates
Majority ownership type
Number of companies in each range
Employees 1
Business Angels 3
Management 8
Family 14
• A typical SME Export Track 100 company was founded in 1987
• The oldest company is wire and cable manufacturer Webster
+ Horsfall (No 61), which is still owned by the Horsfall family.
Founded in 1720, the company made the first transatlantic
telegraph cable in 1866. Now, its wire technologies are used in the
oil & gas, pharmaceutical and automotive industries globally
• More than half the companies (54) were founded after 2000. One
of the youngest companies is LoveCrafts (No 3), which launched its
loveknitting.com website in 2012
PE and/or VC 18
Entrepreneur and/or founder 56
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
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SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
8
KEY THEMES & SELECTED COMPANY PROFILES
On the following pages we profile examples of companies that
demonstrate some of the key themes from this year’s league table.
ROUTES TO MARKET
Stefano Martinetto is CEO of designer brands wholesaler
Tomorrow (No 66) which has showrooms in Milan, Paris
and New York
Amara
30
Home furniture online retailer
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
42
Essex
Dec 15
93.23%
£3.7m*
£8.8m*
65
Ralph Lauren and Missoni are two of the luxury brands Amara
sells online. Started in 2005 by husband and wife team Sam
and Andrew Hood, 48 and 51, it ships from its Essex warehouse
home furnishings as far afield as Australia and the UAE. Exports
hit £3.7m last year.
Partners with a network of distributors to sell display cases to
museum galleries worldwide
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
Click Netherfield was formed in a 2003 merger and is led by Mike
Chaplin, 49. Exports rose to £8.8m last year, with strong demand
prompting investment in its Livingston factory. Customers
include The National Museum of African American History and
Culture, which opens in Washington DC this September.
Livingston
July 15
76.61%
£8.8m
£11.6m
125
Tomorrow
Designer brands wholesaler
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
§
Last year it launched a German website
Click Netherfield
Display case manufacturer
66
The companies have achieved organic international sales growth
in different ways. Almost half (43) have set up a local office or
subsidiary, such as IT consultancy Hatstand (No 23), which last
December opened an office in Dubai to drive sales in the Middle
East. 23 companies have used distributors to reach overseas
customers, for example toy maker Casdon (No 86) boosted sales in
the Far East after meeting distributors at trade fairs in China. Export
growth for 17 firms has been driven by online sales, including for
maternity wear retailer Séraphine (No 53) which has websites in
France and the US. Further examples are profiled below.
East London
Dec 15
51.82%
£15.0m*
£17.2m*
46
Has opened showrooms in Milan, Paris and New York
Tomorrow gives new fashion brands access to buyers by putting
on sample displays at its showrooms in Milan, Paris, New York
and London. Overseas sales hit £15m in 2015. Last November
chief executive Stefano Martinetto, 42, led a management
buyout, which was backed by Three Hills Capital Partners.
compound annual growth rate between 2012/13/14 and 2014/15/16 *supplied by company
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SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
9
EXTERNAL CAPITAL
Thirty-two companies have boosted their ability to fund their
growth by taking on investment from private equity, venture
capital or business angels. This compares to just 23 companies on
last year’s table. They include electric vehicle charging developer
POD Point (No 24), which is backed by tech entrepreneur Peter
Hiscocks. Last October, social media technology firm Brandwatch
(No 34), secured £23m in a deal led by San Francisco-based
Partech Ventures to help it expand in the US.
Red Paddle Co (No 55), which makes stand up paddleboards,
raised £4m from Mobeus Equity Partners last July
28
Monica Vinader
Jewellery designer
Ambitions to become a global brand were boosted in February
when Piper Private Equity led a £20m investment
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
Jewellery designed by this firm in rural Norfolk are favourites of
international celebrities, including Hollywood actress Charlize
Theron and Chinese model Liu Wen. Monica Vinader, 47,
started the business 2007 and exports grew to £5.3m last year.
Ambitions to become a global brand were boosted in February
when Piper Private Equity led a £20m investment.
Norfolk
July 15
95.68%
£5.3m
£19.8m
138
HighQ
32
Cloud collaboration software developer
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
55
Central London
Apr 15
87.48%
£5.8m
£13.6m
13
A £35m investment in January led by One Peak Partners will help
this London firm develop its software. It has an R&D operation
in India, and its offices in Europe, the US and Australia sell to
banking and corporate customers. Started in 2001 by Ajay Patel,
44, and Veenay Shah, 43, exports grew to £1.6m last year.
Red Paddle Co
It raised £4m from Mobeus Equity Partners last July to take
advantage of a fast-growing watersports niche
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
Riding a wave of paddleboarding popularity, this Devon firm sells
inflatables, boards and accessories in more than 58 countries,
and it says it has an 18% share of the global market for
inflatable paddleboards. Strong demand in the US and Europe
helped exports to £4.3m in 2015. Led by Roger Tushingham, 61,
and John Hibbard, 39, last July it raised £4m from Mobeus Equity
Partners.
Watersports equipment designer
§
Raised £35m in January to expand its international presence and
invest in new product development
Devon
Feb 15
58.37%
£4.3m*
£7.5m*
14
compound annual growth rate between 2012/13/14 and 2014/15/16 *supplied by company
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SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
10
ACQUISITIONS & JOINT VENTURES
More than 12 companies have bought or partnered with
businesses to expand internationally. Examples include UK Gas
Technologies (No 48), whose partnership with Spanish firm
Telstar Life Sciences has helped it win business in the US, and
Original Steel Services (No 19), which has offset falling steel prices
by buying and turning round steel processors. Other examples
are outlined below.
Laser Quantum (No 97), which is led by Lawrence Gloster, has
made acquisitions in Germany to help grow its product range
Victor
15
Online private jet hire
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
Central London
Dec 15
135.05%
£9.3m*
£16.2m*
70
ASE Global
78
Car dealership consultancy
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
97
Manchester
Dec 14
42.12%
£10.8m*
£17m*
196
Flying the super-rich to ski resorts and chartering flights
for popstars are among the services of this exclusive travel
management app. Founded in 2011 by Clive Jackson, 56, it
has raised £15m from angel investors, including Sir Elton John.
Overseas sales – which represents total booking value – hit
£9.3m last year, accelerated by the acquisition of Californiabased jet charter firm YoungJets.
Exports will be boosted by last August's acquisition of Austrian
software firm E-Dentity
More than 17,000 car dealers worldwide use this Manchester
firm's software to report sales performance to manufacturers.
Led by Rob Jones, 40, it has offices in 12 countries and sales
reps in a further 20. Exports of £10.8m in 2014 will be boosted
by last August's acquisition of Austrian software firm E-Dentity.
Laser Quantum
Has bought two laser companies in Germany
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
This Stockport firm's lasers are exported to research institutions
and commercial laboratories globally. The acquisition of two
laser companies in Germany and a sales office in California
helped exports to £12.6m in 2014. Chief executive Lawrence
Gloster, 47, teamed up with two fellow University of Manchester
PhD physicists to start the firm in 1994.
Laser technology developer
§
Last year it bought private jet charter service YoungJets, which
managed Rihanna's 7 Countries in 7 Days tour
Stockport
Sep 14
34.31%
£12.6m
£13m
97
compound annual growth rate between 2012/13/14 and 2014/15/16 *supplied by company
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SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
11
MEDIA & ADVERTISING
Twelve companies operate in the media & advertising industry,
compared to five on last year’s table. Some of these companies
have leveraged the reputation of British-made television and film,
including Arrow Media (No 12) whose shows have won slots on
the Discovery and National Geographic channels in the US. Others
are technology focused, such as Flixmedia (No 68), which creates
and manages digital content for some of the world’s biggest
brands, including Microsoft and Samsung.
Arrow Media (No 12) made the documentary Sherpa, which
investigated a series of disasters on Everest
Qubit
14
Web technology developer
Has raised more than £50m, including £28m in February which
will be invested in product development
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
Qubit has raised more than £50m since it was started in 2010
by four ex-Google employees. Its technology helps retailers
optimise their websites, and customers include New York
fashion brand Nine West and Irish bookmaker Boylesports.
Offices in the US and Europe helped exports to £3.4m last year.
Qubit is led by Graham Cooke, 33.
Central London
Dec 15
136.14%
£3.4m*
£11.4m*
210
Group IMD
80
Video advertising software developer
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
Central London
Dec 14
41.09%
£8m
£17m
152
Mofilm
89
§
Last July it bought a Shanghai-based video advertising firm
Group IMD develops software to help the ad industry manage
workflow. Exports grew to £8m in 2014 and, with its associates,
it has 37 overseas offices. Last July, Simon Cox, 53, led the
London firm's acquisition of a Shanghai-based video advertiser.
Group IMD delisted from AIM in 2011 when it was bought by
Vitruvian Partners for £34m.
Crowdsourcing advertising agency
Its filmmakers’ work has been shown on screens in India and
Australia, and during the US Super Bowl
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
Filmmakers enter Mofilm's competitions to produce adverts
for iconic global brands, including AirBnB and Netflix. Led by
co-founder and chief executive Jeffrey Merrihue, 57, overseas
sales soared to £8.5m in 2014. Last year it sold a majority
stake to New York-based media investor You & Mr Jones for an
undisclosed sum.
Central London
Dec 14
36.62%
£8.5m*
£10.7m*
58
compound annual growth rate between 2012/13/14 and 2014/15/16 *supplied by company
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
fasttrack.co.uk
SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
12
BRAND BRITAIN
Britain’s reputation for innovation, creativity and high-quality
goods has boosted exports for some of the companies, including
architects, manufacturers of children’s products, and food
and drink firms. For example, Heatherwick Studio (No 99) has
designed Buddhist temples in Japan and public art on the banks
of the Loire. The British heritage of hair and shaving accessories
made by Kent Brushes (No 92) has helped them sell in India and
Taiwan.
Cosatto's (No 91) colourful pushchairs have been popular in
Spain, Portugal and Iran.
33
Tangle Teezer
Rejected by Dragon's Den tycoons in 2007, the company now
sells a hairbrush every 3 seconds
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
This London firm makes almost 800,000 hairbrushes each
month, and with customers in more than 110 countries overseas
sales hit £18.7m in 2015. Shaun Pulfrey, 54, began selling his
detangling hairbrush in 2007 and last February launched his first
blow-styling brush.
Hair products supplier
41
South London
Mar 15
85.17%
£18.7m
£23.2m
22
Springbank Whisky
In 2013 a Chinese whisky collector bought a bottle of its 50 year-old
single malt for £50,000
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
Established in 1828, chairman Hedley Wright, 85, is the fifth
generation to run this family business. It showcases its malts
at whisky festivals in Europe and has built a strong distributor
network in the US and Asia. The appeal of Springbank's heritage
helped exports to £3.5m last year.
Whisky distillery
Argyll
July 15
79.32%
£3.5m
£8.1m
61
Cosatto
91
§
Pushchair manufacturer
Its British-designed pushchairs, highchairs and car seats have
been popular in Iran and China
Location
FYE
CAGR§
Int'l sales
Total sales
Employees
Bolton-based Cosatto makes colourful highchairs, car seats and
strollers, including one with built-in speakers. Helped by a strong
distributor network, sales to countries such as Spain, Portugal
and Iran helped exports to £4.3m in 2015. Following the
relaxation of its one-child policy, chief executive Andrew Kluge,
53, expects future growth in China.
Bolton
Aug 15
36.30%
£4.3m
£14.9m
55
compound annual growth rate between 2012/13/14 and 2014/15/16 *supplied by company
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
fasttrack.co.uk
SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
13
2016 SME EXPORT TRACK 100 LEAGUE TABLE
Rank Company
[2015] Activity
1
2-year av
int'l sales
FYE growth pa
Int'l
sales
£000
Total
sales
£000
Central London
May 15 357.19%
*3,620
*8,419
205
Bristol
Apr 15
346.00%
10,455
22,369
59
Exports sports equipment such as skateboards
to over 35 countries
HQ location
Black Swan Data
Analytical software developer
2 Shiner
[8] Sports goods distributor
Staff Comment
In March it secured £3m from international
investors, including Japanese conglomerate Mitsui
3
LoveCrafts
Online crafts communities
Central London
Mar 15 311.44%
*2,827
*5,340
75
With £18m of venture capital it has created a
global craft community covering 140 countries
4
PrivateFly
Online private jet hire
St Albans
May 15 238.78%
*4,545 *10,236
21
Launched in 2008 with £2m from 10 business angels, it
has more than 7,000 private jets on its booking system
5
Denis Ferranti Group
Bangor
Aerospace technology & manufacturing
Mar 15 209.72%
2,120
10,603
105
Traces its roots to inventor Dr Sebastian Ziani de
Ferranti, a pioneer of power transmission systems
6
BrandFuel
Creative design agency
Central London
May 15 207.44%
12,675
17,415
37
Produced Google's Zeitgeist event for the last
nine years
7
CQC
Military clothing manufacturer
Barnstaple
Sep 14
165.29%
7,175
8,069
57
Recently secured a contract to supply protective
clothing to the armed forces in Oman
8
Ebury
Business finance provider
Central London
Apr 15
162.06%
3,513
9,233
185
Has raised more than £70m from venture capital
investors
Slough
Dec 14
161.17%
4,207
10,759
112
Last year it invested £4.5m in larger headquarters
following increased demand from the US and Europe
Hertford
Mar 15 154.08% *16,899 *16,915
10
Ships household waste to Amsterdam, which has
the world's largest waste incineration plant
Fife
Dec 14
143.13%
6,310
12,962
162
9 Sovrin Plastics
[25] Plastic mouldings specialist
10
Andusia
Waste exporter
11 Sabre Safety
[27] Safety systems manufacturer
Provides equipment and health and safety
advice to BP's facilities in Pakistan
12
Arrow Media
TV & film producer
Central London
Sep 14
139.41%
8,794
10,857
52
Its documentary 'Sherpa' was nominated for a
BAFTA this year
13
A-2 Sea
Subsea telecoms supplier
Southampton
Sep 15
138.75%
*2,327
*8,218
17
Its engineers have worked on projects in
Colombia, Panama, Iraq and Taiwan
14
Qubit
Web technology developer
Central London
Dec 15
136.14%
*3,420 *11,352
210
Has raised more than £50m, including £28m in
February to fund product development
15
Victor
Online private jet hire
Central London
Dec 15
135.05%
*9,336 *16,158
70
Last year it bought US-based private jet charter
service YoungJets
16
CDEnviro
Specialist waste recycler
County Tyrone
Dec 15
126.84%
*3,204
*9,418
44
Its soil cleaning technology has reduced waste at
a tomato processing factory in Brazil
17
LC Designs
Jewellery box designer
Kent
Mar 15 119.39%
2,802
13,942
54
Its customisable jewellery boxes have been
popular in Asia and North America
18
AHC
Wakefield
Pensions communications consultancy
May 15 117.81%
1,456
6,535
69
Its online games and animations help businesses
in the US and Australia demystify staff pensions
19
Original Steel Services
Forgings & steel processing
Dorset
Mar 15 115.73%
11,467
23,420
20
Borro
Online loan provider
Central London
Dec 14
113.49%
3,814
11,371
62
Has offices in Manhattan and Beverly Hills to serve
its customers, who include Hollywood celebrities
21
MRT Castings
Aluminium parts manufacturer
Hampshire
Mar 15 107.11%
3,990
7,186
52
Exports specialist aluminium parts to customers
in Ireland, Hungary and Germany
22
The Appointment Group
Travel & events agency
West London
Dec 14
106.46%
4,645
15,325
182
23
Hatstand
Financial IT consultancy
Central London
May 15 103.43%
5,431
20,822
83
Its new office in Dubai will help drive sales of its
cybersecurity practice in the Middle East
24
POD Point
Central London
Electric vehicle charging developer
Jun 15
99.71%
2,548
6,418
50
Has seen strong sales in Norway, where around
20% of new cars are electric
25
Alba Power
Turbine maintenance services
Dec 15
98.90% *17,344 *21,151
64
Has customers in 16 countries, including the US
and Vietnam
* Supplied by company
Aberdeen
188 Customers include European farriers
Organised a VIP trip to the FIFA World Cup in
Brazil
† Annualised figure
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
fasttrack.co.uk
SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
14
2016 SME EXPORT TRACK 100 LEAGUE TABLE
Rank Company
[2015] Activity
26
HQ location
Turbine Efficiency
Turbine maintenance services
27 Miura Systems
[3] Payment hardware provider
28 Monica Vinader
[23] Jewellery designer
29
The Knowledge Academy
Training provider
30 Amara
[11] Home furniture online retailer
2-year av
int'l sales
FYE growth pa
Int'l
sales
£000
Total
sales
£000
*23,753
92
Past projects include replacing a turbine in the
middle of the Burmese jungle
Boosted by an £11m fundraising last year, future
growth is expected in the US and Asia Pacific
Staff Comment
Doncaster
Dec 15
97.60% *22,100
High Wycombe
Dec 15
97.52%
20,209
24,819
44
Jul 15
95.68%
5,291
19,814
138
Justin Bieber wore one of its bracelets to this
year's MTV Europe Awards in Milan
Bracknell
Mar 15
94.63%
4,654
22,139
126
Its 50,000 online courses are studied as far afield
as Malaysia and Argentina
Essex
Dec 15
93.23%
*3,694
*8,776
65
Says it is the largest international retailer of
home accessories by Italian designer Missoni
Sells its footwear in more than 50 countries
including Japan, the Philippines and Mexico
Norfolk
31
Butterfly Twists
Footwear designer
Central London
Mar 15
91.13%
*4,358
*5,134
30
32
HighQ
Central London
Cloud collaboration software developer
Apr 15
87.48%
1,627
6,818
160
Raised £35m in January to expand its international
presence and invest in product development
Mar 15
85.17%
18,655
23,176
22
Rejected by Dragon's Den tycoons in 2007, the
company now sells a hairbrush every 3 seconds
Dec 14
84.42%
8,361
15,246
260
Last October it raised £23m of venture capital to
fund expansion in the US
33 Tangle Teezer
[14] Hair products supplier
34
South London
Brandwatch
Brighton
Social media monitoring technology
35 Pet Brands
[22] Pet accessory manufacturer
Wakefield
Jan 16
82.34%
*4,133
*10,786
42
36 Avecto
[99] IT security software developer
Manchester
Jun 15
81.89%
9,612
14,675
119
Last December it sold a minority stake to
US-based growth investor JMI Equity, raising £32m
Southwest
London
Aug 15
80.70%
*4,936
*17,020
16
Plans to open a Hong Kong office to capitalise on
the rising demand for fine wine in China
Sells pet products - from dog shampoo to bird
feeders - in 62 countries
37
Cult Wines
Wine merchant
38
Lineup Systems
Central London
Advertising technology developer
Jun 15
80.36%
3,187
5,402
65
At the end of last year it secured its first Germanlanguage client, Austrian publisher Russmedia
39
Lawton Communications Group
Southampton
Digital marketing agency
Dec 14
80.24%
2,099
7,992
85
In 2010 it opened an office in Los Angeles to be
near its customers in the US gaming industry
40
Wilkinson Eyre
Architect
Central London
Mar 15
79.81%
7,531
22,325
185
Is designing Australia's 2nd tallest building - a
90-storey hotel and apartment tower in Melbourne
41
Springbank Whisky
Whisky distillery
Argyll
Jul 15
79.32%
3,500
8,133
61
Livingston
Jul 15
76.61%
8,819
11,634
125
Partners with a network of distributors to sell
display cases to museum galleries worldwide
12,460
Has developed surveillance technology to help
prevent poaching in Kenya’s national parks
42 Click Netherfield
[17] Display case manufacturer
In 2013 a Chinese whisky collector bought a
bottle of its 50 year-old single malt for £50,000
43
Seven Technologies Group
Security technology developer
County Antrim
Sep 15
75.06%
15,377
143
44
Blackrock PM
Dispute resolution consultancy
Central London
Oct 15
71.06% *12,795 *16,133
72
Last year's investment from Dunedin will be used
to open offices in Paris and Singapore
45
Agilitas
IT services provider
Nottingham
Mar 15
69.39%
†1,848
†6,993
75
New contracts will help it expand into Norway,
Sweden and Ireland this year
Essex
Jun 15
67.23%
6,600
11,722
25
Provides specialist high-performance fuels to
global clients such as Ford, BMW and Airbus
Lancashire
Sep 15
66.22%
*4,133 *16,940
48
Treatments for hair loss and bad breath are among
the 16,000 parcels this firm dispatches each day
46 Coryton Advanced Fuels
[66] Specialist fuel manufacturer
47
Chemist 4 U
Online pharmacy
48
UK Gas Technologies
Redhill
Specialist engineering contractor
Mar 15
65.31%
3,260
8,447
30
Has installed purified water generation systems
as far afield as the Faroe Islands and Bangladesh
49
Simworx
Special effects developer
West Midlands
Dec 15
62.02%
*4,780
*9,622
27
Its 4D cinema at New Zealand’s Antarctic Centre
includes wind, snow and water spray effects
50
Grenade
Sports nutrition developer
Coventry
Dec 15
61.49%
*4,356
*8,550
16 Exports to markets as diverse as Brazil and Iraq
* Supplied by company
† Annualised figure
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
fasttrack.co.uk
SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
15
2016 SME EXPORT TRACK 100 LEAGUE TABLE
Rank Company
[2015] Activity
HQ location
2-year av
int'l sales
FYE growth pa
Int'l
sales
£000
Total
sales
£000
Staff Comment
51
NMS International Group
Northamptonshire Apr 15
Construction consultancy & contractor
61.31%
17,219
17,219
20
Last year it won a £166m contract for up to
10,000 affordable housing units in Cameroon
52
Equator Design
Food packaging consultancy
53 Séraphine
[79] Maternity clothing retailer
Manchester
Dec 15
60.87%
*8,966
*16,023
242
Designed own-label packaging for Aldi US and
Ireland
Central London
Mar 15
60.81%
6,990
11,170
67
Princess Sofia is the second Swedish royal to
wear a Séraphine maternity dress
54
Search Laboratory
Online marketing agency
Leeds
Oct 15
60.66%
2,054
9,084
128
Runs "cultural days" for staff, where foreign
employees give a talk and bring local foods to work
55
Red Paddle Co
Devon
Watersports equipment designer
Feb 15
58.37%
*4,344
*7,543
14
Says it has an 18% share of the global market for
inflatable paddleboards
56
Xceed
IT management consultancy
Central London
Nov 14
57.00%
3,202
15,870
99
Specialises in integrating IT systems for Wall
Street clients undergoing a merger
57 European Braking Systems
[59] Vehicle brakes wholesaler
Manchester
Mar 15
56.93%
9,095
18,162
61 Has a truckparts subsidiary in Wuhan, China
58 Stateside Skates
[47] Sports goods distributor
Amersham
Jan 15
56.84%
4,200
9,140
21
Its action sports equipment is made in China and
Taiwan, and sold across Europe
Last October it opened its 5th overseas outpost
in Philadelphia to be near East Coast tech firms
59
TestPlant
Central London
Software testing tools developer
Dec 14
56.76%
5,848
7,403
55
60
REPL Group
IT consultancy
Warwickshire
Mar 15
56.57%
2,565
9,331
123
Has offices in the US, Canada, Australia and
Singapore
61
Webster + Horsfall
Wire & cable manufacturer
Birmingham
Jun 15
56.08%
2,352
8,803
114
Made the first transatlantic telegraph cable in
1866, which used 30,000 miles of wire
62
Helipebs Controls
Gloucester
Hydraulic cylinder manufacturer
Mar 15
55.93%
2,814
7,292
76
63
Sladmore Gallery
Art gallery
Central London
May 15
54.96%
10,832
13,891
7
Has sold work by French artists Rodin and Degas,
and customers include Arnold Schwarzenegger
64
Sabichi
Homeware designer & retailer
Middlesex
Oct 14
54.28%
2,532
11,836
67
Bright colours and low prices help it sell to West
Africa, Dubai and Australia
Nottingham
Mar 15
53.83%
5,310
11,407
113
Will move into £30m purpose-built labs in
Nottingham's bioscience incubator, BioCity, in 2017
46
Promotes new fashion brands at its 20,000 sq ft
showroom in Paris during the city's fashion weeks
65 Sygnature Discovery
[50] New drug researcher
A Chinese language website has helped this
manufacturer win customers in the Far East
66
Tomorrow
Designer brands wholesaler
East London
Dec 15
51.82% *14,975 *17,155
67
Forest Boards
Timber exporter
Guildford
Mar 15
50.55%
2,237
6,612
68 Flixmedia
[80] Digital marketing platform
North London
Mar 15
50.15%
6,897
6,967
85
Helps global brands, including Microsoft, Google
and Samsung, manage digital content
69 Parallel Consulting
[15] Recruitment consultancy
Central London
Dec 14
49.65%
7,637
24,396
81
Plans to expand in the US next year by opening
offices on the East Coast
4 Sources its wood from Chile
70
Global Infusion Group
Events caterer
Buckinghamshire Dec 15
48.27%
*9,059 *17,675
130
Provided catering for Lenny Kravitz in Los
Angeles, and Lady Gaga on tour in Hong Kong
71
Wool Overs
Knitwear retailer
West Sussex
Mar 15
45.61%
10,536
24,299
107
Its knitwear has been popular in France,
Germany and Russia
72
Plextek
Electronics design consultancy
Cambridgeshire Mar 15
45.11%
7,911
21,679
123
In January it spun-out its subsidiary, Telensa, which
has sold its street lights to more than 8 countries
73
Oxford Plastics
Safety barrier manufacturer
Oxfordshire
Mar 15
43.89%
3,589
16,866
92
North London
Dec 14
43.16%
4,038
7,147
Central London
Mar 15
42.31%
*3,652
*6,983
74 Open Destinations
[54] Travel software developer
75
Vermilion
Financial software developer
* Supplied by company
75% of its products are made from recycled
materials
35 Has a research and development team in Goa
50
This January it won a deal to sell its Japanese
language software to an asset manager in Tokyo
† Annualised figure
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
fasttrack.co.uk
SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
16
2016 SME EXPORT TRACK 100 LEAGUE TABLE
Rank Company
[2015] Activity
76
HQ location
Desco
Engineering consultancy
2-year av
int'l sales
FYE growth pa
Int'l
sales
£000
Total
sales
£000
Staff Comment
Helped refurbish the Bank of Qatar’s retail
branches
Sunderland
Mar 15
42.31%
2,428
7,007
66
West London
Mar 15
42.30%
11,468
19,834
141
Uses psychological techniques to help staff at
Starbucks and Versace improve their performance
Manchester
Dec 14
42.12%
10,832
16,984
196
Exports will be boosted by last August's
acquisition of Austrian software firm E-Dentity
Central London
Mar 15
41.56%
16,615
16,615
64
Its microchip technology is used in more than
one billion mobile devices
Group IMD
Central London
Video advertising software developer
Dec 14
41.09%
8,022
17,025
152
Last July it bought a Shanghai-based video
advertising firm
81 Safeguard World International
Cheshire
[12] Payroll services provider
Dec 14
40.95%
5,781
19,641
242
It opened an office in Budapest in August to
service its customers in Europe
82 British Corner Shop
[91] British food exporter
Bristol
Mar 15
40.91%
*7,055
*7,616
45
Exports baked beans and other British foods to
expats in 138 countries
Central London
Sep 15
40.76%
7,204
20,270
103
Manages the IT infrastructure for the WWF,
which has 100 offices in more than 80 countries
Daventry
Jul 15
40.62%
6,437
13,696
96
Its trailers are used by World Rally teams and
high-end car marques, such as Mercedes-Benz
77 Mind Gym
[16] Corporate learning provider
78
ASE Global
Car dealership consultancy
79 Apical
[38] Imaging technology developer
80
83
bluesource
IT consultancy
84 Brian James Trailers
[64] Trailer manufacturer
85
McGavigan
Glasgow
Decorative plastics manufacturer
Dec 15
40.45%
18,776
19,332
324
Investment from Maven Capital Partners in 2011
funded a new factory in China
86
Casdon
Toy maker
Blackpool
Apr 15
40.45%
3,146
7,725
16
Replica vacuum cleaners helped this toy-maker
grow sales in Japan
87
SFD
Retail interior designer
Watford
Sep 15
39.45%
*8,214
*23,336
80
Opened an office in New York after winning a
contract to fit-out Gap's US stores
88 A-Safe
[33] Safety barrier manufacturer
Halifax
Dec 15
37.94% *12,536
*19,680
154
Is installing its barriers at Volkswagen’s new
logistics centres in Ohio and Germany
89
Mofilm
Central London
Crowdsourcing advertising agency
Dec 14
36.62%
*8,528
*10,667
58
Its filmmakers’ work has been shown during US
Super Bowl ad breaks
90
Weatherbys
Horse racing
Wellingborough
Dec 14
36.56%
6,331
21,721
281
Is investing in developing its DNA and genomic
testing laboratory in County Kildare, Ireland
91
Cosatto
Pushchair manufacturer
Bolton
Aug 15
36.30%
4,293
14,886
55
Its colourful pushchairs, highchairs and car seats
have been popular in Europe and China
92
Kent Brushes
Brush manufacturer
Hemel
Hempstead
Dec 14
36.03%
1,968
5,767
40
Has been exporting its handmade clothes and
hair brushes to Asia since 1903
93 Sanglier
Nottinghamshire Apr 15
[37] Chemicals packaging manufacturer
35.14%
2,694
11,413
45
The company's name 'Sanglier' means 'wild boar'
in French
94 SCM World
[75] Specialist training provider
Central London
Dec 15
35.00%
*7,667
*7,888
50
Condolezza Rice was the keynote speaker at its
Leaders Forum in California last year
95 Potters Poultry
[65] Poultry equipment supplier
Rugby
Mar 15
34.94%
2,467
10,864
44
Sells chicken breeding equipment to the supplier
of all KFC outlets in the Philippines
96
Kit for Kids
Kent
Children's products manufacturer
Feb 16
34.76%
*2,306
*7,800
130
97
Laser Quantum
Laser technology developer
Stockport
Sep 14
34.31%
12,615
12,985
97
98
Synectics Solutions
Specialist software developer
Staffordshire
Aug 15
34.26%
3,856
13,139
290
Employs more than 45 software developers at its
Staffordshire headquarters
99
Heatherwick Studio
Architect & designer
Central London
Mar 15
33.64%
11,468
14,359
152
Is designing Google's new headquarters in
Mountain View, California
Micro Systems
Medical device manufacturer
Warrington
Dec 14
33.20%
5,764
9,823
56
100
* Supplied by company
Its educational and babycare products are sold
in more than 220 stores in the Middle East
Its €500,000 lasers are used by scientists
globally, from Silicon Valley to Japan
Has manufacturing plants in Vienna and
Singapore
† Annualised figure
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
fasttrack.co.uk
SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
17
METHODOLOGY
Qualification criteria
Companies were ranked on their compound annual growth rate
(CAGR) in international sales over their latest two years of available
accounts, from 2012 to 2014, 2013 to 2015 or 2014 to 2016.
International sales were defined as declared non-UK revenue.
Of the 100 companies on the league table, 21 had financial years
ending in 2014, 77 had financial years ending in 2015 and two had a
financial year ending in 2016.
Limitations: The research is based on the limited available data
on international sales. Many firms file abbreviated accounts, and
some firms that file full accounts do not disclose a geographical
breakdown of sales on the grounds that it will be prejudicial to their
interests.
Qualification criteria also included:
• UK-registered, independent, unquoted and ultimate holding
companies
• Base year international sales greater than £150,000
• Total sales of £5m to £25m in latest year
• International sales greater than 20% of total sales in latest year
i.e. greater than £1m international sales
• No drop in international sales from penultimate to latest year
• At least 25 trading weeks in latest and base year (trading on
periods different from 52 weeks were annualised on a simple
straight pro-rata basis)
Research approach
The main research was conducted by Fast Track primarily between
November 2015 and April 2016. Companies were selected from a
database of 2m private limited UK companies after extensive desk,
telephone and case study research. The majority of the companies
were interviewed.
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
fasttrack.co.uk
SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
18
SPONSOR & MEDIA PARTNER
Fast Track would like to thank our headline sponsor Heathrow
Airport and supporter Exporting is GREAT, for their support of
the league table in its second year.
The sponsors do not endorse, guarantee or recommend investment
in any of the companies.
Sponsor
Heathrow Airport is the headline sponsor of SME Export Track 100
for 2016.
John Holland-Kaye
Chief executive
Heathrow, the UK’s hub airport, is home to more than 80 airlines
connecting to more than 180 destinations. Every year Heathrow
welcomes over 75 million passengers with a commitment to ‘making
every journey better’.
By providing passengers with frequent and direct connections,
millions of people rely on us every day to visit friends, take
holidays, reunite families or simply get their business done. These
connections drive the UK economy by connecting British businesses
to the world’s established and emerging markets. In today’s global
economy, our success is Britain’s success.
Heathrow is also Britain’s most important port, carrying more freight,
by value, than any other UK airport. Air Freight accounts for 40%
of the UK's imports and exports and most of that comes through
Heathrow.
Following an investment of more than £11bn over the past 10
years, passengers have voted Heathrow the ‘Best Airport in Western
Europe’ for the second year in a row, ‘Best Airport Terminal’ for
Terminal 5 for the fifth year in a row and ‘Best Airport for Shopping’
seven years in a row. With over 75,000 people working at Heathrow,
the airport is one of the UK’s largest single site employers while
also supporting the local and national economy by working with our
airlines, suppliers and other business partners throughout the UK.
your.heathrow.com/takingbritainfurther
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
fasttrack.co.uk
SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
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The ‘Exporting is GREAT’ campaign is supporting this year's
SME Export Track 100.
Launched in November last year by the Minister for Trade and
Investment, Exporting is GREAT is a five year programme to enable
100,000 additional companies to export by 2020.
The campaign presents live export opportunities to businesses and
provides advice and expertise to support them at every step of their
international journey.
exportingisgreat.gov.uk
Media partner
The Sunday Times has been Fast Track's media partner for all
19 years.
Dominic O'Connell
Business editor
The Sunday Times is Britain’s No 1 newspaper for business, and the
leading broadsheet newspaper attracting over three million readers
every week. More than half (54%) of the business elite read The
Sunday Times, a greater market share than any other publication,
according to the latest Ipsos survey.
thesundaytimes.co.uk
© 2013
2016 SME
Fast Export
Track 100
Track 100
www.fasttrack.co.uk
fasttrack.co.uk
SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
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ABOUT FAST TRACK
Compiler & publisher
Hamish Stevenson owns and runs Fast Track, which he founded
in 1997 after securing cornerstone sponsorship from Richard
Branson. He works closely with leading entrepreneurs, sponsors
and media partners to try to ensure their expectations are
exceeded, and that they remain engaged with the alumni network.
He is an associate fellow at Green Templeton College, Oxford
University, where he completed his masters and doctorate in
management studies and subsequently set-up and held the Virgin
research fellowship in entrepreneurship.
The authors
Richard Tyler leads Fast Track’s research and editorial, working
closely with sponsors and companies within our network.
He was the enterprise editor of The Daily and Sunday Telegraph
for nine years, covering private companies and government policy
towards business. He trained in journalism at Euromoney, part
of The Daily Mail & General Trust, after completing his degree at
Manchester University.
Claire Wheeler is responsible for managing the SME Export
Track 100 research.
She trained as a chartered accountant with Deloitte in its
financial services tax department in London. She has a degree in
geography from Durham University.
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
fasttrack.co.uk
SME Export Track 100 research report 2016
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Fast Track
SME Export Track 100 is compiled by Fast Track, the UK's leading
face-to-face networking events and research company, which ranks
top-performing private companies and entrepreneurs.
Fast Track has compiled league tables on private companies in
partnership with The Sunday Times for the last 19 years.
It publishes six other annual league table awards programmes:
Tech Track 100 ranks Britain's private TMT companies with the
fastest-growing sales Fast Track 100 ranks Britain’s private companies with the
fastest-growing sales (excluding tech companies)
International Track 200 ranks Britain's mid-market private
companies with the fastest-growing international sales (total
sales over £25m)
Profit Track 100 ranks Britain's private companies with the
fastest-growing profits Top Track 250 ranks Britain’s leading mid-market private
growth companies with the biggest sales (£140m to £650m)
Top Track 100 ranks Britain’s private companies with the
biggest sales (£650m to £20bn)
Fast Track is based in Oxford with 23 staff, and a network of
freelance researchers.
CONTACT DETAILS
Fast Track
Angel Court
81 St Clements Street
Oxford
OX4 1AW
Tel: Fax: 01865 297 100
01865 297 001
Email:[email protected]
Web:www.fasttrack.co.uk
twitter:@ST_SMEexport
© 2016 SME Export Track 100
fasttrack.co.uk